WACA gets $5m grant
The WACA will use the money to meet loan payments on the $13 million ground redevelopment it undertook two years ago to retain international Test status.
State Sports Minister Bob Kucera said the association would receive an immediate $2 million cash injection, plus annual funds of up to $600,000 over five years, provided it achieved certain milestones.
The Government loan would convert to a grant after five years provided the WACA secured one Test match a year, met its financial arrangements and continued negotiating with the East Perth Redevelopment Authority (EPRA) over the sale of some of its valuable land assets, Mr Kucera said.
"It is absolutely important to keep the WACA viable," he said.
"(But) at the end of the day the sport still has to pay for itself and we now have a WACA board in place that is taking a very financially responsible position in partnership with the government.
"This is not a handout."
Newly-installed WACA president, former fast bowling great Dennis Lillee, described the funding as "a great start" for the revamped WACA board.
"We're confident we can meet the milestones - we know we're on the right track," he said.
With the WACA ground used for only three months of the year, the association was looking at other initiatives for use, Lillee said.
They included selling some of its land to the EPRA, opening the facility to the public in winter and hosting state league football matches.
Mr Kucera said although Perth recently had won the new Australian Super 14 rugby union franchise, it hosted very few international sporting events.
"It's important to make sure the WACA is given time to work through some of its current problems," he said.
