News GMHBA Stadium Stage 5 Redevelopment

[Max Milburn]

I wouldn't be surprised either - the way they awarded the licence to "Western Melbourne" has to raise eyebrows:

- the initially favoured 11th team was to be located South East Melbourne
- there was government support to build a $120 million, 15,000 seat stadium in Dandenong

but instead...
- the Western Melbourne bidding team vowed to fully fund the building of a boutique 15,000 seat stadium in Tarneit (this has been praised by FFA because it means that a team will actually own their own stadium rather than renting/leasing it - until funding falls through & it doesn't get built)
- they also reportedly stumped up more for the licence fee than the other bids

So ultimately, the decision wasn't actually about which bid was best or which potential team would be best for the fans but rather just about which bid was willing to pay the most money

Tarneit was the clincher. What's not to love about Tarneit?

 

[Down at K Park]

How are they going to find $120 mil for a stadium?

 

[cats_09]

Tarneit was the clincher. What's not to love about Tarneit?

When I worked in Melbourne, the best thing about Tarneit was that of the train was stopping their on the trip back to Geelong, you would be guaranteed a seat after that stop

 

[cats_09]

Gotta say, the more I'm reading about the new Western Melbourne team the funnier (maybe slightly concerning) it gets - yesterday it's announced they'll play home games at KP their first couple of seasons until their new stadium is built, but now it's revealed they don't yet have an agreement with KP Trust to use the venue:

The Western Melbourne Group have been granted an A-League licence without a formal agreement in place to play games at GMHBA Stadium while their proposed new stadium at Tarneit is being built.

Although the Kardinia Park Trust has been in discussions with the consortium about playing games at the venue when they enter the competition in 2019-2020, their games will need to fit in with the needs of their major tenants and annual events such as Big Bash games involving the Melbourne Renegades...

..."We have been in discussions with Western Melbourne about potentially playing some of their early season games at GMHBA Stadium until they build their stadium in Tarneit," Brown said.

"At this stage there is no formal agreement."...

...The trust is also planning to complete the stadium redevelopment with the recently re-elected Andrews government pledging $102 million to the stage five redevelopment.

Discussions are still taking place as to when that redevelopment will start and what impact it will have on the stadium's availability.

Brown was confident the new A-League team would be able to play games at the venue, however he said the trust was conscious of existing arrangements.

"Whilst we are happy to assist and see this as a great opportunity for Western Melbourne, we are mindful of the needs of our current tenants and events such as BBL," Brown said.

I'd laugh if no agreement can be meet, the new team is homeless for a couple of years and ends up playing at AAMI like the current Melbourne teams.

I also like in the article how it mentions the next stage of development.

https://www.outline.com/NHcRB5

 

[Spazz Cat]

Tarneit was the clincher. What's not to love about Tarneit?

Tarneit, Rockbank, Plumpton etc is gonna be massive. Huge!
Certainly not the worst idea to build a stadium there.
But what I don't get (I admit I know nothing about soccer) isn't Victory sort of the western suburbs team anyway?
Makes far more sense to put a team in the South East.

 

[Max Milburn]

Tarneit, Rockbank, Plumpton etc is gonna be massive. Huge!
Certainly not the worst idea to build a stadium there.
But what I don't get (I admit I know nothing about soccer) isn't Victory sort of the western suburbs team anyway?
Makes far more sense to put a team in the South East.

You might be right, but I wouldn't live there if were the last place on Earth.
After living over here for 40 odd years, even Geelong is too ****ing flat for me!

 

[Spazz Cat]

You might be right, but I wouldn't live there if were the last place on Earth.
After living over here for 40 odd years, even Geelong is too ****ing flat for me!

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't wanna live there. Just saying its gonna be big.
There's some big hills in Highton to satisfy your urge for ample mountainous peaks.

 

[Max Milburn]

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't wanna live there. Just saying its gonna be big.
There's some big hills in Highton to satisfy your urge for mountainous ample peaks.

Ha ha. Try my backyard for size...

Try my

 

[Spazz Cat]

Ha ha. Try my backyard for size...

View attachment 595418 Try my

That is seriously bloody beautiful.
Got nothing on the hill on the Geelong ring road though.

 

[cats_09]

Tarneit, Rockbank, Plumpton etc is gonna be massive. Huge!
Certainly not the worst idea to build a stadium there.
But what I don't get (I admit I know nothing about soccer) isn't Victory sort of the western suburbs team anyway?
Makes far more sense to put a team in the South East.

Yes the SE Melbourne team made more sense (and was favorites to get the licence), but the group behind the Western Melbourne team was willing to put up more money to secure the bid.

Totally agree that that area is going to be massive - commuting to Melbourne for the best part of 9 years I saw the development along the train route; not sure that's enough though to justify a national team in that location.

Maybe what should have happened though was support to make Wantirna the sporting capital of the South East suburbs - the have the State Basketball Centre there which will be the home (training & administration) for the new SE Melbourne basketball team, and they are going to renovate the stadium so it can be used for matches also. Much like the Olympic Park precinct, maybe they should have looked at the viability of not only renovating the basketball stadium but building a rectangle pitch for soccer, rugby etc in the same area and try to give that area a real identity in terms of nationally sporting teams

 

[goyoucatters]

So ultimately, the decision wasn't actually about which bid was best or which potential team would be best for the fans but rather just about which bid was willing to pay the most money.

Hard to believe that any of us could have expected any different, really.

In a realm where the moral vacuum that is FIFA was only one step removed from the process, there was only ever going to be a self-serving decision based on naked greed.

As predictable as night following day, really.

And the allusion to a descent into darkness is certainly rather apt.

 

[AndyMac05]

There’s an article on the Geelong addy website today about plans for stage 5. Unfortunately it’s paywalled and I’ve just forked out money for the family memberships so have nothing left to pay to read the article! Can anyone enlighten me if there is any mention of keeping some standing room? Cheers

 

[Max Milburn]

That is seriously bloody beautiful.
Got nothing on the hill on the Geelong ring road though.

You can literally see my house in the background. (Through the cloud!)

 

[cats_09]

There’s an article on the Geelong addy website today about plans for stage 5. Unfortunately it’s paywalled and I’ve just forked out money for the family memberships so have nothing left to pay to read the article! Can anyone enlighten me if there is any mention of keeping some standing room? Cheers

Doesn't really mention much about the redevelopment of the stand - here's some of the interesting things from the article:

A NEW open forecourt entrance to Kardinia Park will be created as part of the suite of works in the final stage of the complex’s 20-year rebuild.

The forecourt will create a main entry into Geelong’s premier stadium, which is now split between three distinct access points.

It will be adjacent a major new cricket hub, with the two new additions a key part of the external transformation of the northern end of the stadium.

Labor’s election victory has guaranteed the stage five redevelopment will go ahead, after it committed $102 million to the project during the election campaign.

However, international cricket scheduling means the works won’t start for another two years.

Kardinia Park Stadium Trust CEO Michael Brown said the plaza would add “a new dimension” to the area.

“We revitalise that into an activity precinct, it becomes a place for Sunday markets, it becomes a place for meeting, light shows and stalls,” Mr Brown said...

...On the sporting side, cricket stands to be the big winner of the $100-million plus upgrade. A key feature will be the regional cricket hub, featuring an indoor/outdoor training facility.

“It will be an upgrade of the Geelong Cricket Club nets and an indoor training centre, which is available for community use … and local clubs to be involved in,” Mr Brown said.

The hub will complemented by a cut-price community gymnasium.

The stage five works will also include a Sports Discovery Centre, which will feature the unrivalled Geelong Cats memorabilia of club vice-president Bob Gartland.

He will loan the museum his personal collection, containing tens of thousands of historic items, dating back more than 150 years.

Mr Brown said other sporting pursuits of the Geelong region would also be showcased in the centre.

The works will begin after the T20 World Cup, which will finish in November, 2020.

Mr Brown said the works would take 18 months to two years to complete.

Full article can be read here - https://outline.com/rJPU7U

 

[Spazz Cat]

Doesn't really mention much about the redevelopment of the stand - here's some of the interesting things from the article:




Full article can be read here - https://outline.com/rJPU7U

The plaza thing sounds really cool. It's a bummer they cant start it straight away.
I think one addition they need though is a kids area like the MCG has.
But it sounds great, Sunday markets and stalls and all that.

 

[cats_09]

The plaza thing sounds really cool. It's a bummer they cant start it straight away.
I think one addition they need though is a kids area like the MCG has.
But it sounds great, Sunday markets and stalls and all that.

They seem to be addressing issues/complaints that have continually been raised by those opposing the cost the redevelopment that the venue is just a football ground and it's a waste of money doing this work because it does nothing for the community - nevermind that those people continually ignore the money bought into Geelong with every home match.

Stage 5 is going to make the KP Precinct more community friendly and show that the venue is more than just a football ground.

Though it seems that it's going to be one of Victory, Renegades or maybe Storm who will most likely play the first match at the completed stadium based on the 18 month/2 year build time - start November 2020 and ready for summer 2022; going to be weird with the GFC not being the ones to showcase the completed stadium.

 

[goyoucatters]

Great news all round here.

And putting the memorabilia of Bob Gartland on display sounds like it will be a fantastic addition as well. For someone like me (who loves to reflect on the history of the club), this feels long overdue.

 

[Turbocat]

so the stage 5 is fully funded ..but we will not see any development till the end of 2020 ....

https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.a...t/news-story/d656ca5e5208bba37895cc211fba479b


Twenty20 World Cup pushes back last stage of GMHBA stadium redevelopment

THE cricket Twenty20 World Cup will push back construction of the final stage of the GMHBA Stadium redevelopment by at least a year.

While the re-elected State Government will fully fund the $102 million project, building works will not start until after the tournament finishes in November 2020.....

 

[Max Milburn]

so the stage 5 is fully funded ..but we will not see any development till the end of 2020 ....

https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.a...t/news-story/d656ca5e5208bba37895cc211fba479b


Twenty20 World Cup pushes back last stage of GMHBA stadium redevelopment

THE cricket Twenty20 World Cup will push back construction of the final stage of the GMHBA Stadium redevelopment by at least a year.

While the re-elected State Government will fully fund the $102 million project, building works will not start until after the tournament finishes in November 2020.....

It's just not cricket!

 

[cats_09]

It's just not cricket!

 

[dazbroncos]

The KP precinct and ground needs to be more than footy. That’s fine. And if it means that we get the full benefits of the stage 5 upgrade for nothing I’ll take waiting a bit longer for it.

The long game is a 40k stadium with no more $$ we put into it. Good for GFC, dilutes the no home final arguement.. and the city gets more benefits from broader utilization.

Go Catters

 

[Max Milburn]

 

[aCunningPlan]

so the stage 5 is fully funded ..but we will not see any development till the end of 2020 ....

https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.a...t/news-story/d656ca5e5208bba37895cc211fba479b


Twenty20 World Cup pushes back last stage of GMHBA stadium redevelopment

THE cricket Twenty20 World Cup will push back construction of the final stage of the GMHBA Stadium redevelopment by at least a year.

While the re-elected State Government will fully fund the $102 million project, building works will not start until after the tournament finishes in November 2020.....

Also works out well for local MP's to have the stand completed around the time the next state election cycle kicks in.

 

[cats_09]

Not directly AFL related but related to the stadium - love that the new A-league club are having to explore other venues to also play home games at as they still don't have a deal with the KP Stadium Trust:

New A-League addition Western Melbourne Group are no closer to a deal on where to play their home games from October.

And Kardinia Park boss Michael Brown has warned the ambitious franchise they're unlikely to be able to accommodate all their home fixtures next season.

Their proposal was to play matches out of the Geelong stadium while building a club-owned facility at Tarneit, but a deal is yet to be done, largely because of unknowns around next year's A-League fixture with the addition of an 11th team.

Brown said he was eager to see finalised plans from the club and FFA.

"There is no agreement. There is an interim discussion," he said.

"We need information as to when they want to play their games, what does it mean for AFLW, for cricket ... when do they want to play their major games, their derbies.

"There's a long way to go and it needs to happen relatively quickly.

"We welcome them and we'll sit with them and we'll work with whatever we can do to accommodate them.

"It's going to be very difficult to play 13 home games here and we've said that from the start.

"There's a lesser number that we think, all that needs to be worked out and it will happen in the coming weeks."

Western Melbourne will present back to the trust on February 15.

The club aren't concerned by the lack of a deal, and are currently exploring other venues in the region that may be interested and have the capacity to host matches.

This is my favorite part of the article and its referring to Melbourne Victory & their KP future:

Jacobs said the club's intention was to continue to host A-League matches at Kardinia Park, though they were awaiting details on next season's fixture from FFA.

Brown said Victory were welcome tenants.

"What I've seen from Victory and Trent is they are committed to long term building a relationship here ... that's the sort of stuff we want to see," he said.

So the new club is still yet to find a home & even if they reach an agreement to play some matches at KP it seems that they won't be able to play all home matches here, but the KP Trust seem committed to retaining the relationship with Victory.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soc...nia-park-plans-uncertain-20190131-p50uwe.html

 

[catstorm]

Not directly AFL related but related to the stadium - love that the new A-league club are having to explore other venues to also play home games at as they still don't have a deal with the KP Stadium Trust:



This is my favorite part of the article and its referring to Melbourne Victory & their KP future:


So the new club is still yet to find a home & even if they reach an agreement to play some matches at KP it seems that they won't be able to play all home matches here, but the KP Trust seem committed to retaining the relationship with Victory.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soc...nia-park-plans-uncertain-20190131-p50uwe.html

What the hell kind of sporting organization grants a team a new license when that team doesn’t even have a ground to play on.

So what did it go like this

A league- “so just to confirm where exactly are you going to play your games until you finished building your new stadium.

West Melbourne FC- “ yeah we are going to play down in Geelong At Kardinia park, we haven’t organized anything with them down there but it will be fine”

A league- “ Fantastic welcome to the A league”