Adelaidenow 12/05/09
Neither AAMI Stadium nor Adelaide Oval will be part of Australia's bid for the 2018 or 2022 soccer World Cups.
Football Federation Australia has rejected both venues and asked the State Government to build a 40,000-seat arena, which will revert to 25,000 seats after the World Cup.
FFA chief Ben Buckley delivered this verdict to the SANFL, SACA and government in lengthy meetings in Adelaide yesterday.
He also rejected redeveloping soccer's 16,000-seat Hindmarsh Stadium.
Buckley delivered two options for where the new rectangular stadium should be built – one on the university sports field on the northern banks of River Torrens; the other on the soccer fields behind Adelaide High School.
He estimated the cost of the World Cup arena at $250 million.
Minister for Sports and Recreation Michael Wright rejected Buckley's submission, which will be reaffirmed in writing this week.
"We've made it clear that this government is not in the business of building a new stadium," Mr Wright told AdelaideNow today.
"The Government considers AAMI Stadium and Adelaide Oval as fine options."
Buckley rejected AAMI Stadium, arguing the distance from the seats to the pitch was too great. He also took issue with the West Lakes arena not being close enough to Adelaide's CBD.
The redeveloped Adelaide Oval, which will have 36,000 seats when current works are completed next year, was considered "not big enough" for a World Cup venue.
The FFA also rejected AAMI Stadium and Adelaide Oval because the venues would not become the home of soccer in SA after the World Cup.
Buckley is in Perth today to assess that city's prospects for World Cup venues.
State Opposition leader Martin Hamilton-Smith today described the FFA verdict on Adelaide's existing stadia as "an embarrassment to SA".
"We have been saying since early last year that a new stadium is needed," Mr Hamilton-Smith said.
Mr Hamilton-Smith maintained his $900 million plan for a 50,000-seat stadium on Adelaide's western fringe would "fit the bill for FIFA requirements" for a World Cup bid.
Personally if either party says no to a stadium and then Australia does win the right to host the world cup their ass is grass really. But convincing everyone that we need it first is the hard part.
One thing that we all need to remember is that IF we get the rectangular stadium and IF we get the world cup, sure we're looking at 5 - 10 games during that but there are loads more games that will be played there.
1. Every country who hosts the world cup hosts the Confederations Cup first
2. Adelaide United should need a larger stadium within 5 - 10 years and this is the perfect excuse for one. I felt embarrassed that we could only get 17,000 to the Asian Champions League Final.
3. Most of the other A-league teams are getting major clubs (Barcalona, Fulham, Everton, Juventus) coming to play friendlies against them but we're missing out due to the fact our stadium is too small (this is what Juventus said)
4. IF the AFL and SACA somehow come to an agreement and either build and new stadium ($900M riverside) or redue Adelaide Oval Football won't get a look in at all (AFL winter - Cricket summer)
The main issue is that Adelaide United needs to get more memberships, if there is a steady growth in the next 2-4 seasons this would be a very good indicator of whether it should go ahead or not. I would say around 15,000 within that period would be acceptable. So then by 2018 we'd hope to be looking at 25 - 30,000.
One other thing for those who don't think that Australia deserves the world cup go and see the Socceroos play in Melbourne or Sydney I went and saw 70,000 people watch Australia V China in a dead rubber at Stadium Australia, that was an amazing experience and a real eye opening as to how many people love Football in this country.
