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

[adam73837]

Terrible, terrible, terrible.
Here we have a stubborn and power-hungry state football league that wants to renovate their stadium that was GIVEN to them for FREE, when we have a large, empty block of land smack-bang in the CBD that would give the city a real boost. Of course, being Adelaide, we'll be run by the conservative minorities that think of the ciy as their playground or their toys inside their underground bedroom away from the hustle and bustle of the present time.
I just went to Melbourne, and I went to Telstra Dome and saw what? A stadium which has brilliant views of the ground regardless of where you are, or course in AAMi stadium, if you sit above the 6th row of the Northern Grandstand, you need binoculars to feel like you're partly in the atmosphere of the game. Of course we won't worry about that will we? We'll just sweep it under the rug to make ourselves look better and if anyone makes any noise, we'll drown them out by pretending we're doing things for the good of our state and its people. I also went to the MCG when it was empty, and let me assure anyone that has any doubts that that thing is AMAZING. It's like being in a large bowl that would be INCREDIBLE when it's fool of cheering crowds, not like our white elephant in the suburbs that gets the game's atmosphere blown away by the nearby ocean winds and the complaining of nearby residents. BTW another great thing about the MCG and Telstra Dome is that they're both right next to the CBD and you can get the vibrant city life when you cross impressive pedestrian links that have views of tall skyscrapers a clean river and FEDERATION SQUARE. Like I've said once before, would the AFL/SANFL like to pay for the underground train extention or the uprotting of the OuterHarbour&Grange railway lines and the following tramline extention? If not, I say that they shove it and get themselves a life before admitting that they are pathetic and that they're getting all of their money from a sport that was originally a training game to keep cricketers warm in the winter.

[frank1]

Shouldn't this thread title be changed to 100million facelift?

[jk1237]

IMO theres not point giving AAMI a facelift if they dont build the rail spur. The stadium is not the problem, the location is. If the exact stadium were near the city, I reckon 10,000 more people would turn up each week. In Melbourne and Perth, part of the package of going to an AFL game is to take a quick an easy train to the match, do some shopping in town before hand, walk up to the ground, and then go to a pub or have a meal somwehere after the game. Even at Subiaco and around the Gabba you can do this. Its no coincidence that the other ground that never gets close to a sell-out is the SCG, because like AAMI Stadium, theres nothing around it within walking distance to the stadium, and the only PT is the not so exciting bus.
Atleast a rail spur will make it a little more enticing for people to go Football Park

[muzzamo]

To me it seems a light rail link would have to be on the cards... there have been too many hints now.

Fingers crossed for this state budget.

[Cruise]

Sounds and looks good.

i wouldn't go expecting much in the way of a capacity upgrade though, it will proberly bring capacity up to about 53,500 to 54,000

But when will this start construction? and how will it affect games played there during the construction period?

[Cruise]

IMO theres not point giving AAMI a facelift if they dont build the rail spur. The stadium is not the problem, the location is. If the exact stadium were near the city, I reckon 10,000 more people would turn up each week. In Melbourne and Perth, part of the package of going to an AFL game is to take a quick an easy train to the match, do some shopping in town before hand, walk up to the ground, and then go to a pub or have a meal somwehere after the game. Even at Subiaco and around the Gabba you can do this. Its no coincidence that the other ground that never gets close to a sell-out is the SCG, because like AAMI Stadium, theres nothing around it within walking distance to the stadium, and the only PT is the not so exciting bus.
Atleast a rail spur will make it a little more enticing for people to go Football Park

I would prefer a rail loop than a spur

[Wayno]

final approval and construction won't start before the next election. Expect more CBD vs West Lakes debate between the major political parties...

[Brando]

I think the plan is to raise the level of the western grandstand to the height of the northern stand. Should lift capacity
to 55k or so. Will be a good stadium once this is done.

Huh, i should have guessed!

[Cruise]

found this on the SANFL website:


Quote:
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.

[monotonehell]

...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...

So what you can convince the entry points of anything?

[Omicron]

It would be a far more compelling argument for an inner-city stadium if Crows and Power games at AAMI were more poorly-patronised. As it stands, an average of 40,000 patrons for a Crows game doesn't exactly suggest a pressing need for a switch, even if people's dislike for the stadium is voiced on a regular basis. In other words, the negative perceptions of a few do not appear to be affecting purchase decisions of the majority to any measurable extent.

I'd hazard a guess that game scheduling, pricing and people's lives outside of football are more relevant determining factors of match-day attendance. Much research has been undertaken into why Crows average crowds hover around 40-45k over the past four or five years (and a similar stagnation of Power crowds) despite various marketing strategies being undertaken and on-field performances changing from year to year. Almost any product after a given amount of time achieves a point at which the market just will not deliver any more incremental increases without increasing the size of the market itself, which in this case, is almost entirely reliant upon increasing population and incomes. There is a growing belief that football crowds in South Australi may have reached such a point.

That a brand-new stadium would be the major catalyst for increased crowd numbers (and one wonders why a new stadium would be built other than to arrest a slide in crowds, or to draw more crowds) is a tenuous link at best - stadium size or facilities are by no means determinants of attendance. Contributing factors, yes, but merely two of many, many more.

[Bulldozer]

Here we have a stubborn and power-hungry state football league that wants to renovate their stadium that was GIVEN to them for FREE

While the SANFL is very stubborn and conservative, they did buy and pay for Football Park themselves.

That a brand-new stadium would be the major catalyst for increased crowd numbers (and one wonders why a new stadium would be built other than to arrest a slide in crowds, or to draw more crowds) is a tenuous link at best - stadium size or facilities are by no means determinants of attendance. Contributing factors, yes, but merely two of many, many more.

I wouldn't call it a tenuous link. The Crows have the largest member base in AFL, yet match attendance numbers are declining. People are giving up going to games there simply because it's so time consuming and stressful to get there and then get home, particularly in the outer regions of Adelaide. It's all fine and dandy if you live in the inner suburbs, but if you live down Noarlunga way it's half your day in traveling to and from West Lakes. My family were season ticket holders for the first few years, but gave up because it was too much hassle to get there. Similarly, other families we knew gave up their season tickets as well for the same reason.

This development is a bad decision as it will over-capitalise Football Park. The money will never be made back when the inevitable city stadium is built. $100 million would certainly reduce the need for the extortionate increases in water prices to fund the desalination plant. It would also have more benefit for the public at large if it were spent on overhauling the Gawler rail line.

I heard a nice take on an old saying the other day that applies 110% to this: "You can't polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter."

[Cruise]

The problem with football park is the transport infastructure around it, that's it.
The numbers talk for themselves, the Crows have 47,000 members (down on last year) but only average home crowds of 41,000
It's the same story for the Power, 34,000 members and an average home crowd attendance of about 27,000 (that was for 2007, i would guess this year that would be down on that number)

[Shuz]

I think the plan is to raise the level of the western grandstand to the height of the northern stand. Should lift capacity
to 55k or so. Will be a good stadium once this is done.

Huh, i should have guessed!

Er, AAMI's capacity is 51,150, given the size of the Northern Grandstand being 7,000 seats, any western grandstand built right around to the corporate seats on the southern side (minus room for Medallion club etc) would well exceed 10,000 seats, 15,000 if they manage well. This pushes capacity to the 60-65k mark, not 55.

[ozisnowman]

What a half baked approach by the government that supports AFL football. This proposal
does nothing for Athletic, Football, Rugby and the like. And even worse is the transport,
accomodation and entertainment issues are not resolved, its still in the middle of nowhere