100m Football Park Upgrade

[Sojourner]

Interesting news to hear that 100million is to be put into upgrading Football Park. My hope is that a second announcement of a light or standard rail link will follow soon!

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From the SANFL website,

The SANFL today welcomed Premier Rann’s commitment of $100 million to the redevelopment of Football Park, South Australia’s home of football.

The redevelopment will be based on a progressive, contemporary design underpinned by a ‘patron-first’ approach resulting in an international standard stadium for all South Australians to enjoy.

The Executive Commissioner of the SANFL, Mr Leigh Whicker said the Government-backed redevelopment of Football Park is the logical solution for providing the South Australian community with a symbolic, world class sports and entertainment stadium.

“Over $53 million has been invested in this stadium over the last ten years on continual improvements however this master plan is much more than a facelift, it makes a statement with the primary objective of creating an enhanced visitor experience supported by a contemporary and unique structural design which will rebrand and effectively relaunch South Australia’s home of football.”

A priority for this stadium is to connect with our patrons, providing them with a genuine feeling of inclusion from the moment they arrive,” he said.

Mr Whicker said this redevelopment is about more than just the stadium.

“This is an investment by the Government of South Australia in the future of our two AFL clubs and Australian football whilst at the same time providing a catalyst for the urban renewal of the north-west suburbs,” he said.

Major elements of the redevelopment will include:
A new cantilevered roof structure that will enhance spectator comfort. Its design, incorporating new FIFA standard sports lighting will be unique to AAMI Stadium;
A series of new highly impressionable entry points around the stadium which will greatly enhance patrons’ arrival experience, improve circulation, create a sense of occasion and excitement whilst providing shelter. The entry points will be complemented by exterior works to improve movement, safety and aesthetics;
A new convention centre and western grandstand upgrade. The convention centre capable of accommodating 2,000 guests will feature a significant atrium-style foyer with the vision for this space to operate seven days a week and linked to the adjacent Westfield shopping complex;
New contemporary corporate offerings such as a ‘Medallion-club’ style of product designed to meet the diverse needs of our customers;
A variety of new bars and cafés designed to offer public attractive gathering places;
Port Adelaide Football Club merchandising and satellite administration offices;
New stadium and SANFL administration facilities to support the organisation’s core business.

A priority of the redevelopment is also to ensure both of our AFL teams have equal billing to capture the tribalism unique to both the Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Club’s fan bases. With work on the Adelaide Football Club’s new $17 million facility underway, Adelaide fans will soon enjoy a new ‘Crows Shed’ on the eastern side of the stadium, whilst under this redevelopment Power fans will enjoy a similar sized space of the new convention centre.
The South Australian Football Commission acknowledges the strong support and commitment by the AFL’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Andrew Demetriou and the AFL Commission in elevating AAMI Stadium as a premier AFL venue.

The SANFL will now commence detailed design phase with construction to commence at the conclusion of the 2009 AFL season.

[LPH]

Waste of money in IMHO

SJ, have you caught the Norlunga Train recently???

[Sojourner]

Waste of money in IMHO

SJ, have you caught the Norlunga Train recently???

Last time I caught a train was not to long ago and it was the Gawler line, crowded dirty train that you could not see out of the windows of!

[Zelezny Chucks]

Waste of money in IMHO

SJ, have you caught the Norlunga Train recently???

Last time I caught a train was not to long ago and it was the Gawler line, crowded dirty train that you could not see out of the windows of!

That's because they didn't want the poor people of Gawler to have to experience Centrelink's favourite suburb, Elizabeff.

[smac]

Stunning. 4 posts into a topic about AAMI stadium and the good folk of Elizabeth cop it in the neck.

[StrayDog]

Stunning. 4 posts into a topic about AAMI stadium and the good folk of Elizabeth cop it in the neck.

Not really, smaccer. Doesn't sound like this noob could punch that far.

[LPH]

My point is this...

I think the GOVERNMENT money could be far better spent... alot could be achieved with $100 Million.

To say "This will get International Football (Soccer for you non-believers)"... suggests that the State Government have NO IDEA!!!

The camber alone will stop FIFA from sanctioning an International @ AAMI, not to mention the fact that they prefer rectangular shaped ground for spectator comfort/viewing.

Once again the State Government have used the most popular sport in the state (footy) to buy votes.
Meanwhile, we continue to be the ONLY mainland capital to NOT have an electrified rail system... Global Warming must be considered a myth by Ryan & Foley!

Is a crap decision IMHO

[Brad]

Yeah $100,000,000 seems rather a large amount to spend but AMMI Stadium is a crap hole compared to most sporting stadiums in Australia.
It seems they could spend the money on Hospitals, fixing Adelaide's crap public transport system, who knows?
Seems to be a good vote winner for good news Mike.

[therisingblues]

Spending money on Football Park would have an almost gauranteed return though right?
They average about 40,000 a footy game over 22 rounds which by that rough sum comes to almost a million, and that is in just half a year. Upgrade it and it becomes better to host other sports also. Looks like money that should make money to me.

[SDK]

We cant afford to pay our doctors enough to stop them going interstate in droves.
We cant afford more nurses ?
All for enhanced arrival experience ?????????

[Dog_ger]

LONG OVERDUE.

[Psyber]

Spending money on Football Park would have an almost gauranteed return though right?
They average about 40,000 a footy game over 22 rounds which by that rough sum comes to almost a million, and that is in just half a year. Upgrade it and it becomes better to host other sports also. Looks like money that should make money to me.

Not really - the people who attend major weekend sports are a minority, even 100,000 in Melbourne out of a population of over 5 million. They would barely generate reasonable interest on that much capital. The money may be better spend benefitting the whole community and leaving the sporting clubs to fund themselves.
$100 million needs to earn $8 million a year to be a worthwhile investment.

[southee]

Agreed, waste of money.

Mr. Rann at his Media News best!!!

[saintal]

$$$ that could be better spent elsewhere.

[Matt the Panther]

I loathe that place.
Spend a few dollars on a box of matches and a tin of kero and burn it to the ground.

Can't believe they're throwing more money at that shithole.

[CUTTERMAN]

Hmmm, concrete don't burn that well.
Seems like a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. I can just imagine the furore if Oz gets to host the World Cup and Adelaide misses out because of an out of date stadium, or if they build a new one, (the golden concrete winner for the Liberal party) for 1.5billion or more...that seems like a waste of money that the State doesn't have.
LEH the MCG has a camber and isn't rectangular as is the Olympic stadium in Sydney so guessing that you're not very high up in the FIFA organization then I'm not sure you've got all your facts as I don't, but to discount FP hosting WC soccer is stupidity, with all respect to you.
The Govt. has budgeted for a new hospital already and taken a descision of FP, I don't see any other reasonable option, after over 30 years FP needs redeveloping, the state can't afford a new staduim, FFS we couldn't get a grandstand built at VP where races have been run for well over 100 years, meanwhile over at the Liberal (we don't have any figures for a new stadium but we'll stir up some Sh*t) Party HQ they're still bagging the Govt for making a measured descision considerning the $$$ that the State is earning, Sh*t all we need is for more corperate $$$ and control in footy, give the SANFL their dues they made the descision to move to West Lakes and become independent of the SACA and have come out on top by miles, let them keep control of their ground and not let meddling "old money" take control of our footy also.
FP isn't the best place to watch footy I'll agree but it's what we've got and I still haven't heard how or who is gonna pay for a new one that will cater for AFL, SANFL, Soccer, so better make the most of it. IMO people are getting a bit too precious.

[Mic]

They should just charge Crows and Power fans triple to pay for it.

[therisingblues]

Spending money on Football Park would have an almost gauranteed return though right?
They average about 40,000 a footy game over 22 rounds which by that rough sum comes to almost a million, and that is in just half a year. Upgrade it and it becomes better to host other sports also. Looks like money that should make money to me.

Not really - the people who attend major weekend sports are a minority, even 100,000 in Melbourne out of a population of over 5 million. They would barely generate reasonable interest on that much capital. The money may be better spend benefitting the whole community and leaving the sporting clubs to fund themselves.
$100 million needs to earn $8 million a year to be a worthwhile investment.

I take it you understand how much Footy Park makes a year?
I don't think it really matters if it is a minority if it turns over a big profit. Your last statement is what interests me. Mr Whicker mentions that it is an investment made by the Government. That could mean a lot of things so I would want to hear more about what interests this secures for the Government in Footy Park, and what (if any) share of the spoils the Government will take.

[Dirko]

They should just charge Crows and Power fans triple to pay for it.

Good idea....

In reality they are the two groups in South Australia that will benefit from it...

[Psyber]

They should just charge Crows and Power fans triple to pay for it.

I think it was there long before the Crows and of dubious value then.
World Cup matches, if they come to Australia at all, will be in Melbourne or Sydney, nowhere else. Not that it would matter much.
I can't imagine a big percentage of the Oz population caring much one way or the other, but the big Greek community in Melbourne may support it.