News GMHBA Stadium Stage 5 Redevelopment

[JohnZ]

The issue is not so much the seating or constraints on it but the amenities and other facilities (dining, corporates, etc.) which can’t be accommodated in the tiny footprint.

Exactly, plus any overhang on the road is going to overshadow the businesses anyway which they're not going to like.

I think the biggest issue is the South Geelong Urban Design Framework which has been recently adopted by the City of Greater Geelong (CoGG).

The land is too valuable to the CoGG as medium to high density housing to have it occupied as a part of the stadium.

The club/trust could always redevelop the remaining land as high density housing for some money on the side (sold off or rented out). I wouldn't envision the stand going past the boundary of moorabool st itself, but by building up to the boundary of the current businesses you wouldn't be able to keep them open.

Moorabool St gets sunk underneath, the area above turned into a normal stadium (mirror of the brownlow stand) with a pedestrian area surrounding. The shops behind get demolished and the land remaining gets turned into a forecourt.


The black arrows represents moorabool st which would be decked over / dug under the new concourse (the blocky green areas - those are just for demonstration of potential pedestrian only areas).

The pink arrows would be at ground level and allow for local traffic only to turn away from the stadium to the respective local street.

The red line illustrates then boundary of the current business which line moorabool St. It shows that it is possible to build this without needing to acquire them, but with loss of street frontage and overshadowing from the stadium, I can't see them happily accepting that outcome.

The width of the ground could increase to 120m or 125m (currently 116m according to google) by doing this, which would be a win.

Of course this would all cost a lot of money, and until KP hits capacity constraints for every game is unnecessary, however one day it will happen and something like this is not out of the question.

The current Reg Hickey stand has a capacity of 6,500 fans and a boundary circumference of ~130m (up to the end of the scoreboard bays). The new stage 5 stand (unnamed as current) has a boundary circumference of ~100m and capacity for 14,000 fans. It's hard to use the Brownlow/Premiership stands as guides for capacity given the media centre, and all the dinning rooms.

At the very least, a properly rebuilt Reg Hickey stand should be able to fit 14*(130/100) = 18,000 fans which is a +11.5k boost on current capacity. Given the comparison between end of an oval and the wing, I dare say it could maybe be higher than that. That would take the stadium to being roughly the same size as Marvel (~50k).

 

[Dan26]

I havnt been following this closely, but I was hoping this would be ready for the Bombers game a month from today. I’m assuming this won’t be the case?

 

[cats_09]

I havnt been following this closely, but I was hoping this would be ready for the Bombers game a month from today. I’m assuming this won’t be the case?

It'll be ready for when Essendon travel down in 2024

 

[cats_09]

We have seats

 

[pattymalone00]

Is that standing room

 

[samcro]

I’m travelling to GMHBA for the first time ever for the upcoming port game. Any tips on where the best seats are? At most stadiums for AFL I prefer lower level wing but undercover. Do any such seats exist currently?

 

[Tyzza_07_09_11]

Is that standing room

View attachment 1719064

Sure is, something like 2,000 people standing room. I believe it’s being put in with the potential to return it to seats eventually if it doesn’t take off, but given the popularity of the old Ablett terrace standing room I reckon it’ll be here to stay.

 

[Tyzza_07_09_11]

I’m travelling to GMHBA for the first time ever for the upcoming port game. Any tips on where the best seats are? At most stadiums for AFL I prefer lower level wing but undercover. Do any such seats exist currently?

Unfortunately until the new stand is opened, there’s going to be pretty much no choosing of favourite seats… if you get anything, you’ll be considering yourself lucky. Tickets will go on sale for the general public on the 18th of july at 2pm for that game, and it’s essentially anything that’s not being taken by geelong reserved seat holders (literally a matter of maybe 100-200 tickets at most).

Not sure how it works, but there’s generally a bay of seats allocated for the away cheer squad too, so perhaps getting in touch with port themselves might give you a chance… not sure on that one though.

So the general advice will be to get in quick, good luck

 

[SkittleCats]

Is it weird that they are putting in the seats now given the stand isnt predicted to be done before the end of this season?

Some of us were talking tonight about the possibility that they may be trying to have the ground level bays ready for the Essendon game, could that be a chance?

 

[Turbocat]

I find it strange that in the centre of the goals in the second level... they have wasted some prime seats with an entry exit. Seems such a waste.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

If you want to see how the old KP ground looked back in the day - like in the 1960s - and in a Premiership year - and more of these games are being found and loaded onto you - tube in the last year or so

Then google 1963 VFL Round 5 Geelong Vs StKilda - the vision/quality is 1st class - and there is a very economical scoreboard right on the outer wing

 

[catters05]

Is it weird that they are putting in the seats now given the stand isnt predicted to be done before the end of this season?

Some of us were talking tonight about the possibility that they may be trying to have the ground level bays ready for the Essendon game, could that be a chance?

Probably just to make it look a little better on TV rather then everyone looking at bare concrete.

 

[catters05]

Exactly, plus any overhang on the road is going to overshadow the businesses anyway which they're not going to like.


The club/trust could always redevelop the remaining land as high density housing for some money on the side (sold off or rented out). I wouldn't envision the stand going past the boundary of moorabool st itself, but by building up to the boundary of the current businesses you wouldn't be able to keep them open.

Moorabool St gets sunk underneath, the area above turned into a normal stadium (mirror of the brownlow stand) with a pedestrian area surrounding. The shops behind get demolished and the land remaining gets turned into a forecourt.

View attachment 1712550
The black arrows represents moorabool st which would be decked over / dug under the new concourse (the blocky green areas - those are just for demonstration of potential pedestrian only areas).

The pink arrows would be at ground level and allow for local traffic only to turn away from the stadium to the respective local street.

The red line illustrates then boundary of the current business which line moorabool St. It shows that it is possible to build this without needing to acquire them, but with loss of street frontage and overshadowing from the stadium, I can't see them happily accepting that outcome.

The width of the ground could increase to 120m or 125m (currently 116m according to google) by doing this, which would be a win.

Of course this would all cost a lot of money, and until KP hits capacity constraints for every game is unnecessary, however one day it will happen and something like this is not out of the question.

The current Reg Hickey stand has a capacity of 6,500 fans and a boundary circumference of ~130m (up to the end of the scoreboard bays). The new stage 5 stand (unnamed as current) has a boundary circumference of ~100m and capacity for 14,000 fans. It's hard to use the Brownlow/Premiership stands as guides for capacity given the media centre, and all the dinning rooms.

At the very least, a properly rebuilt Reg Hickey stand should be able to fit 14*(130/100) = 18,000 fans which is a +11.5k boost on current capacity. Given the comparison between end of an oval and the wing, I dare say it could maybe be higher than that. That would take the stadium to being roughly the same size as Marvel (~50k).

Needs to happen imo. Amazing looking stadium it would be completed. No excuses for AFL and the big flog clubs for travelling down the highway for Home and Away + Finals.

Without this completed, I see the Cats having to still play a couple in Melbourne and Home finals in Melbourne.

 

[Gee Class Loco]

Can't wait for next year as this Stadium will be OUR fortress for decades.
40ThousandStrong.
The day will come when we play all 11 Home games at... U guessed it. AT HOME!

 

[catters05]

Can't wait for next year as this Stadium will be OUR fortress for decades.
40ThousandStrong.
The day will come when we play all 11 Home games at... U guessed it. AT HOME!

Will be interesting if it gets to 40k when completed.

 

[Gee Class Loco]

Will be interesting if it gets to 40k when completed.

We will if we play the likes of Collingwood & Richmond down here... even Essendon & Carlton when they are up and about.
Scheduling is even of more importance.

 

[magic_johnson!]

We will if we play the likes of Collingwood & Richmond down here... even Essendon & Carlton when they are up and about.
Scheduling is even of more importance.

If the capacity is 40,000, I can’t see it really getting more than 37,000 unless it’s fully ticketed like a final. It’s very hard to reduce member-no-show down to less than 10%.

 

[Gee Class Loco]

If the capacity is 40,000, I can’t see it really getting more than 37,000 unless it’s fully ticketed like a final. It’s very hard to reduce member-no-show down to less than 10%.

Member no shows mean nothing when the SOLD OUT sign comes out... happens all the time at Mile High stadium, the home of my Broncos.
35,000 seats will be taken up by members. the other 5,000 will be offered weekly/per game as i interpret it.
So i reckon the place will be as close to capacity like the G gets with their no shows for their block busters.
Can't wait TBH. It's gonna be on a different level.
This Club is simply the BEST.

 

[The_Todd07]

I really hope that we can move our seats into the new stand, especially with the club wanting to make that a Geelong only end.
Currently right up the back of the Hickey Stand at the river end, view is pretty good but you feel a bit isolated from the crowd

 

[Turbocat]

I really hope that we can move our seats into the new stand, especially with the club wanting to make that a Geelong only end.
Currently right up the back of the Hickey Stand at the river end, view is pretty good but you feel a bit isolated from the crowd

On the HHF? I guess that would be high and an little less involved.

There are times I wish for the old Hickey/Wade stand. I had such perfect seats... it was never going to be as good once they rebuilt the stand. And while my current seats are OK they not what I had. Still the experience of the Pandemic when we had seats shuffled allowed me to experience other spots which left me a little unimpressed. And the ground is not getting shorter as my eyes age.

I hope the new stand is spaced so each seat has a reasonable width as it seems Im always next to someone of considerable girth who takes up a lot of room ...and the seats are not so close that a person of reasonable height doesnt have to sit angled to avoid their knees pushing into the front seats

 

[The_Todd07]

On the HHF? I guess that would be high and an little less involved.

There are times I wish for the old Hickey/Wade stand. I had such perfect seats... it was never going to be as good once they rebuilt the stand. And while my current seats are OK they not what I had. Still the experience of the Pandemic when we had seats shuffled allowed me to experience other spots which left me a little unimpressed. And the ground is not getting shorter as my eyes age.

I hope the new stand is spaced so each seat has a reasonable width as it seems Im always next to someone of considerable girth who takes up a lot of room ...and the seats are not so close that a person of reasonable height doesnt have to sit angled to avoid their knees pushing into the front seats

We are C9 row N

Used to be dead centre wing 3rd row in the Hickey Stand but only had 2 seats so we moved where we are now to get a 3rd and then this year there was a 4th available next to us.

We did well out of the pandemic reshuffle.
Still in the Hickey Stand but in the back few rows of the lower deck where it's steeper. Great view without some fat head in your way

 

[jim boy]

Im always next to someone of considerable girth who takes up a lot of room

some fat head in your way

Ahh Geelong - move there for the lifestyle, stay there for the pies.

 

[jim boy]

If you want to see how the old KP ground looked back in the day - like in the 1960s - and in a Premiership year - and more of these games are being found and loaded onto you - tube in the last year or so

Then google 1963 VFL Round 5 Geelong Vs StKilda - the vision/quality is 1st class - and there is a very economical scoreboard right on the outer wing

Interesting - fascinating match. Goggin just stands out as a natural and would be a star today. incidentally over summer we renovated our house and inside one of the wall cavities was an old copy of the sun from March 58. Has a brief mention of Bill Goggin, brother of Matt, impressing in a practise match.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Interesting - fascinating match. Goggin just stands out as a natural and would be a star today. incidentally over summer we renovated our house and inside one of the wall cavities was an old copy of the sun from March 58. Has a brief mention of Bill Goggin, brother of Matt, impressing in a practise match.

Sharrock is the other one - number 10 you would have noticed him - took a couple of really nice marks

That was the 1963 game - re Geel v Stk and the vision is very clear - good - that is why i listed it

But the 1964 game between those same 2 teams at KP - is also on the you- tube -the whole last qtr however the vision is ratshiit - the 1st 10 minutes of it will send you cross eyed - however funny enough the poor old Saints dominated the whole last qtr - kept their noses nicely in front - and in true StKilda fashion got beat right at the death - hah

 

[Willo_]

I’m travelling to GMHBA for the first time ever for the upcoming port game. Any tips on where the best seats are? At most stadiums for AFL I prefer lower level wing but undercover. Do any such seats exist currently?

You have basically zero chance of picking where you sit.. and if you are just coming over for the footy i wouldn't book too much until you have a seat locked up, it is harsh but unless you are logged on right at the right time they go super quick, and with Port up and about and it being a big game Cats fans will snap up most of the seats literally the moment they go live