Whitten Oval Redevelopment Plans (UPDATE: No AFL Games)

cecil

Club Legend
Feb 28, 2010
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Figured this is big enough for its own thread, as it could lead to some pretty big outcomes.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...n/news-story/bcdc1a5e6a399d4a3b14bdb2b7d9d7ea


AFL matches for premiership points would return to the Whitten Oval within five years under a bold $150 million redevelopment plan.
The Western Bulldogs have confirmed they will push to play “heritage” games at the kennel in coming seasons by increasing crowd capacity at their spiritual home to 18,000.

Low-drawing interstate clubs like Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney would be the most likely opponents if the AFL ticks off on the proposal.

“We would love to see the occasional heritage AFL match return to the ground in time,” Dogs chief executive Ameet Bains told the Herald Sun.

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Digital images of how a Whitten Oval redevelopment would look.
“A redeveloped Whitten Oval for AFLW matches, with increased capacity and a first-class match day experience, certainly makes that a real opportunity.”

The redevelopment plan includes demolition and rebuilding of the Whitten Stand, an indoor training field, convention centre, football department, increased seating and broadcast-quality light towers at a cost of about $45 million.

The Dogs want a revamped Whitten Oval to become a central hub for the game’s growing women’s competition.

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Whitten Oval’s capacity would be increased to 18,000 under the proposed plan.
State and federal funds and the intended sale of the Bulldogs’ two poker machines venues at Footscray and Dromana will help pay for the Whitten Oval rebuild, Bains said.

“We currently have $1m funding from the State Government to conduct more detailed design,” he said.

“There is also a compelling business case outlining the significant community benefits our redevelopment will bring that will shortly be formally submitted. We expect this to lead to further State Government support.”

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The Bulldogs prepare to run through the banner in Round 21, 1997.
Sports Minister Martin Pakula said last night: “We’ve made an election commitment to provide $1 million towards design work for the master plan — we look forward to seeing the plan when it’s completed and talking to the Dogs and the AFL about the Bulldogs’ ambitions.”

A town square-style piazza, public running track and large residential development on crown land at the ground’s Geelong Rd end gifted to the club last year are also detailed.

“Our masterplan reflects the club’s long-term vision of the Whitten Oval precinct as a hub for the west that attracts and connects our community to the football club and gives our club the best chance of success on and off the field,” Bains said.

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Digital images of what a redeveloped Whitten Oval might look like.
“Our immediate focus is to improve the experience of watching football at the venue to ensure the Whitten Oval remains one of the key AFL priority venues for AFLW matches.

“It will also involve a slightly reoriented playing surface and broadcast lighting quality, something the AFL has committed to investing in, given it sees the ground as a model venue for AFLW matches, especially at night.”


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Bains added: “A redeveloped precinct will provide an amazing base for our four teams, and we expect the football facilities to be a huge drawcard for the club keeping and attracting star players.

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“We will undertake member and local community engagement about our plans in the coming months.”

The last match played at Whitten Oval, formerly the Western Oval, was played on August 23, 1997 when the Bulldogs beat West Coast by 18 points.
 
If your spending 150m, get the capacity up the 25k and play 3 to 5 games a year there, basically all interstate teams.

I'm guessing the focus on aflw/girls footy is why it's pitched at 18k. Maybe also parking constraints.
 

cecil

Club Legend
Feb 28, 2010
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AFL Club
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Would 18k be enough to host GWS, GC and Freo? They are the only teams I could see us playing with that capacity, so only 2 games a year. I guess by the time it's done we'd also likely be looking at a Tasmanian and 3rd WA team too. So 4 womens games, probably a AFLW final, 10ish VFL games, and 3-4 AFL games?
 
Would 18k be enough to host GWS, GC and Freo? They are the only teams I could see us playing with that capacity, so only 2 games a year. I guess by the time it's done we'd also likely be looking at a Tasmanian and 3rd WA team too. So 4 womens games, probably a AFLW final, 10ish VFL games, and 3-4 AFL games?

I mean we had 23k vs GC, abeit at discounted upgrade and GA, so it's not that far off.
 

Munnez

Premiership Player
Apr 2, 2018
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Would give the club some long term security, may help with sponsors branding.
Could also help with attracting some big name recruits potentially.
Nice to see something positive about the club!!!
 

Sharpiesadog

Team Captain
Sep 8, 2017
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Not convinced this is a great idea. 40k members doesn’t go into 18. I don’t like Ballarat either mind you. A lot of money to spend for not much return.
 
Not convinced this is a great idea. 40k members doesn’t go into 18. I don’t like Ballarat either mind you. A lot of money to spend for not much return.

No where near 40k turn up to any given home game let alone our own supporters worth. We wouldn't sell games if we did.
 

cecil

Club Legend
Feb 28, 2010
2,090
2,686
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Not convinced this is a great idea. 40k members doesn’t go into 18. I don’t like Ballarat either mind you. A lot of money to spend for not much return.
It would be staged. They'd aim for 18k straight up which would sell out for all afl games. Then they'd hope to add 5k at a time every decade or so. There'd be potential for a 25-30k stadium which would be huge for the club. Gordon St may have to go for that to happen, but I think in 20 years that'll be more doable. West Footscray station is about to be upgraded with another platform and will be a key terminus for the Frankston and Cranbourne lines too, so lack of parking won't be such a big issue
 
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