[DEF] AAMI Stadium Upgrade | $100m | 52,000

[stelaras]

Personally I have always thought redeveloping the current Santos stadium site would be the most practical place for a new stadium. It has good rail and bus transport and is not far from the extended tramline. All those posh pricks that want to have their champagne breakfast in the carpark could still drive and park in the west parklands.

As their is already a stadium in place their would be little case for argument from the nearby residents and it could be incorporated into a total redevelopment of the Kesick Mile end rail yards. Some of the disused rail yards could be removed and replaced with wetlands, housing/commercial etc

Now I like that idea sidler...well done, there is lots of merit there and it is very close to the CBD extend the tramline to that and train station and problem solved!


All those thay say that we could redevelop the adelaide oval will have to remember that it isnt just the scoreboard that is heritage listed! so it will be hard to do such a think...Personally i think the Adelaide oval should stay as it is...its a gorgeous ground!

[Shuz]

Personally I have always thought redeveloping the current Santos stadium site would be the most practical place for a new stadium. It has good rail and bus transport and is not far from the extended tramline. All those posh pricks that want to have their champagne breakfast in the carpark could still drive and park in the west parklands.

As their is already a stadium in place their would be little case for argument from the nearby residents and it could be incorporated into a total redevelopment of the Kesick Mile end rail yards. Some of the disused rail yards could be removed and replaced with wetlands, housing/commercial etc

The Santos idea is a good one, but again is compromised by redevelopment efforts into the whole precient.

[bmw boy]

I rekon this spot is better




It has good acess from roads, train line right behind and the possible future city tram loop.

and its still in the city, so many people would take advantage of what the city has to offer after the game.

Even if the hospital is built at the rail yards, you can still have an entertainment and restaurant precinct there..

[Cruise]

you know i never thought about the Santos stadium site.

would a new AFL stadium be able to be used for athletics?

[Norman]

you know i never thought about the Santos stadium site.

would a new AFL stadium be able to be used for athletics?

The MCG can, so why not?

[aussie2000]

yer mcg can but its not shaped like an athletics field, the mcg is round (cricket ground) and an athletics field is oval, but yeah they do it anyway

[rogue]

From today's 'Tiser

Stadium refit at risk

MICHELANGELO RUCCI, CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER

September 28, 2007

PLANS for the adventurous $70 million redevelopment of AAMI Stadium are in jeopardy after the federal government yesterday rejected the SANFL's funding application.

And the SANFL has not ruled out becoming an activist in this year's federal election if the Labor Party commits to supporting upgrading the West Lakes arena.

SANFL chief executive Leigh Whicker yesterday learned of Canberra's reluctance to endorse funds for AAMI Stadium as Federal Finance Minister Senator Nick Minchin went to Alberton to sign $2.5 million grants for each of the Adelaide and Port Adelaide football clubs' plans for new training and community facilities.

"We welcome what is great news for the Power and the Crows," said Whicker, "however, the SANFL is bitterly disappointed. And I am sure the one million passionate South Australians who annually flock to AAMI Stadium to watch their AFL football are bitterly disappointed.

"They have a high expectation for facilities being improved at AAMI Stadium. Our plans now have to be totally recast if there is to be no money from Canberra.

"And the SANFL will have to consider what options can be presented by an alternative federal government."

The SANFL presented its request for federal government funding to the prime minister's office in April.

Whicker labelled yesterday's rejection as "ignoring the needs of the South Australian football community".

"Considering Canberra has put up $25 million for the SCG, $25m for Adelaide Oval, $14m at Skilled Stadium at Geelong, $15m for a new swimming centre at Marion, $2m for the Kangaroos and now $5m for the Crows and Power, we were optimistic of a favourable response from the federal government," he said.

"The SANFL has invested $48 million at AAMI Stadium in the past 10 years. The state government has contributed $20m in the past two years, and we're grateful for the Rann government's support. We expected a slice of the $86m the federal government has carved up in grants in the past nine months."

Senator Minchin yesterday argued the grant to Adelaide Oval - the state's cricket headquarters and part-time SANFL venue - was supportive of Australian football.

"The federal government has provided significant funding for sporting facilities in this state (including) a $45 million injection over the last 12-18 months," Senator Minchin said, referring to the grants to Adelaide Oval ($25m), the marion swimming complex ($15m) and the state's two AFL clubs ($5m).

"We've decided our commitment to football will go through the two clubs, and we're not currently in a position to make a further investment in AAMI Stadium."

Neither Port nor Adelaide could outline just how they will redevelop their centres at Alberton and West Lakes respectively.

However, Power chief executive John James and Crows counterpart Steven Trigg said their facilities needed to be upgraded and expanded to not only keep pace with AFL rivals but also to allow community groups to engage with their clubs.

"The Allan Scott Power Headquarters was built in 1999 and the club has outgrown the current facility, both for our needs as a professional football club and in the way we wish to involve ourselves and engage with the community," James said.

Trigg said of Adelaide's case: "Our facilities urgently need significant refurbishment and expansion and we have several key objectives."

[Cruise]

Obviously the Federal government is a lot smarter than the SANFL. I would rather see the 70 million sent to Adelaide oval.

"The SANFL has invested $48 million at AAMI Stadium in the past 10 years. The state government has contributed $20m in the past two years, and we're grateful for the Rann government's support. We expected a slice of the $86m the federal government has carved up in grants in the past nine months."

that's 48 million wasted then isn't it?
time to open your eyes Mr. Whicker

[rev]

Thats the problem with AFL and SANFL, they are always expecting government handouts, and have always recieved them.
What about other sports?
2.5 million was given to both Port and the Crows this week by the federal government, to upgrade their training facilities.
Where is 2.5 million for Adelaide United and other sports clubs?

"We've decided our commitment to football will go through the two clubs, and we're not currently in a position to make a further investment in AAMI Stadium."

And as for mr Minchin, perhaps if little Johny Howard wasnt throwing away billions at various groups every election to try and sway their votes toward him self, they, the federal government, might be in a position to make further investments?


And then they claim to be the best people to manage our economy. :wank:

[cruel_world00]

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

SANFL boss Leigh Whicker has vowed to spend as much as $100 million upgrading AAMI Stadium even though the league's request for funding by the Federal Government was rejected last week
Despite his disappointment at missing out on the much-needed funding, Mr Whicker said the upgrade of AAMI Stadium would continue even though it may now take longer to complete than originally planned.

The SANFL announced last year it would spend $70 million over five years improving a raft of player and spectator facilities at AAMI.

Mr Whicker said the SANFL was now also considering spending even more on improving AAMI.

"It might take longer but we just see it as another challenge," he said. "$70 million may not be enough, it might go as high as $100 million."

He highlighted improved traffic management as one area where more money might need to be spent. "That is part of the service, getting people into and out of AAMI," he said.

While neither Mr Whicker nor federal Finance Minister Nick Minchin would confirm how much the SANFL had sought, it is believed to be between $20 million and $30 million.

To date, it has spent more than $1 million improving changerooms, $1.5 million on a new public address system, $1.63 million for a new video screen at the southern end and $1.32 million on new public kiosks.

Other improvements scheduled include a $4 million security upgrade, a $1.5 million refurbishment of the members' entry and foyer, and a $3 million replacement of light-tower head frames. In the longer term, the SANFL is also planning to spend $14 million building a new corporate facility above the eastern grandstand, which would be similar to the Medallion Club at Telstra Dome, and a further $30 million to extend the members' main grandstand to bring it to the same height as the northern stand.

Mr Whicker said he would be approaching the federal Labor Party and the State Government to talk about future funding as well, although he denied he would be using the issue to hurt the Government in the lead-up to the federal election.

"We will be putting a strong case to the federal Labor Party," he said.

Senator Minchin, who believed AAMI Stadium was already a good quality venue, said there were only so many sport infrastructure projects the Federal Government could fund at one time.

He said the Government had already committed $25 million to help upgrade the Adelaide Oval, contributed $15 million to build a new aquatic centre at Marion and forked-out $2.5 million to Port Adelaide and Adelaide to help with building projects.

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's spokeswoman said Federal Labor was prepared to sit down with the SANFL and the SA Government following the election to consider in detail any business case and proposition in relation to the upgrade of AAMI Stadium.

This really displeases me. I am over AAMI and the sooner leigh whicker and those idiots at the SANFL realise that most of SA are, the better. That land would easily be worth enough to get a stadium closer to the city up and running. What are these fogies worried about?

[rogue]

I was listening to FiveAA on Friday night and Leigh Whicker had an interview with KG and Cornsey about how the SANFL missed out on Federal funding for the AAMI Stadium upgrade.

The issue of relocating the stadium also came up (briefly) with a very 1 sided approach. KG & Cornsey are batting for the current SANFL proposal and in typical fashion, muted those callers promoting relocation.

It was said that a new stadium would cost somewhere in the vicinity of $800m - $1b and the SANFL doesn't have the finances to fund it. Well let me tell you Mr. Whicker, if the SANFL wasn't so stubborn and broadened their approach, they could work in a collaborative way with other sporting / entertainment organisations (Hindmarsh Stadium comes to mind), sell the land that both stadiums are situated on and in return we would have a modern stadium in use nearly every week of the year instead of having both stadiums lying dormant for half the year.

Another issue raised in the interview was public access to AAMI. The SANFL is allegedly in promising negotiations with the state government about a rail link to AAMI and West Lakes Mall at a cost of approximately $30m. They are also looking at ways to improve road access to the stadium.

So let’s look at the cost of all this.

Over the last 5 - 10 years, the SANFL has spent $1m improving changerooms, $1.5m on the PA system, $1.63m for the southern screen, $1.32m on new kiosks, $3m for individual seats, $12.5m Northern Grandstand and the list goes on. Then the government spent $15m (I think) fart arsing around with West Lakes Boulevard improving bus access.

So there’s nearly $36m wasted. Add this to the potential $30m rail link, up to $10m improving roads, potential $100m stadium upgrade, potential $200m sale price of AAMI and surrounding land, potential $50m sale price of Hindmarsh Stadium there is $426m towards the cost of a new stadium. Throw in a bit of state and federal government support and the SANFL could have got out of this scott free.

When the state government wishes to bid for events such as the Commonwealth Games again, the so- called “jewel in our crown” AAMI Stadium will not pass as a suitable venue for events like opening / closing ceremonies and will be seen as a joke compared with international stadium. That’s not even bringing access issues into it.

So let’s get a new stadium centrally located over the railyards. Public transport is already there, road access is already there and car parking is already there.

FFS people, all it takes is a bit of vision!

[Shuz]

Typical.

Everything here is so budgeted.

[UrbanSG]

How many more times are we going to here about a possible rail link to AAMI stadium.

Every time I here more money is being spent on AAMI I think what a waste. The SANFL's ego has really got in the way of the right decision being made.

A stadium on the railyards would be perfect.

[Paulns]

Bloody hell, "rogue", you couldn't have hit the nail on the head any better if you tried!!!!! Spot on mate, this so called joke of a stadium's an absolute embarrassment to this state.
Thank god the fed gov had the nuts to make an appropriate decision here and reject this ridiculous proposal from the short sighted SANFL..... Again, any money spent at West Lakes is simply a waste of money.......
For gods sake, have the balls to bull doze AAMI joke ground and build something monumental, multi-purpose, approrpriately located near the city and something to be proud of for this great state? Please????????

[jimmy_2486]

Yeah NS everyone.....couldnt agree more.

I mean I read up on the history on waverly park and apparently they wanted to build it up for a super stadium just like they want to do to football park.

Surprisingly enough they completely ditched waverly park and built up the docklands. Now that was a smart investment.

West Lakes CANNOT handle a super stadium for a massive event. Could you imagine 100 thousand people flocking to west lakes at once!!!