Eddie McGuire makes grab for Olympic Park

Austadiums • Tuesday 4th March 2008

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has launched a land grab for the historic Olympic Park athletic stadium.

The Herald Sun believes Athletics Victoria is to shift to a new home in Albert Park, in a move that will hand control of Olympic Park to Collingwood.

The Pies are expected to rip up the running track and install an MGC-sized training ground right next door to the club's Lexus Centre base.

The takeover plan has triggered fresh conflict of interest concerns for McGuire, who also serves as a board member of Athletics Australia, the governing body for Athletics Victoria.

McGuire refused to comment last night.

"I can't speak about that. I have no comment," he said.

Work on a new multi-million-dollar athletics centre, at a revamped Bob Jane Stadium in Albert Park, could begin as early as next year.

Athletics Victoria CEO Nick Honey said he had no doubt the relocation push was being driven by Collingwood.

"It's undoubtedly them, because they don't want to walk 300m down the road to Gosh's Paddock," he said.

"There is no doubt we live in a football town in Melbourne, but you've got to question how 50 professional footballers can have the power to move an Olympic venue that has been here for more than 50 years."

A spokesman for Sports Minister James Merlino last night confirmed Athletics Victoria's relocation plan was being examined, but said a decision had not yet been made.

"The Government is considering options for Olympic Park and its athletic facilities," the spokesman said. He said the new soccer and rugby stadium under construction was changing the make-up of the Melbourne Park and Olympic Park precinct.

Olympic Park tenants Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory will move into the new stadium next door next year, and the Melbourne Football Club is to use it as an administration base.

Mr Honey said Athletics Victoria would prefer to stay at Olympic Park but was open to discussions.

"Our position is that we're not going anywhere unless there is a demonstratively better offer," Mr Honey said. "At the moment, we're in the premier sporting precinct in Victoria, so why would we want to go?"

He said the only Bob Jane Stadium plan presented to Athletics Victoria was an aerial photograph featuring a digitally imposed running track.

A clash between the annual Albert Park Grand Prix and the March-April athletics season would create difficulties, he said.

Bob Jane Stadium, formerly the Lakeside Oval, is the home of former National Soccer League club South Melbourne.

Until 1982, it was the home of VFL club South Melbourne, now the Sydney Swans.

The Albert Park redevelopment is expected to include an overhaul of the ground's 80-year-old grandstand, which has slipped into disrepair.

The adjacent Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre is already home to Victoria's swimming governing body.

Olympic Park was built as a centre for athletics, swimming and cycling for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

It was witness to one of Australia's finest sporting moments in March 1956, when champion middle-distance runner John Landy stopped mid-race to help fallen rival Ron Clarke.

To the astonishment of a packed crowed of more than 20,000, Landy then set off in pursuit of victory -- winning in near-world record time.

Olympic Park Stadium

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Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has launched a land grab for the historic Olympic Park athletic stadium.
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