The end of Moorabbin

sauce_head

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This is gut wrenching. As I understood it this meant we would own a lot of the assests, rather than just leasing them. Presumably now we will enter into another long lease somewhere else in a worse financial position at the mercy of other undependent parties.

I hope this works out for the best, but the separation with Moorabbin can really only segregate us from our supporters.

Should we take up at Port Melbourne and try to develope a supporter base band sweeping from StKilda itself, through Port Melbourne and across the river to the Docklands? At least the newly generated supporters would be able to see the games relatively easily via public transport.

Or should we look to Casey in Cranbourne, which is presumably a stronger growth area in terms of the population (although probably not as wealthy).

At least the AFL seem to be on our side.

It is now more important than ever that we do well over the next few seasons so that the new local AFL side called St Kilda, where ever they may be based, are appealing enought to get the locals in, after surely jading and losing some in Moorabbin.

Bloody local Government :thumbsdown:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21817750-11088,00.html

ST KILDA has decided to walk out of its 42-year home at Moorabbin after another breakdown with local council over plans to redevelop the precinct.
Saints chief executive Archie Fraser yesterday told the Herald Sun a proposed $10.5 million revamp of Moorabbin would be abandoned.

"We're gone, we're out of here," Fraser said.

"This is not about an article to get some press to patch it up, this is over.

"And, in all reality, it is not our decision. We are the victims of a council backdown.

"It's a tragic day."

St Kilda will now assess new bases, with options in City of Port Phillip, believed to be TEAC Oval in Port Melbourne, and City of Casey (Casey Fields in Cranbourne) to be considered.

"Tomorrow we clean the whiteboard and we will work towards getting the guys into a world-class facility by the start of 2009," Fraser said.

"It will probably be easier because we will find a willing partner. We will cast the web wide and we will still make it happen, make no question about that."

The $10.5 million upgrade of the Saints' Moorabbin base, which was to have provided for community involvement, was to have been footed by the AFL ($2.55 million), the State Government ($3.45 million), Kingston Council ($2.5 million) and the Saints ($2 million).

St Kilda believes the contributions from the AFL and State Government are transportable.

AFL major projects manager Simon Gorr, who has worked closely on the Moorabbin redevelopment plans, said he supported the Saints.

"We're very disappointed the deal, as everyone understood it, has fallen over," Gorr said.

"Everyone has put in an enormous amount of work, including officers from the council, St Kilda footy club, ourselves and the State Government. We certainly support St Kilda's view that this is the right call for them."

The Moorabbin redevelopment was always dependent on City of Kingston approving the transfer of the club's 83 poker machines about 200m from Linton St to busy South Rd.

In a meeting on Monday night, the council refused to endorse the pokies transfer, instead referring the matter to the Victorian Commission for Gaming Regulation, a procedural requirement St Kilda will not pursue.

The council resoundingly voted to "strongly support a reduction in the number of gaming machines".

Had the transfer been approved, St Kilda would have paid the council $2.1 million for land on South Rd, which would have been used for a new $6 million social club base and as security to ensure the $10.5 million redevelopment proceeded.

"The club has met all council process requirements, only for the council to make a political decision with respect to gaming machine numbers," Fraser said.

"We've been here since '65, we were based here when we won the premiership (1966), but last night was the last straw.

"The (St Kilda) board has been more than tolerant and we have been patient to the nth degree in trying to pull this thing off. This council is too difficult to work with and we have no choice."

Fraser said the Saints had wasted more than $300,000 preparing for the Moorabbin redevelopment.

"The deal has been scuttled, completely scuttled, by the council as of last night," said Fraser, who requested official council responses on the pokies transfer in November.

"We have been extremely patient all the way through here, but they have made a statement that they don't want to support us in the fundamental thing that underpins the whole economics of this.

"We have had four years of working through this with council."

City of Kingston chief executive officer John Nevins did not return the Herald Sun's calls.

Thirty years remains on the Saints' lease at Moorabbin, which was used as an VFL-AFL venue in 254 matches between 1965-92.

"We won't be walking away from the lease. We will maintain our social club/gaming venue and train here maybe once a month," Fraser said.

"Unfortunately, it means there will be a separation in the history of the St Kilda Football Club."
 

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ChrisFooty

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#3
Really now - what saint fan would stop following the club just because they moved their base?

I don't think any AFL fan would drop their current club to follow the saints just because St.kilda moved their training base near them. I'm 1500km away from their training base, but it hasn't altered my interest in the club. Most people in Melbourne who has an interest in AFL would already have an AFL club. Take the town of Ballarat - they have no AFL side, yet the AFL interest is very high.

So yeah - I don't think changing training base will have that much effect on getting new supporters/losing current supporters. Nothing significant anyways.
 
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#4
Really now - what saint fan would stop following the club just because they moved their base?

I don't think any AFL fan would drop their current club to follow the saints just because St.kilda moved their training base near them. I'm 1500km away from their training base, but it hasn't altered my interest in the club. Most people in Melbourne who has an interest in AFL would already have an AFL club. Take the town of Ballarat - they have no AFL side, yet the AFL interest is very high.

So yeah - I don't think changing training base will have that much effect on getting new supporters/losing current supporters. Nothing significant anyways.

Posters...Saints are not Moving.

This is just a media ploy by Archie as he wanted the council to sign off on the pokie transfer rather than having to go to the Gaming & Licence tribunal who could reduce the machine numbers.

Why would you state..."we are out of here"..."had enough of the council" etc etc and then in same breath state we are still going to pay the lease for the next 30 years, keep our social club and maybe train there?

If Saints keep a presence at Moorabbin then they still have to pay for ground Maintencance, facilities, staff etc etc.... so if we go somewhere else we are now paying up keep on 2 training ovals, facilities, staff etc etc, come on, not even the stupidiest CEO going around would commit to that.

It's what I call the classic Bell ringing......whenever the Hotel Association wants a better deal from Tabcorp or Sky they wheel out Mr Bell every year threatening the good public (their patrons) that Hotels will get rid of TAB's, stop televising SKy etc etc usually around the spring carnival. Saints have little chance of moving than Bell has of going on with his threats.

Give it 48 hours - and a compromise will be forthcoming - too much for both to loose.

Archie - lets not use media to scare you member base - your members are not stupid!
 

sainter

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#5
Posters...Saints are not Moving.

This is just a media ploy by Archie as he wanted the council to sign off on the pokie transfer rather than having to go to the Gaming & Licence tribunal who could reduce the machine numbers.

Why would you state..."we are out of here"..."had enough of the council" etc etc and then in same breath state we are still going to pay the lease for the next 30 years, keep our social club and maybe train there?

If Saints keep a presence at Moorabbin then they still have to pay for ground Maintencance, facilities, staff etc etc.... so if we go somewhere else we are now paying up keep on 2 training ovals, facilities, staff etc etc, come on, not even the stupidiest CEO going around would commit to that.

It's what I call the classic Bell ringing......whenever the Hotel Association wants a better deal from Tabcorp or Sky they wheel out Mr Bell every year threatening the good public (their patrons) that Hotels will get rid of TAB's, stop televising SKy etc etc usually around the spring carnival. Saints have little chance of moving than Bell has of going on with his threats.

Give it 48 hours - and a compromise will be forthcoming - too much for both to loose.

Archie - lets not use media to scare you member base - your members are not stupid!
Unless he's successful, and then I imagine most of us will be happy.

I would hate for us to leave Moorabbin, I love the place.

It seems like the local council have been taking us for granted. They have the opportunity for a magnificent new facility to be built that is to have the AFL and St Kilda financially contribute to it's development and it's still not enough.

Stop moving the goalposts Kingston.
 
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Unless he's successful, and then I imagine most of us will be happy.

I would hate for us to leave Moorabbin, I love the place.

It seems like the local council have been taking us for granted. They have the opportunity for a magnificent new facility to be built that is to have the AFL and St Kilda financially contribute to it's development and it's still not enough.

Stop moving the goalposts Kingston.
This is the stupid scaremongering Archie has caused.

Anyone listen to John Faine this morning?....Archie came on beating his chest stating the council rejected the deal as they would not sign off on the pokies.

5 Minutes later the major came on saying the council 100% agreed to everything includng the pokies moving 200 Mtrs up the road etc etc. however they could not sign off as the G&L tribunal had too, which totally contradicted what Archie said. For the next hour the ABC tried to get Archie back on however he declined.

One could be synical and state perhaps St Kilda pulled out of the deal?
 

sauce_head

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From the little I had read previously, it seemed to me it was the council who were changing the requirements.

I am not too concerned as long as we get a good financial package out of it and some long term stability and devleopment potential.

I do believe the location of a team greatly affects the supporters, I have seen it happen. Especially if the team that moves in is successful, or the one that moves away is not. Convenient exposure is critical.
 

R Man

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This is the stupid scaremongering Archie has caused.

Anyone listen to John Faine this morning?....Archie came on beating his chest stating the council rejected the deal as they would not sign off on the pokies.

5 Minutes later the major came on saying the council 100% agreed to everything includng the pokies moving 200 Mtrs up the road etc etc. however they could not sign off as the G&L tribunal had too, which totally contradicted what Archie said. For the next hour the ABC tried to get Archie back on however he declined.

One could be synical and state perhaps St Kilda pulled out of the deal?
cant agree with you more Cardio Carl. I've been working in the Melbourne media for a few years now and this is some of the worst, blatant scaremongering I've seen for some time... Archie Thompson should be ashamed of himself.. I'm embarrassed that he's done this.. embarrassed..

why would you pack up everything because of a few pokie machines.. pull ya head in or get out.. you Archie.. are more expendable than anyone down at Moorabbin.
 

sainter

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#9
cant agree with you more Cardio Carl. I've been working in the Melbourne media for a few years now and this is some of the worst, blatant scaremongering I've seen for some time... Archie Thompson should be ashamed of himself.. I'm embarrassed that he's done this.. embarrassed..

why would you pack up everything because of a few pokie machines.. pull ya head in or get out.. you Archie.. are more expendable than anyone down at Moorabbin.
Archie Fraser didn't score 5 goals in the A-League Grand Final. :p

On a serious note I don't know the ins and outs of what's happening behind the scenes but there's clearly some bad blood between the two parties. The negotiations over the proposed development have been going on for far too long. To me it just seemed like something had to give.

At the end of the day there's no winners out of this. Our supporters have lost our beloved ground, the residents of the City of Kingston have lost themselves a $10 million community asset and our players will have to deal with the below-par facilities while the interstate clubs continue to dominate.
 
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#10
Kingston City Council what a disgrace

Kingston City Council what a disgrace

Kingston City Council has been playing politics and lost. But they also lost for all the residents of the Kingston City Council because we will not have facilitates built which would have benefited the community. I sure the St. Kilda will get stronger no mater what.
 

bLuEbOy1984

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Re: Kingston City Council what a disgrace

L.Fisher goes to my uni and i aske dhim about where they would like to go and he goes most of us boys dont want Cranbourne, its to far... and they are eyeing Port Melbourne
 

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