Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 2:34 am
Casey Dellacqua will be playing at the Hopman Cup next year. Don't know if the rest of Australia covered the news.
She will team with Lleyton Hewitt...
Aside from the appeal that I could walk to the Australian Open from my house, I don't like this idea. Melbourne do a great job and they should contin ue to do so.Cameron Houston, Jason Dowling and Sherrill Nixon of the SMH wrote:Revealed: Sydney's Open secret
Cameron Houston, Jason Dowling and Sherrill Nixon
October 11, 2008
SYDNEY has launched a secret bid to pinch the jewel in Melbourne's major events calendar - the Australian Open.
Its audacious pitch for the Grand Slam tennis tournament includes a plan to build a multi-million-dollar stadium at Glebe Island when the harbour site - now filled with cars - is closed to stevedores.
But it will be up against stiff competition from overseas, with Shanghai, Dubai and Abu Dhabi all mounting campaigns to host a Grand Slam event when Melbourne's contract expires in 2016.
The Australian Open is one of several major events NSW hopes to steal as it reinvigorates its focus on tourism, after a series of damning reports found it was losing visitors and attractions to other states.
The State Government has poured millions of dollars into rebuilding "Brand Sydney" - including the formation of the $85 million Events NSW body - after it was blasted for becoming complacent after the Olympics.
Events NSW's chief executive, Geoff Parmenter, confirmed Sydney's interest in the event, which is worth more than $100 million to Victoria's economy.
"The Australian Open tennis is arguably the best annual event in Australia. I think any events company in the country would be negligent if they didn't have it somewhere on their radar," he told the Herald.
"The Glebe Island site is the subject I think of quite a bit of interest because it is pretty much the last clear piece of prime harbourside real estate left."
Earlier this year the Herald revealed the Walt Disney Company had been eyeing off the nearby White Bay site as it sought to expand its global empire of theme parks and resorts.
Although Mr Parmenter denied there had been a formal application for the Open, he confirmed discussions had been held with Tennis Australia about the future of the tournament beyond 2016. "We have talked to some people down there over the last few months. Yes, we've talked to Tennis Australia about the Open," he said.
But Sydney's bid was immediately derided south of the border, where questions have been raised about whether the cash-strapped NSW Government could afford to pay for the sporting extravaganza.
Victoria's Tourism and Major Events Minister, Tim Holding, said Sydney had "rested on the laurels of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge" for too long.
He said NSW's recent bid to snare the Australian Grand Prix from Melbourne had been a dismal failure.
"They have finally decided to copy Melbourne and try to host major international events, however, like much of Sydney, they are all fizz but no action," Mr Holding said. "Actions speak louder than words. Sydney's last attempt to steal an event from Melbourne ended in embarrassment."
Wayne Kayler-Thomson, who heads the Victorian Events Industry Council, urged the Victorian Government to fight for the event, which was vital to Melbourne's international reputation.
"The Government must pull out all stops to try and retain this event by improving infrastructure at Melbourne Park," he said.
"It is disappointing that NSW cannot be original and seek their own events instead of trying to cannibalise other Australian cities."
The Victorian Premier, John Brumby, met Tennis Australia representatives this week to discuss the future of the event in Victoria, including a multi-million-dollar overhaul of Melbourne Park where the tournament is held. The facilities have fallen behind other Grand Slam tournaments and need an urgent upgrade.
Tennis Australia's chief executive, Steve Wood, also confirmed Sydney's interest in the Open.
"We completely understand their interest in our event. The bigger and better the Australian Open in Melbourne becomes, the more attractive it becomes to other major cities around the world," he said.
But he seemed to downplay the likelihood of Sydney's success, saying the talks with Mr Brumby this week were "very promising".
A Victorian Government source said Dubai presented the greatest threat after recently poaching Australia's most powerful sports marketer, Mark Peters, the former chairman of the Australian Sports Commission.
It is noteworthy that at the Open this year, we broke the record for ALL Grand Slams for the highest attendence in a single day. This does indicate that more space for the general public may be needed - and perhaps a new feature stadium. But I don't think knocking down Rod Laver should be an option. If anything, we should follow the US Open's lead and Rod Laver can become the no2 stadium - just as Louis Armstrong was downsized and replaced as the main stadium by Arthur Ashe - behind a new venue.stadiumking wrote:As long as monumental changes aren't made (and I would object to anything over the road at Olympic Park that would divide the venue, especially during the Australian Open where it is important to have the Melbourne Park Tennis Centre feeling like a Tennis Centre, and not a Tennis Centre with half a dozen show courts over the road...this would detract immensely), I'm sure that increased area in the grounds could only be a positive, in terms of more spaces for spectators to gather, more landscaping opportunities, more player facilities etc.
As for an upgrade of Rod Laver Arena, I'd say that would be out of the question. As Cam said, they would almost have to remove the roof to add on extra seats at the top; it would be disastrous to attempt to add tiers to the stadium, and would destroy one of the features that makes it such a wonderful venue.
My plan of action would be the following:
- an internal re-vamp of player facilities
- convert Vodafone Arena into a full-time tennis arena, allowing for more contunuity and better facilities/viewing inside, as well as significantly increased capacity.
- an area considered in the Olympic Park precinct for tennis use, could instead be dedicated to a new multi-purpose venue. (the option around all this would be to re-configure Vodafone for tennis, thus allowing gymnastics, basketball etc, but losing the velodrome capabilities). Perhaps this could be tied in with the proposed rectangular stadium.
- the use of the oval inbetween the two main courts permanently for more outside courts (one of the complaints this year), more spectator facilities, more player facilities, and a more streamlined/well-thought-out entrance to Melbourne Park (at the moment, one either has to enter through the MCG footbridges through the train-lines, or go past/through Rod Laver to enter the main area where all the show courts/garden square etc are located.)
It is important that the facility doesn't spread too far beyond Vodafone Arena. Already, it feels like one is walking away from all the action and happenings when going to Vodafone. Beyond there is just a wasteland, and any tennis happenings would be devoid of any feeling or atmosphere or spectators whatsoever.
I don't see why Rod Laver is in drastic need of a larger capacity. Only the ridiculous Arthur Ashe can hold more people. At the moment, it is a perfectly well-balanced venue in terms of spectator comfort/facilities/viewing/asthetics. Demand will always increase; just because there are more people wanting to go, doesn't mean we should move heaven and earth to facilitate their wants. In terms of the centre and show courts, we currently have the right balance. Changes like I said can allow for continual growth in people buying ground passes. Besides, Rod Laver tickets are for the more hard-core fans anyway; they have to be booked months in advance. Most just want to be part of the atmosphere, the party, soak up the sun, see a few good matches on the outside courts, and enjoy themselves.
We need to get the right balance between US Open (too big, too loud, more is better) and Wimbledon (perhaps too exclusive; long queues, virtually impossible to get Centre Court tickets without paying an arm and a leg a long long time beforehand; a little too compact and small). So I believe that in terms of our major court, we already have that balance. And with the facility as a whole, we are not far off.
...that's if he doesn't retire.Egan wrote:Serena Williams and James Blake are coming back to the Hopman Cup
With Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt, Casey Dellacqua playing it should be a good comp. Hope to go to quite a few matches in January.
Meh SK, I am going simply for Dellacquastadiumking wrote:...that's if he doesn't retire.Egan wrote:Serena Williams and James Blake are coming back to the Hopman Cup
With Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt, Casey Dellacqua playing it should be a good comp. Hope to go to quite a few matches in January.
He'll be replaced by Igor Andreev if he decides to quit.
Plus, his little sister is hotter property in the world of tennis at the moment anyway.