WACA, Subiaco Oval to be sold

Discuss stadium news, redevelopment, construction & future stadiums.
User avatar
Hiraldo
Silver
Posts: 1480
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2003 1:21 am

WACA, Subiaco Oval to be sold

Post by Hiraldo »

Thought some people would like to see this:

---------------------------------

WACA, Subiaco Oval to be sold
February 21, 2004

THE WACA Ground and Subiaco Oval would reportedly be demolished and the land sold under a new plan by West Australian Sport and Recreation Minister Bob Kucera.

Cricket and WA's two AFL teams would share a proposed new 60,000-seat sports stadium under the plan, according to a report in today's West Australian newspaper.

The stadium could be built at Belmont Park race course as part of a move to rationalise Perth's major sporting facilities.

Kucera will meet WACA chairman Charles Fear and WA Football Commission chairman Neale Fong this week to outline his vision to bring the two major sports together by 2020.

At least half of the funding for the proposed multi-sport stadium would be expected to come from the sale of the two grounds.

Construction of a new stadium of such a size has been estimated to cost about $200 million.

Kucera has asked WA's Department of Sport and Recreation to start putting together a task force to look at Perth's sporting needs in the next 20 years.

"There is no doubt that there will be a requirement for the major sports to come together in the future," Kucera said.

Fear said practical issues meant it was unlikely that cricket would move from the WACA for many years while Fong said future planning was essential.

User avatar
Egan
Platinum
Posts: 14959
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2002 1:14 am
Location: Perth
Contact:

Post by Egan »

What a pleasant surprise I woke up to learn that we could get a 60-70,000 seat stadium at Belmont Park. This is the report by John Townsend of the West Australian. It looks like in about 14 years time it will be built. this is in the longer term but all in all is a great idea.

Thanks to thewest.com.au

By John Townsend

EXCLUSIVE

SUBIACO Oval and the WACA Ground would be demolished and the prime land sold for luxury housing to help pay for a new 60,000-seat sports stadium under a radical plan by Sport and Recreation Minister Bob Kucera.

Cricket and football would share the new $200 million ground, which could be built at Belmont Park racecourse as part of a move to rationalise Perth's major sporting facilities.

Mr Kucera will meet WACA chairman Charles Fear and WA Football Commission chairman Neale Fong on Wednesday to outline his vision to bring the two major sports together by 2020.

At least half the funding of the proposed multi-sport stadium would be expected to come from the sale of the two century-old grounds which are set in residential areas.

Construction of a 60,000-seat stadium would cost at least $200 million and any Government expenditure might prove unpopular when it faces massive spending on health, education and transport.

The WACA Ground occupies 6ha of prime East Perth land and is estimated to be worth up to $60 million. Subiaco Oval would bring a similar figure.

Both cricket and football authorities would have to agree and be prepared to move but Mr Kucera, who sees the move as one of the key planks of his ministry, believes it is a strong long-term possibility.

"There is no doubt that there will be a requirement for the major sports to come together in the future," Mr Kucera said.

"If we were to build a major 60,000 or 70,000-seat stadium for a city of 1.8 million people, and maybe in the next 20 years a city of 2.5 million people, we would need a coming together of the major sports.

"That is one of the problems in this State and I have asked the Department of Sport and Recreation to start putting together a task force to look at our future needs in the next 20 years."

Mr Fear and Mr Fong have been invited to discuss amalgamation but said they had not been told the details of Mr Kucera's concept.

Mr Fear endorsed Mr Kucera's enthusiasm for the plan but said practical issues meant it was unlikely that cricket would move from its ground for many years.

"It is nice to have a Government with a plan for the next generation, not just the next election," Mr Fear said. "We will listen to what the Minister has to say but I must say it makes sense to have logical and sensible facilities planning for the future."

Mr Fong said planning was essential. "It might not be possible. But it makes sense for all parties to look at the long-term horizon for sports facilities," he said.

User avatar
perthsmike
Bronze
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2002 9:18 pm
Location: Perth

Post by perthsmike »

:D front page of the paper! wat a great surprise! the idea sounds exactly what i have always thought, especially the site of the new stadium on the belmont track site. although 16 years is a tad long i think. especially seeings as though subiaco isn't big enough at present let alone a decade and a half away!

mike

User avatar
cam
Gold
Posts: 2671
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2002 1:05 am
Location: Melbourne
Contact:

Post by cam »

2020 is ideal. As if this would happen in the near future. Considering Subiaco and the WACA have recently completed their redevelopments. I don't think Perth needs a ground of this size at the moment. Especially cricket, they can barely fill the WACA! I can't see the Eagles average home crowds of over 45,000 just for the moment.
You're a few decades behind over there - so just have some patience!! :lol:

james_
Silver
Posts: 1232
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2003 4:48 pm

Post by james_ »

cam wrote:You're a few decades behind over there - so just have some patience!! :lol:
They do say W.A. stands for Wait Awhile!

User avatar
perthsmike
Bronze
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2002 9:18 pm
Location: Perth

Post by perthsmike »

james_ wrote:
cam wrote:You're a few decades behind over there - so just have some patience!! :lol:
They do say W.A. stands for Wait Awhile!
Well from that it seems we’re not the ones behind in a literary sense.

mike

Mr J
Bronze
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2003 4:56 pm
Location: Perth

Post by Mr J »

i dont get what anyone has to lose out of building one world class venue. State cricket could go to Ledderville oval with the costs of the move being almost neil. They might need to build a few facilities but nothing major.

Where abouts at belmont are they planning, if the trots is moving to the Belmont race course it doesnt leave much room for this 60 000 seater.

Lets hope the WACA or the WAFC stuff up the plans...
Last edited by Mr J on Mon Feb 23, 2004 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Jeffles
Platinum
Posts: 9499
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2002 8:44 pm
Location: The Jet Set Lounge - Henson Park

Post by Jeffles »

Not a bad idea I must say.

User avatar
tom
Bronze
Posts: 443
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:55 pm
Location: Perth

Post by tom »

Actually Mr J the Belmont Park site is massive. A 60000+ Stadium could easily fit along side the raceway. I imagine a stadium of that size would have to cost much much more than $200 million. The land quality in poor seeming that it is mostly reclaimed marshland on the Burswood Peninsula.

User avatar
perthsmike
Bronze
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2002 9:18 pm
Location: Perth

Post by perthsmike »

not enough room? there is heaps! there is enough room at the belmont site for at least half an olympic complex let alone one stadium. this is another thing which makes it ideal, if the racetrack is gone there is so much room.

i dont see the point of having belmont and ascot. can someone tell me why we have or need both? they are like 10 minutes away from each other and both taking up valuable river space. ascot holds up to 45,000 right? and belmont like 16,000. then i say ditch belmont and focus purely on ascot. of course im probably missnig something obvious here lol.

mike

User avatar
peterss
Bronze
Posts: 321
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2004 12:17 am

Post by peterss »

yes i read that in the west aswell it would be great to have a world class stadium being able to seat about 60,000 2020 is a long way away but hey it would definately be worth the wait :D :D :D :D

User avatar
tom
Bronze
Posts: 443
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:55 pm
Location: Perth

Post by tom »

Perthsmike, I'm no fan of racing but I believe that Belmont is the WATC winter track and Ascot is the Summer Track. Maybe they need 2 tracks because 1 track wouldn't be able to cope (I mean the condition of the grass track).

If they ever build it, I imagine it would built for an Australian bid for the 2014 or 2018 Soccer World Cups.

User avatar
tom
Bronze
Posts: 443
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:55 pm
Location: Perth

Post by tom »

Aparently this Stadium plan has more merit than I realised. On Perth's 9 news it was said that the WACA and WAFC met with government officals today and discussed the proposal. Both said it was a realistic idea and expected it to be done in the next decade. A stadium on the Belmont park site has been envisioned since the mid 90's and was included in the Perth bid for the 2006 Commonwealth games before Melbourne got the Australian vote. The WAFC said that they saw a need for a larger stadium in the near future with Subiaco selling out 75% of the time (according to them) and the limitations to developing the stadium further. All parties want to further discuss the stadium because they believe the earlier they start, the more realistic it will be when the time comes, the red tape won't be there.

User avatar
Egan
Platinum
Posts: 14959
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2002 1:14 am
Location: Perth
Contact:

Post by Egan »

This is an excellent idea the Belmont Park site has a train station the Graham "Polly" Farmer Freeway and is just across the river from the present site of the WACA.

Hopefully it gets under way sooner then later. 60,000 seat stadium will be a great place to watch cricket and AFL. And would be near one of the most picturesque grounds in the nation with the swan river surrounding it.

User avatar
stadiumking
Gold
Posts: 1769
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 5:31 pm
Location: Melbourne

Post by stadiumking »

I disagree with the general contention of people. Whilst i think that it would be great to have a large state-of-the-art stadium, I think that Subiaco etc are fabulous. Cricket has not a chance of drawing regular crowds as big as that, and Subiaco has a fantastic atmosphere as well. These venues are also historically important, and if the main sports are drawn to a new stadium, what will become of the old ones? they could be sold off, or become the new version of perry lakes.

I personally think that a smaller stadium that is full provides greater atmosphere and is better than a larger stadium that is not full. games like the fre/west coast derby are the biggest selling games at the moment, and despite the rapid growth in awareness and support etc, i think that they would be unable to sell out a 60k venue. It is also likely that by 2020 or the time this stadium is put into place, subi would have been upgraded anyway - especially something like the anz stand.
I think that we should be getting behind these stadiums - ones with character, historical significance, location and atmosphere. At least there are other grounds like the MCG to redeem Melbourne of telstra Dome (although it is a fantastic venue), which has no character and is almost lifeless.
Even though support for wa football and fremantle in particular is growing, there hasnt been a record crowd at subiaco since 1991 - the eagles' first home final.
I say get behind these great, attractive, majestic grounds...

Post Reply