SANFL seals Thebarton Oval agreement, announces Football Park facility
The SANFL has successfully concluded negotiations for the handover of its lease of Thebarton Oval with the City of West Torrens and Adelaide Football Club.
This agreement will now allow the South Australian National Football League to push ahead with its development of a $26 million Talent Hub adjacent to Football Park at West Lakes, while the Adelaide Crows move a step closer towards the start of construction for their new facility.
SANFL Chief Executive Officer Darren Chandler said the facility project team would now finalise design and construction drawings, with building works planned to commence at West Lakes before the end of this year.
The $26 million Talent and Community precinct, to include an indoor training area, gymnasium, education and function spaces and talent administration offices, is scheduled for completion at the end of 2025.
The precinct will be used for SANFL’s state male and female under-16s and under-18s, First Nations and multicultural talent programs.
The League was granted a 42-year lease for the non-exclusive use of Football Park oval by the City of Charles Sturt last month, currently used by the Adelaide Crows.
“We can now look forward to seeing this exciting project for our best male and female athletes, and for the future of football in South Australia, finally come to life over the next 18 months,” Mr Chandler said.
Under the arrangement with the Crows, the SANFL will continue to have access to Thebarton Oval for talent programs until the end of September, providing an interim solution while the new facilities at West Lakes are constructed.
The recent development follows the acquisition last month of a 42-year lease for the non-exclusive use of Football Park oval, primarily used by the Adelaide Football Club, from the City of Charles Sturt.
Football Park has remained as the training and administrative headquarters of the Adelaide Crows since its home games moved from the stadium to Adelaide Oval.
The SANFL vacating their lease at Thebarton Oval is a major step forward, allowing the Adelaide Crows to push ahead with plans to build its new state of the art headquarters on the western fringe of the city.
The deal also complements the previously struck arrangement with the City of West Torrens which gives the AFL club rights to the Thebarton Oval Precinct for a 42-year tenure, with an additional 42 year option.
Crows Chairman John Olsen said this was yet another important milestone in ambitious plans to deliver a world class training, administration and community facility.
“We have cleared one of the last hurdles in what has been a long and complex series of negotiations, and we move forward with even more positive momentum,” Olsen said.
“We will continue to work closely with the City of West Torrens as we bring this project to life.
City of West Torrens Mayor Michael Coxon described Thebarton Oval as an iconic part of the state’s football history.
“We are looking forward to the oval finally being accessible for community use and to injecting life into our city,” he said.
The Crows are on track to begin construction works on their new headquarters at Thebarton Oval towards the end of this year.
