How did we get Waverley Park?

[JoeHawk]

I'm looking for someone to settle an argument I'm having with a workmate.

He is suggesting that Hawthorn had received a handout from the AFL in getting Waverley Park or that AFL had brokered the deal that gave us Waverley Park.

In other words, some clubs get AFL assistance whilst others don't.

To assist would anyone be able to provide a brief summary as to how we were able secure Waverley and what involvement did the AFL have. Perhaps even provide a link where this is documented. I can't seem to find anything in this.

 

[HAWKS HEROES]

you mean now ??
i know we rent it for $ 1 a year

 

[JoeHawk]

Back when it was on sale and Jeff was involved. I know there was a $1 lease agreement with Mirvac but why was it almost given to us?

 

[Jaeger]

"...the Hawks had already moved from their home base at Glenferrie. But they didn't travel quite as far – to the old Waverley Park, which was being carved into lucrative real estate by Mirvac.

Under the terms of the deal, the oval and immediate surrounds were to remain for sporting purposes. Mirvac needed a club to occupy the oval. The Hawks, under the board of president Dicker, struck a deal that could be football's answer to Kerry Packer selling Channel Nine to Alan Bond – ie, it happens only once in a lifetime.

Hawthorn paid $1 and, in return, received the freehold on the entire oval and a portion of what is now the administrative buildings. Thus, the club gained millions of dollars of real estate – a freehold that gave the club serious assets on the balance sheet, a buffer for bad times and no rental costs – for nothing. The Hawks also bought the gymnasium at Waverley and receive a tidy return of about 8 per cent a year."



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...tion-debate-20131213-2zcsl.html#ixzz37WpiYrT8

 

[HAWKS HEROES]

i think saints also were asked if they wanted to do joint usage of it too and i think one other as they were tenants of waverley in the playing days

 

[HAWKS HEROES]

i didn't know they bought that gym thats good they did a lot of people use that

 

[Off The Couch]

I note that a condition is that the oval has to remain a sporting ground so they will never be able to sell it - am I reading that right

 

[HAWKS HEROES]

I note that a condition is that the oval has to remain a sporting ground so they will never be able to sell it - am I reading that right

yes think so and eventually we own it out right and dont pay rent i think thats right or along those lines

 

[Off The Couch]

yes think so and eventually we own it out right and dont pay rent i think thats right or along those lines

My point is that it's value is minimal if it can't be sold

 

[HAWKS HEROES]

My point is that it's value is minimal if it can't be sold

thats right i think if anything i know it has to be linked to a footy team

 

[wallyt99]

My point is that it's value is minimal if it can't be sold

My mum has a mansion in Toorak. She lives overseas and has said she is never coming back. She said I can live in it forever.*

.... Does it have any value?

*may be bs.

 

[Off The Couch]

My mum has a mansion in Toorak. She lives overseas and has said she is never coming back. She said I can live in it forever.*

.... Does it have any value?

*may be bs.

Ridiculous analogy and I did say minimal not nil

 

[wallyt99]

Ridiculous analogy and I did say minimal not nil

The value - measured in dollar terms must be equivalent to the replacement cost. I'd say the value is significant.

 

[bards]

One of the conditions on Mirvac developing the area was that they had to address the heritage overlay that said that part of the stand had to stay and that it must be used for football in some way. That way was a deal with Hawthorn to move its training and administration to the building. We own everything above the street level, everything below the street level and the gym, hawksnest, reception and entrance next to foodworks on the street level. Of these, hawksnest and the gym were purchased separately, the others were part of the deal.

As for the AFL giving us something, there was a confidential amount paid out to us when waverley was shut down as we had a contract to play there.

 

[JoeHawk]

One of the conditions on Mirvac developing the area was that they had to address the heritage overlay that said that part of the stand had to stay and that it must be used for football in some way. That way was a deal with Hawthorn to move its training and administration to the building. We own everything above the street level, everything below the street level and the gym, hawksnest, reception and entrance next to foodworks on the street level. Of these, hawksnest and the gym were purchased separately, the others were part of the deal.

As for the AFL giving us something, there was a confidential amount paid out to us when waverley was shut down as we had a contract to play there.

Bards, I think you've got it

Now that you mention the confidential payback, that does begin to sound right to me.

I also understand that some struggling clubs were also given some sort of financial assistance around that time ( probably from the first TV Rights ??) of which Hawthorn to this day have not taken due to their own financial stability after the failed merger (and perhaps in a way telling the AFL to get stuffed - we can handle this ourselves).

I understand it is/was still on the table for some time and can/could be used if ever needed but hasn't been required.

Can anyone elaborate or correct this?

 

[luciien]

What occurred with the sale of Waverley and Hawthorn retaining their presence there is wrongly seen as some sort of league assistance, when it was the opposite. Hawthorn had not long before the sale was announced, signed a 40 year lease for their administration and also to play hone games at the venue. Co-tenant St.Kilda, on a much shorter term deal, were the first club to sign with docklands, and got royally screwed on returns so Essendon could be wooed as the key drawcard for the new venue.

The hawks stuck to their guns, a lone dissenting voice against the sale, and refused all attempts by the league to shoehorn us into docklands as befit our small club. The dicker administration held out for an MCG home and negotiated for the AFL to underwrite our membership for five years. That was our compensation. 5 years underwritten in exchange for tearing up a 35 or 38 year deal.

 

[Pessimistic]

You can only guess how big wed be of we had the equivalent of kardinia park at waverley

 

[JoeHawk]

Thanks for everyone's contribution.
Luciien your post pretty much sums it up and it's all coming back to me. It was dickers masterstroke decision making that got us where we are today.
And agree with pessimistic that we'd be a major power house if waverley was solely ours as a match day venue like Geelong.

 

[Noneedforaname]

And what was Langfords role at Mirvac? Off field move equal of anything he managed on game day from memory.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

i think saints also were asked if they wanted to do join usage of it too and i think one other as they were tenants of waverley in the playing days

Yep
They wanted to put a social club in, and were refused
They then pushed Kingston council to move their social club to south rd

They kicked up a stink, and left, assuming that frankston council would allow the club to move when the moorabbin lease expires