The Western United Thread

[giggler99]

Nope. $2 billion in funding has been secured for the entire project. It's a private public partnership too.

Western United Scores Big: Secures Funding for $2 Billion Super-Development, Including 15,000-Seat Stadium

Western United hits a milestone as funding falls into place for their $2 billion mega-project in Tarneit. Thanks to a $50 million debt facility from Johnson Controls, the A-League club is set to build a cutting-edge 15,000-seat stadium, along with a range of facilities, ushering in a new era for...

www.wyndhamtv.com.au

It's definitely happening right now.

I have my doubts this government will build a train station for a club with so little fans and to be used so sparely in the middle of bum f@rk nowhere when the state is practically broke and have other major projects with costs overblown to worry about. Plus I don't even think that line that goes across the proposed Tarneit stadium is electrified or is a direct line to Melbourne. It will be a long long time before that station is built if at all.

 

[Frank Bunn]

I have my doubts this government will build a train station for a club with so little fans and to be used so sparely in the middle of bum f@rk nowhere when the state is practically broke and have other major projects with costs overblown to worry about. Plus I don't even think that line that goes across the proposed Tarneit stadium is electrified or is a direct line to Melbourne. It will be a long long time before that station is built if at all.

A new rail line and station near the Western United ground is not budgeted for or even mentioned in the Victorian Transport Plan. It's laughable that it will happen by 2026/27. More likely it will never happen.

 

[Zidane98]

I have my doubts this government will build a train station for a club with so little fans and to be used so sparely in the middle of bum f@rk nowhere when the state is practically broke and have other major projects with costs overblown to worry about. Plus I don't even think that line that goes across the proposed Tarneit stadium is electrified or is a direct line to Melbourne. It will be a long long time before that station is built if at all.

Once again it's not just for WU.

Wyndham City council have committed to building an entire new suburb. Part of that is a new station funded not by the state government but by Wyndham City. It has been already funded and the project has started.

The stadium will be used not just for football, will be a concert venue. Undoubtedly they will attract Storm games etc.


$2 billion has been secured for the entire project. I don't know exactly how much WMG have tipped in but with their connections to Symonds expect them to get their money back and more with being the main builder for it.

 

[Zidane98]

A new rail line and station near the Western United ground is not budgeted for or even mentioned in the Victorian Transport Plan. It's laughable that it will happen by 2026/27. More likely it will never happen.

There's already a railway line next to the stadium. State government isn't funding it, public private partnership between WMG & Wyndham City council.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Once again it's not just for WU.

Wyndham City council have committed to building an entire new suburb. Part of that is a new station funded not by the state government but by Wyndham City. It has been already funded and the project has started.

The stadium will be used not just for football, will be a concert venue. Undoubtedly they will attract Storm games etc.

$2 billion has been secured for the entire project. I don't know exactly how much WMG have tipped in but with their connections to Symonds expect them to get their money back and more with being the main builder for it.

It's like deja vu all over again!

From 2019.

Western United's Wyndham City Stadium reaches major milestone

The vision to develop a 15,000-seat stadium as the home ground of the Western United Football Club has taken a major step forward with the completion of site investigations. The development, being undertaken by Western Melbourne Group and Wyndham City...

wufc.com.au

2021.

Wyndham City Stadium receives planning amendment approval

Western Melbourne Group is one step closer to delivering Wyndham City Stadium after State Planning Minister Richard Wynne today approved a key planning amendment. The planning approval allows detailed design of the stadium and development to be finalised and...

wufc.com.au

 

[Zidane98]

It's like deja vu all over again!

From 2019.

Western United's Wyndham City Stadium reaches major milestone

The vision to develop a 15,000-seat stadium as the home ground of the Western United Football Club has taken a major step forward with the completion of site investigations. The development, being undertaken by Western Melbourne Group and Wyndham City...

wufc.com.au

2021.

Wyndham City Stadium receives planning amendment approval

Western Melbourne Group is one step closer to delivering Wyndham City Stadium after State Planning Minister Richard Wynne today approved a key planning amendment. The planning approval allows detailed design of the stadium and development to be finalised and...

wufc.com.au

And 2024 now with funding approved

Western United Scores Big: Secures Funding for $2 Billion Super-Development, Including 15,000-Seat Stadium

Western United hits a milestone as funding falls into place for their $2 billion mega-project in Tarneit. Thanks to a $50 million debt facility from Johnson Controls, the A-League club is set to build a cutting-edge 15,000-seat stadium, along with a range of facilities, ushering in a new era for...

www.wyndhamtv.com.au

This would have started 2 years ago if covid didnt happen.

 

[giggler99]

Once again it's not just for WU.

Wyndham City council have committed to building an entire new suburb. Part of that is a new station funded not by the state government but by Wyndham City. It has been already funded and the project has started.

The stadium will be used not just for football, will be a concert venue. Undoubtedly they will attract Storm games etc.


$2 billion has been secured for the entire project. I don't know exactly how much WMG have tipped in but with their connections to Symonds expect them to get their money back and more with being the main builder for it.

The problem with Victoria is that infrastructure is almost never built before estates and suburbs pop up. It becomes a problem once its all congested and overfilled and even then its only rectified if it becomes a poltical problem and it’s usually a very long drawn out process with all the bureaucracy channels to go through.

Cauncil can promise everything on how nice and dandy its all gonna look on paper getting it all built is another thing. infrastructure is primarily the state government allocating funds and this state doesn’t have a good track record of get things done in a hurry when it comes to infrastructure.

 

[giggler99]

This may help the stadium get built faster but we can now forget about the idea of the stadium being a fully football specific venue.

 

[Munga]

This may help the stadium get built faster but we can now forget about the idea of the stadium being a fully football specific venue.

I think this is just for the Rebels to play/train on an Ironbarks pitch, not the stadium yet to be built. Hopefully they can't fixture it to play away until WU's season is finished.

What are the chances of a second Melbourne NRL club though? Imagine WU pulling in the cash from letting them play at their stadium. Looks like the southeast might miss out again.

 

[giggler99]

I think this is just for the Rebels to play/train on an Ironbarks pitch, not the stadium yet to be built. Hopefully they can't fixture it to play away until WU's season is finished.

What are the chances of a second Melbourne NRL club though? Imagine WU pulling in the cash from letting them play at their stadium. Looks like the southeast might miss out again.

Its both from the article in the tweet:

The deal will include playing games in the recently opened 5000-capacity stadium and the 15,000-capacity stadium, which is yet to be developed but is anticipated to be ready for the 2026/27 A-League Season and the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

A second Melbourne NRL team would make since from an economical point of view out West or South East. But just imagine the heads exploding in the NRL Sydney bubble if its to happen?

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

Are the Rebels even going to exist in 2027?

 

[Zidane98]

Its both from the article in the tweet:

The deal will include playing games in the recently opened 5000-capacity stadium and the 15,000-capacity stadium, which is yet to be developed but is anticipated to be ready for the 2026/27 A-League Season and the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

A second Melbourne NRL team would make since from an economical point of view out West or South East. But just imagine the heads exploding in the NRL Sydney bubble if its to happen?

No chance of a second NRL team in Melbourne. Grass roots RL is just about non existent in Melbourne. Very few leagues, juniors. It just won't happen.

The venue could be ideal for the lesser known games at the 2027 Rugby WC.

 

[Frank Bunn]

The first game at the home ground was a big success on and off the field.

A free shuttle bus arrived within 5 minutes of us getting to Tarneit station. Another was waiting for us after the game. Entry to the ground was well organised and there were plenty of people assisting you to your seat.

We were in the temporary stand which goes all the way down one side. You would get a close view of the action from anywhere in it. The seats are a bit low to the floor. I heard someone say "it's like being back in Primary School." The rain just about held off. You wouldn't want to be sitting there on a wet day. The playing surface was excellent. There's a big screen showing live action and replays.

Macarthur dominated the game early doors which kept the crowd quiet. They probably deserved to be ahead at half time but Western were unlucky to have a goal ruled out for an player on the line who wasn't involved. The atmosphere really livened up in the second half when WU got back into the game and went ahead. They played with a lot more control and confidence. It was great to see a lot of families attending. The exciting win should mean most of the people who went to the game will want to go again.

 

[Frank Bunn]

 

[giggler99]

So.. Whats the myth about? Is it the beer gut?

 

[Zidane98]

So.. Whats the myth about? Is it the beer gut?

That he's 10% of their fan base.

 

[Upstart Swan]

So.. Whats the myth about? Is it the beer gut?

Hey, don't make fun of our lone 'celebrity' fan!

 

[Frank Bunn]

Like the lack of information about the temporary stand, WU are being pretty shady about 'general admission'. There are rules around safe standing. There's no way they can sell 2,000 tickets to people who can wander around the ground willy nilly. I'm calling the current ground capacity at best 3,500, not the promoted 5,000 number.

There have been updates about the Wyndham Regional Football Facility since it opened.

800 seat main grandstand, 2,000 seat temporary stand = 2,800 seated. They are claiming up to 2,200 standing which would give a total capacity of 5,000. I really doubt that number of people standing is feasible and safe.

But it's unlikely to be a problem. From what I saw at the Macarthur game there was only about 200 people standing. I reckon only about 80% of the stand's capacity was taken - so that's about 2,500 total attendance. The official attendance was was 3,430. Do they have an incentive to exaggerate attendances?

 

[cats2rise]

There have been updates about the Wyndham Regional Football Facility since it opened.

800 seat main grandstand, 2,000 seat temporary stand = 2,800 seated. They are claiming up to 2,200 standing which would give a total capacity of 5,000. I really doubt that number of people standing is feasible and safe.

But it's unlikely to be a problem. From what I saw at the Macarthur game there was only about 200 people standing. I reckon only about 80% of the stand's capacity was taken - so that's about 2,500 total attendance. The official attendance was was 3,430. Do they have an incentive to exaggerate attendances?

I assume the corporate section will have been full? They'll be doing all they can to showcase for sponsorship... invitations will be handed out left, right and centre I'd assume.

 

[Frank Bunn]

I assume the corporate section will have been full? They'll be doing all they can to showcase for sponsorship... invitations will be handed out left, right and centre I'd assume.

You would think so but I couldn't tell from where I was sitting.

Some other observations.

The cheer squad/ultras were down the end of the temporary stand. Obviously they can't be behind the goals so they need to be in the middle.

Is green and black a good colour scheme for the shirts? The away kit looks much better.

Western United is a poor name. Fans chanting Western is a bit lame. Western Bulldogs works because it incorporates the old nickname but also widens the potential appeal. Not that I have a better alternative name but plenty of clubs changed names, especially in the early days.

 

[cats2rise]

Western United is a poor name. Fans chanting Western is a bit lame. Western Bulldogs works because it incorporates the old nickname but also widens the potential appeal. Not that I have a better alternative name but plenty of clubs change names, especially in the early days.

I hear Melbourne Heart is an available name. Has a good ring to it.

 

[Zidane98]

You would think so but I couldn't tell from where I was sitting.

Some other observations.

The cheer squad/ultras were down the end of the temporary stand. Obviously they can't be behind the goals so they need to be in the middle.

Is green and black a good colour scheme for the shirts? The away kit looks much better.

Western United is a poor name. Fans chanting Western is a bit lame. Western Bulldogs works because it incorporates the old nickname but also widens the potential appeal. Not that I have a better alternative name but plenty of clubs changed names, especially in the early days.

I reckon they might go for a rebrand once the full stadium precinct is complete.

 

[Frank Bunn]

I reckon they might go for a rebrand once the full stadium precinct is complete.

That makes sense from a promotional point of view. But that could be many years down the track. The new stadium will come earlier than the precinct, which is essentially a new suburb.

 

[Blackout]

I reckon they might go for a rebrand once the full stadium precinct is complete.

It would be logical. The Western branding hasn't exactly hooked people in like they were hoping. Plus it's always an awkward sentence referring to the club as just "Western".

With a home base, becoming something like Wyndham United would give the club stronger identity (in my opinion as a pleb, anyway).

On the subject of Tarneit. It's been really enjoyable going to a smaller venue. It does actually feel like a home ground and the atmosphere is heaps better than AAMI or GMHBA with a crowd under 10,000... plus the stadium food's pretty good too.

 

[Zidane98]

It would be logical. The Western branding hasn't exactly hooked people in like they were hoping. Plus it's always an awkward sentence referring to the club as just "Western".

With a home base, becoming something like Wyndham United would give the club stronger identity (in my opinion as a pleb, anyway).

On the subject of Tarneit. It's been really enjoyable going to a smaller venue. It does actually feel like a home ground and the atmosphere is heaps better than AAMI or GMHBA with a crowd under 10,000... plus the stadium food's pretty good too.

Only issue with the Wyndham naming is picking up fans from Geelong / Ballarat which is obviously also WU's target market.