Final designs unveiled for Crows HQ at Thebarton Oval
The final designs have been unveiled for the new headquarters of the Adelaide Football Club at Thebarton Oval, with work expected to commence this year.
With inspiration gleaned from international teams such as the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers, along with other AFL clubs, the two-storey, 150-metre long building will wrap around Thebarton Oval in Adelaide’s west.
A cafe and Members’ Lounge will provide all-day casual dining and drinks and include both indoor and outdoor seating.
A dedicated function centre will feature prime viewing of the oval while an integrated and interactive museum throughout the front foyer will offer a trip down memory lane for dedicated Crows fans and Members.
Both indoor and outdoor training facilities will also have dedicated vantage points for facility guests to view AFL and AFLW training.
The Crows first identified Thebarton Oval as their headquarters home in August 2022, after announcing plans for a base in the Adelaide Parklands in 2019.
The AFL club has been located at Football Park since it entered the AFL in 1991, and has continued to be based at the West Lakes venue since it hosted its last AFL game in 2013 and its grandstands demolished in 2019.
The Crows secured the lease to Thebarton in December 2023 and will take over from the SANFL who are currently based at the ground and are set to relocate to West Lakes, recently announcing the development of a new $26 million facility at the former AFL venue.
Key Highlights of the Crows HQ include:
- Dynamic Design: An iconic form and structure embodying the spirit and ambition of the Adelaide Football Club.
- Community Hub: Featuring a café and Members’ Lounge with all-day casual dining, both indoors and outdoors.
- Event Excellence: A dedicated function centre with prime oval views.
- Interactive Experience: An integrated museum offering a journey through the club’s rich history.
- Training Vantage Points: Indoor and outdoor training facilities with dedicated viewing areas for fans.
The redeveloped Thebarton Oval will also feature lights for night matches and host AFLW home games for the Crows.
Adelaide Football Club Chairman John Olsen said the Club was excited to embark on the next phase of the journey.
“We’ve had our share of challenges however, we are now embarking on a really exciting phase where we can start to bring to life what has been years in the making,” Olsen said.
“It’s fair to say perseverance has paid off - we have a long-term lease and recently received the green light from the state planning authority.
“In a very competitive league structured around equalisation measures, having a state-of-the-art facility is a way to create legitimate high performance advantages for our players and coaches.
“It will be a place which our members and supporters, and everyone associated with our club, can talk about and visit and feel genuinely proud. Most importantly, it will be somewhere we can all come together – a place for us to call home.
“We are building a home befitting of the biggest sporting club in the state.”
Work is expected to commence on the site towards the end of the year.
