New Stadium required

[Air_Chester]

I'm sure this is the umpteenth thread on the topic, but I've seen 400 threads on divisions/the fixture/cups/the fixture/floggings/concessions/the fixture lately, so whatever.

With all the eternal wankfest going on right now about Etihad/The MCG and who gets to play where (and ignoring the idiotic decision to bulldoze Waverley Park), should the AFL just pony up and build another stadium in Melbourne? I know there's "enough" already, but clearly there is an issue.

Would it not settle a buttload of problems to build an 80,000+ capacity stadium for the future? Yes, there's all the contract issues and whatnot now, but what if the AFL decides they DO want two divisions of the AFL in 5 years time? That's suddenly (x) amount of extra games per year, and a ready-made stadium as an option to host the majority of them.

As a hypothetical, what if the AFL had a second division and worked to ensure it was a heated battle for entry into the main group and it took off as being almost as important (and quite possibly more winnable). Surely this is a viable option if there is a stadium to accomodate?



To avoid the auto responses of "not gunna happen", if it hypothetically WERE to happen, would you back it, where would you house the stadium, and what would you want from it?

 

[Haydos]

Who would pay for it? The AFL? The Victorian government?

It needs to make sense economically to build it before anything else. A knew stadium of that size would cost over a $1B which is a lot of money to spend on something that is a security blanket for the future.

 

[Teffy]

E Gate!

Make it happen!

 

[Murraj1966]

We don't need a new 80,000 capacity stadium. We need a boutique stadium of about 25-000-30,000 for the low drawing games. Should revamp an inner city ground.

Before anyone says it, not Optus Oval. It's now a training base and it was so non-neutral that everyone hated it.

 

[Air_Chester]

Who would pay for it? The AFL? The Victorian government?

It needs to make sense economically to build it before anything else. A knew stadium of that size would cost over a $1B which is a lot of money to spend on something that is a security blanket for the future.

Docklands cost around $500 million, I'd say factoring in inflation you'd be looking at around $850-900 million, but that's a guess.

Hypothetically, the AFL would fund a large portion with their arsenal of cash, a loan, and a chunk of the next TV rights deal (which would be significantly higher if sold as a two division competition), and the state government would fund the rest.

At least in my theory that's how it would play. And they could sell as share of Etihad when it's not their secondary stadium.

 

[Air_Chester]

We don't need a new 80,000 capacity stadium. We need a boutique stadium of about 25-000-30,000 for the low drawing games. Should revamp an inner city ground.

Which Victorian club is going to play home games at a 25,000 capacity stadium and NOT have it result in threads of disgust on this forum by fans who are locked out of games by bad business?

I do agree thoguh, if the above WAS the case, an upgraded inner suburban ground could be quite beneficial.

 

[telsor]

E Gate!

Make it happen!

Ahh, the good old North pipe dream again.

'Somebody' pays for a stadium, charges North nothing, so they reap massive profits. Of course, why 'somebody' would do this is never adequately explained beyond "It'd be good for North".

 

[Ice-Wolf]

We don't need a new 80,000 capacity stadium. We need a boutique stadium of about 25-000-30,000 for the low drawing games. Should revamp an inner city ground.

Before anyone says it, not Optus Oval. It's now a training base and it was so non-neutral that everyone hated it.

I'd pick Morrabbin if we were to go the easy option.

Other options would be on empty parcels of land alongside or close to both rail lines & freeways.

Areas that fit this would be places like Baxter, Tyabb, Hastings (along the Stony Point line) Mooraduc, Mt Eliza (along the old Mornington line which would need recommissioning), outside of Dandenong either between Dandenong and Berwick or Dandenong and Cranbourne.

Basically a South-Eastern equivalent to Kardinia Park.

The non-Moorabbin options would require higher levels of government spending in infrastructure from upgrading/recommissioning rail lines to new freeway exits. Although upgrade to some of the infrastructure along Baxter-Tyabb-Hastings section is likely to happen anyway in conjunction with the planned Port of Hastings Development.

 

[Teffy]

Ahh, the good old North pipe dream again.

'Somebody' pays for a stadium, charges North nothing, so they reap massive profits. Of course, why 'somebody' would do this is never adequately explained beyond "It'd be good for North".

Pffft, it beats driving out to Craigeburn.

 

[Teffy]

I'd pick Morrabbin if we were to go the easy option.

Parking?

Areas that fit this would be places like Baxter, Tyabb, Hastings (along the Stony Point line) Mooraduc, Mt Eliza (along the old Mornington line which would need recommissioning), outside of Dandenong either between Dandenong and Berwick or Dandenong and Cranbourne.

Basically a South-Eastern equivalent to Kardinia Park.

I wouldn't go that far for my holidays.

Altona Meadows. Next to the Melbourne Baseball stadium.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=e...image&ved=0CAQQtgM&cid=0,0,607150019714348814

10 minutes from the city via the freeway, Close to a train station, ample room for parking.

 

[Murraj1966]

Moorabbin was incredibly difficult to get to in the back streets there. Not really worth it.

Building something around where Collingwood train would be the most logical thing to do in terms of areas.

 

[Vtorians]

As brett 15 said in the other thread why not spend more coin on the Dome, fix up its issues & increase the capacity.
The problem would be scheduling of match's until the re-development is done.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Parking?

Carrara has no parking, how about people catching the train to Moorabbin, shuttle bus services to Southland ect, maybe even a tram line down the centre of South Rd going all the way to Brighton Beach. And what ever parking is at the ground have it accessed from South Rd.

 

[Squida25]

Which Victorian club is going to play home games at a 25,000 capacity stadium and NOT have it result in threads of disgust on this forum by fans who are locked out of games by bad business?

Geelong don't seem to mind

Princes park anyone?

 

[Air_Chester]

I wouldn't go that far for my holidays.

Altona Meadows. Next to the Melbourne Baseball stadium.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=e...image&ved=0CAQQtgM&cid=0,0,607150019714348814

10 minutes from the city via the freeway, Close to a train station, ample room for parking.

Fair call, that. Excellent positioning and relatively close.

As brett 15 said in the other thread why not spend more coin on the Dome, fix up its issues & increase the capacity.
The problem would be scheduling of match's until the re-development is done.

I believe if Docklands became, say, 75,000 capacity, it would be followed with calls for a boutique stadium, because people just love stirring the pot.

Geelong don't seem to mind

Princes park anyone?

Would definitely back Princes Park, but a) Parking sufficient? and b) Carlton build that giant gymnasium or whatever it is up one end, can't really remove it when it's just been built.

 

[Arwib]

Meh, just move to AAMI. Tiny and rectangular, should be a hell of a home ground advantage.

 

[funk44]

Moorabbin was incredibly difficult to get to in the back streets there. Not really worth it.

Building something around where Collingwood train would be the most logical thing to do in terms of areas.

I'm thinking more of those ovals along hoddle st next to aami park, close proximity to Richmond station and tram lines
Placing it way way way down south ice wolf would be madness and it's bloody miles away, the stony point line isn't even electrified which would cost tens of millions and recommissioning a train line would cost even more, not to mention the hour or in some cases two public transport commute or the bloody long drive. These factors would see anyone west of the city or north seldom making the effort to head out there and as this stadium would be built for teams like north and the dogs it would be insane

 

[The_Wookie]

wont happen now, simply because the AFL arent going to want to lose matches from a stadium it will own in 14 years. It'd be economic suicide.

 

[walhawk]

My god.
We have 50k and 100k stadium both brilliantly located.
What more do we need.
If your team cant draw enough fans to make a profit either suck it up or do something about it like hawthorn has.
Can't say I love playing in Tas but it sure beats being a whinging North fan.

 

[Tulip]

Who for though?

Melbourne is the only side to have played on the same turf they're whole history in the state, while Richmond have played at the G since 58.

Those two and I'd assume Collingwood are out of the equation for moving.

Do you just get a couple of the newer, higher drawing, Etihad tenants like Carlton, St Kilda and maybe Hawthorn too?

 

[The_Reaper]

So what was the point of demolishing Waverley?

 

[Scotland]

My god.
We have 50k and 100k stadium both brilliantly located.
What more do we need.
If your team cant draw enough fans to make a profit either suck it up or do something about it like hawthorn has.
Can't say I love playing in Tas but it sure beats being a whinging North fan.

You need fans to turn up to support their clubs and you need the AFL to stop making such a pigs ear of the fixture. The former can be controlled, the latter not so much.

 

[SugarHealey]

We don't need a new 80,000 capacity stadium. We need a boutique stadium of about 25-000-30,000 for the low drawing games. Should revamp an inner city ground.

Before anyone says it, not Optus Oval. It's now a training base and it was so non-neutral that everyone hated it.

We need a Boutique stadium, South-East near Sandown, or maybe even further out.

 

[Underarm]

Areas that fit this would be places like Baxter, Tyabb, Hastings (along the Stony Point line) Mooraduc, Mt Eliza (along the old Mornington line which would need recommissioning), outside of Dandenong either between Dandenong and Berwick or Dandenong and Cranbourne.

Basically a South-Eastern equivalent to Kardinia Park.

So basically Waverly stadium? there is not space for an 80k stadium anywhere near that area, and PT would probably be worse than Waverly was.

Who for though?

Melbourne is the only side to have played on the same turf they're whole history in the state, while Richmond have played at the G since 58.

Those two and I'd assume Collingwood are out of the equation for moving.

Do you just get a couple of the newer, higher drawing, Etihad tenants like Carlton, St Kilda and maybe Hawthorn too?

This. You have basically described MCG in your new stadium plan, and you clearly don't understand the whole Etihad/MCG debate going on. Its not about not having the facilities in place.....When the Dome is paid off, none of this will be an issue because the AFL can schedule whatever they want at Etihad.

On top of it all, MCC would kick up a fuss like they did with Waverly. AFL would never break that partnership.

 

[Falchoon]

We need a Boutique stadium, South-East near Sandown, or maybe even further out.

closer to Eastlink would be ideal

maybe even around the Eastlink/Monash junction ?