New South Australian Stadium

[LaughingKookaburra]

There is already a thread on there about it I think this is a genuine footy issue though hondo.Also yes I do beleive they will do better if they move the stadium east,the general public are lazy and working in retail thats obvious.If you make things easier to access to the general public you get better results/sales.If you make it just a bit hard people can't be arsed.Yes we have priorities and water is the major priority.Because without the murray we cant grow grapes in the riverland,if we dont grow grapes theres no wine.No wine and the export money runs dry in SA and we are well and truly in the shit.

[Psyber]

What this thread demonstrates is that, as the Roman emperors knew, the circus makes popularity with the masses more easily than delivering quality of life in food, health, education, transport etc. Speccie over substance rules!

[Ian]

Mods .... time for this thread to go off to the politics forum where it belongs?

Most of us say sport and politics shouldn't be mixed, a new stadium is SANFL (and sport in general) related, but any thing that requires the funding/infrastructure of a project this big is going to have political ties, you can try and keep politics off of the field, but not away from a topic such as this.

[Wedgie]

A media release from the SANFL today:

A WORLD CLASS STADIUM FOR ADELAIDE:
THE LOGICAL SOLUTION
Debate over the need for a world class stadium near the Adelaide CBD has been heightened by Australia’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
It is believed that such a development would cost in excess of $1 billion (reference to Western Australia’s recently announced stadium development).
The South Australian National Football League, Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Clubs recognise the priorities facing Governments with regard to important public infrastructure in areas such as health, transport and education, quite apart from spending in the vicinity of $1 billion on a new sporting stadium.
The SANFL, AFC and PAFC believe that an upgrade of AAMI Stadium together with first-class transport infrastructure at a collective investment in the vicinity of $250 million is the most logical solution available to Governments in the interests of South Australians.

Background
1. As the administrator of Australian Football in South Australia, the SANFL owns 59 acres of land at West Lakes including AAMI Stadium and associated facilities, and has total control over all corporate, marketing, commercial and catering activities carried out in those facilities and on that land.
2. The SANFL also owns the two AFL licences under which the Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Clubs participate in the AFL competition. These licences stipulate that both clubs must play all home games at AAMI Stadium.
3. The SANFL has invested $53 million over the past 10 years on AAMI Stadium upgrades and with State Government support is committed to another $5 million for a complete upgrade of sports lighting to FIFA standards, in 2008. A further $30 million is proposed to upgrade stadium entry points and a new convention centre.
4. The SANFL would have great difficulty withdrawing from AAMI Stadium unless it was adequately compensated.
5. Neither the SANFL, the Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Clubs, nor the 9 SANFL League Clubs would be prepared to invest in another sporting stadium without the same ownership and control enjoyed at AAMI Stadium. They will not relinquish control of these assets or the right to conduct their businesses in all of their forms, nor sacrifice any current or future commercial benefits as a result of relocation or rebuilding to an alternative site.

Issues to be Considered
In addition to the cost, and complicating the option of relocating to a new inner-city stadium, the demolition of AAMI Stadium would require an amendment to the current Development Plan provisions and zoning, to achieve the highest and best economic return from commercial, retail and or residential development.
The open space, heritage, land tenure and possible government funding issues related to the recent sale of the South Australian Jockey Club’s land at Cheltenham provides a useful insight into the complexities that the sale of the SANFL’s land at West Lakes might create.

The Next Step & the Logical Solution
The Football Federation of Australia (FFA) is currently undertaking an audit of facilities required to meet FIFA World Cup hosting obligations, including major stadiums.
On completion of this audit, the SANFL proposes collaborating with the Federal and State Governments to identify precise costs of completing the AAMI Stadium redevelopment and upgrading related infrastructure (including public transport) for Adelaide to host major international events including FIFA World Cup matches in the future.
We believe that with both Federal and State Government investment in the vicinity of $250 million on AAMI Stadium and supporting infrastructure we would be able to deliver a world class stadium to meet World Cup requirements - at a fraction of the cost of a new inner-city stadium - at the same time as bringing significant public transport benefits to the north-west of the city - via a light rail service to Port Adelaide, with a spur line (or loop) linking AAMI Stadium and the adjacent Westfield
shopping complex.
“This is the logical solution to the Stadium debate.”

[Sojourner]

I hope that the SANFL can gain the funding for the upgrade, I was on the understanding that when the SANFL had the plans drawn up to build Football Park that it was to have been done in several stages, with the final stage taking it up to 70 000 seats with the second tier being extended all the way around the ground.

The major problem with Football Park is getting home after the game, so if they can go ahead and put either a tram or train into West Lakes, then that problem should be eased somewhat freeing up the SANFL to continue on with the plans!