Members Equity a venue worth fighting for

Members Equity Stadium is a beacon of history in a diverse and buzzing part of the Western Australian capital, which continues to be subject to consideration of stadium development.

Austadiums.com tracked down Peter Bauchop, the CEO of Allia Management, and we continued to ask questions that we've asked since the start, regarding the possible Members Equity Stadium redevelopment.

Western Force supporters have stepped up with a petition calling for the redevelopment of a rectangular stadium with the website weneedcorners.com and Bauchop admits that public pressure is integral for this fight.

"Absolutely, everyone has to be on the same page, that is administrators, players, coaches, supporters". In real terms the bewilderment of why it is still a half finished venue puzzles Bauchop. "I have absolutely no idea why this venue is not redeveloped...they told us we are not viable, when we have paid off our depreciation and made a small operating profit...The time is right, its got to happen in the next few months (Agreement of redevelopment to hold all 3 rectangular codes)"

As the fight continues, Peter Holmes A Court and the interest in South Sydney playing games in Western Australia has come to the forefront. Accordingly Bauchop admits the lighting quality and corporate facilities has been a sticking point in any negotiations and admits South Sydney have asked for an improvement. "Presently they emit 1171 lux, South Sydney have asked for an increase to 1500 lux...my fear is they will not come to MES due to lighting".

Yet despite South Sydney also considering to play at the WACA, Bauchop says that Peter Holmes A Court has joined the fight with conversations with the government about the redevelopment. Yet when asked about when there will be any concrete start date, that has been continually delayed he just puts his hand up and says, "I can't say it with confidence, but we are hoping it will happen".

And this is the problem that WARL General Manager Bill Nosworthy notes, he believes that a better model of governance of Members Equity Stadium would have delivered a redeveloped stadium. "I have no doubt that if this was a government owned and controlled stadium that this venue would have been redeveloped by now".

With Austadiums.com following the fight for redevelopment since the start, we have spoken to people across the political landscape, all with the common goal of redeveloping Members Equity Stadium. But the onset of differences of opinions between the Western Force, Government, Allia or the Town of Vincent has been the hallmark of the 3 years of talking.

As Nosworthy admits, historically the three groups have been at each others throats. This is a key example on how the WA Sporting scene is full of politics, something that at times revolves around insular views that suit sport only proposals.

Yet as Bauchop admits, it has largely transformed Allia from a Perth Glory ran subsidiary, to a separate business with fair and equitable plans for all sporting industries, with their main breadwinner being concerts. "We have eight major concerts this year...One major concert on one weekend to us is worth 7 years of Rugby League". And here lies in the interest the government has of redeveloping the stadium."

There is also the issue of the day to day running costs of putting a stadium such as a 60,000-seat Oval Stadium into retractable seating. Anthony Crozier, the SCG Project Architect, informed that the major tenant normally controls the usage of retractable seating. "Just look at Telstra dome for an example...the turn around time is either a cost to the hirer or the stadium itself, depending on negotiated outcomes". For a venue that will need to be done 6-7 times, it will cost either the taxpayer or the Force a lot of money.

Yet as concerts come to rock the western state to its foundations, the government should look at the reality of the economics behind also redeveloping the rectangular stadium. If you look at the financial viability of concerts, which have become a beacon of entertainment during the summer months in Perth, it is indeed a sane economic choice to build a venue that will also be able to accommodate much more than the new 14,000-seat Perth Arena.

Despite the historical issues, the conflict between all organisations, the venue built in 1908 as an Australian Rules venue, is ripe to turn into a top class rectangular stadium. To not would not only be to the disadvantage of rectangular sport, but also a question why the economics based approach to stadium development, is not taking into account the revenue that Allia is presently receiving for concerts. It's simply as Bauchop says, it doesn't make sense not to redevelop MES to a 35,000-seat stadium.