[DEF] AAMI Stadium Upgrade | $100m | 52,000

[cruel_world00]

'Crisis Hits $100m AAMI project'

MICHAEL McGUIRE

October 27, 2008 11:01pm

AAMI Stadium's upgrade is in doubt as the State Government reconsiders its $100 million pledge to the West Lakes arena.

State Treasurer Kevin Foley yesterday declared the funds allocated in the Budget in June were up for review in reaction to the $2 billion hole burned in state finances by the world economic crisis.

"The Government is considering all existing capital works projects in light of the collapse of world markets," Mr Foley told The Advertiser yesterday.

"Excluded from this are the Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Hospital and the six new `super schools'. In the next few weeks announcements will be made on which projects are deferred."

The removal of a government guarantee for financing AAMI Stadium's upgrade to modern international standards created concern last night among the venue's owner, the SANFL, and its prime users, the Adelaide and Port Adelaide AFL football clubs.

Their concerns come as widespread support for a new multi-purpose city stadium gathers momentum across the state, spurred on by Adelaide United's entry into the Asian Champions League final.

SANFL chief executive Leigh Whicker has sought assurances from Premier Mike Rann to not make any decision on AAMI Stadium until final plans for the redevelopment were completed in the next month.

Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg vowed AAMI Stadium would remain the Crows' home and declared "strong support" for the redevelopment.

Port president Greg Boulton supported Mr Foley's review but said the AAMI upgrade was "a positive for the SA community – in the short and long term".

Most critical in the AAMI Stadium saga will be the long-awaited audit from Football Federation of Australia on the venue's suitability for World Cup soccer.

If the audit reveals AAMI Stadium will need more than $100 million to bring it up to FIFA's standards for international soccer, Mr Foley will have reason to stall the upgrade.

This also may bring Mr Foley and Mr Rann into a new conflict, with the Premier understood to favour the upgrade of AAMI Stadium that he announced on June 1.

Mr Whicker said the SANFL remained in talks with the Premier's office and wanted a meeting with senior government ministers in the next month.

"We have some exciting plans to show the Government – probably in the next fortnight," Mr Whicker said.

"We understand the pressure on all governments at this time. But we are very optimistic that once the Government sees the plans it will appreciate this project is an investment that should not be deferred.

"To do nothing now at AAMI Stadium would cause more damage to the state's standing in sport. The most responsible option is to invest in an upgrade in AAMI Stadium. In these times of economic uncertainty it certainly is not wise to be looking at a new, billion-dollar, multi-purpose venue."

Mr Trigg said Mr Foley's review would not delay the Crows' work on a $16 million redevelopment of its facilities on the eastern flank of the stadium. "We're strongly supportive of the upgrade of AAMI Stadium for the people of South Australia and we are here for the long run," Mr Trigg said.

Mr Boulton said any delay to AAMI Stadium's upgrade would not prompt the Power to consider a move to Adelaide Oval, as recommended by its former chief executive John James.

The Power appears to be the biggest loser of any delay to an upgrade of AAMI Stadium, which is being re-designed to appeal to Port fans. "We still see AAMI Stadium as our home forever," Mr Boulton said.

"In the current economic climate, it is right for the Government to put AAMI Stadium's funding on the review list.

"But the enhancement of AAMI Stadium is a positive for the SA community in total. We would be very disappointed if the funding was withdrawn."

[rhino]

It's completly stupid to compare Sydney with Adelaide.... Anyone who's been to Sydney will realise that it's 4 times the size of Adelaide.....And that's not to mention Homebush has numerous modes of PT servicing it including the ferry service on the Parramatta River, a purpose built train line and various bus services, not mention taxi services, numerous purpose built carparks and the adjacent M4 Motorway which runs parallel to the Olympic precinct. ......Once again it is completly stupid to compare Sydney with Adelaide......

Why is it completely stupid to compare Sydney with Adelaide, because it's 4 times the size, but reading this topic it seems to be completely sane to compare Melbourne with Adelaide, although it's 3 times the size?

Why is it OK to build a stadium at Homebush because it has numerous modes of public transport servicing it, but stupid to build a rail line to service AAMI Stadium to complement the public transport which already exists ther (buses, dedicated footy buses, taxis). The only form left that we won't have is a ferry (hang on - AAMI is close to a lake...). For private transport there's a good road system to AAMI - not a motorway but as you point out, Adelaide is only 1/4 the size of Sydney so how necessary is a motorway to West Lakes anyway? It is far easier to drive to West Lakes than to the CBD.

Saying that a comparison is completely stupid just because it doesn't support the outcome you want is not valid.

[Paulns]

but stupid to build a rail line to service AAMI Stadium

Why waste the money on a train line to Football Park when there's numerous trains that already service the city now?? Football Park's out of date and out of favour, time to build new..

For private transport there's a good road system to AAMI -

You seriously have to be joking???????? Have you ever left Footy Park in a vehicle after a say a Crows game? It's like peak hour traffic to travel 5 k's??? The so called good road system might of been fine back in the 70's but Adelaide's changed a bit since then.. Then you still have to negotiate your way to where ever you live in Adelaide.. No worries if you live in the Western suburbs, but what about the rest of us that don't?? What about the people that live in the far southern and northern suburbs? Bad luck to them..

With the recent success of Adelaide United, it's time this city moved with the times and built a new Multi purpose stadium that will compliment all football sports..

[Düsseldorfer]

With the recent success of Adelaide United, it's time this city moved with the times and built a new Multi purpose stadium that will compliment all football sports..

doesn't matter now, the upgrade of AAMI has been called off, we could be waiting a long time before we see a massive new stadium anywhere in this state... i think upgrades to our fucked train system are of much greater importance, but i'm sure if Mr Whinge Hamilton Smith gets elected then we will see the 10 year public transport upgrades canceled to build a few mediocre sporting arenas to try and bid for the commonwealth games in 2018 which we probably won't even get anyway...

[adam73837]

The removal of a government guarantee for financing AAMI Stadium's upgrade to modern international standards created concern last night among the venue's owner, the SANFL, and its prime users, the Adelaide and Port Adelaide AFL football clubs.

<wipes tear from eye>

Their concerns come as widespread support for a new multi-purpose city stadium gathers momentum across the state, spurred on by Adelaide United's entry into the Asian Champions League final.

Oh, the poor little SANFL is scared of coming into the city...

SANFL chief executive Leigh Whicker has sought assurances from Premier Mike Rann to not make any decision on AAMI Stadium until final plans for the redevelopment were completed in the next month.

<See above>

Most critical in the AAMI Stadium saga will be the long-awaited audit from Football Federation of Australia on the venue's suitability for World Cup soccer.

If the audit reveals AAMI Stadium will need more than $100 million to bring it up to FIFA's standards for international soccer, Mr Foley will have reason to stall the upgrade.

Somehow I think it will cost more than $100 million, when you consider the fact that they'll have to reconfigure a lot of the seating for it to be suitable for soccer. Hence, why we should start from scratch and build a new stadium in the city, rather than upgrading this outdated embarassment that we call 'a stadium'.

This also may bring Mr Foley and Mr Rann into a new conflict, with the Premier understood to favour the upgrade of AAMI Stadium that he announced on June.

If it will bring them into a conflict, does that mean that Foley supports an inner city stadium? This comes as news to me.

"We have some exciting plans to show the Government – probably in the next fortnight," Mr Whicker said.

"We understand the pressure on all governments at this time. But we are very optimistic that once the Government sees the plans it will appreciate this project is an investment that should not be deferred.

Somehow I doubt it Whicker, you selfish, old...

"To do nothing now at AAMI Stadium would cause more damage to the state's standing in sport. The most responsible option is to invest in an upgrade in AAMI Stadium. In these times of economic uncertainty it certainly is not wise to be looking at a new, billion-dollar, multi-purpose venue."

Firstly, it won't cost a billion dollars, secondly, why would you upgrade AAMI if its only used for half the year, whilst an inner-city multi-purpose stadium would be used all year round? As for the state's standing in sport, well... I don't think I need to say anymore.

"But the enhancement of AAMI Stadium is a positive for the SA community in total. We would be very disappointed if the funding was withdrawn."

[/quote]
Buddy, I'm assuming that by total, you mean people living west of Churchill Rd, North of Henley Beach Road and South of Outer Harbour

[rhino]

Why waste the money on a train line to Football Park when there's numerous trains that already service the city now?? Football Park's out of date and out of favour, time to build new..

One of your arguments for Homebush Stadium being OK was that there was good rail public transport there. Now it seems that public rail to West Lakes is a bad thing because it won't help get the outcome you desire. Once again, your argument is not valid.

The so called good road system might of been fine back in the 70's but Adelaide's changed a bit since then.. Then you still have to negotiate your way to where ever you live in Adelaide.. No worries if you live in the Western suburbs, but what about the rest of us that don't?? What about the people that live in the far southern and northern suburbs? Bad luck to them....

And moving the stadium to the city will aleviate this problem because our road system is so good to the CBD? And there is so much parking space there? And once you're out of the CBD you won't still have to "negotiate your way to where ever you live in Adelaide"? At the risk of sounding monotonous - this is another invalid argument that smacks of "I'm not getting my own way!!!" And because it bugs the crap out of me, it's might have, there's no such thing as might of.

[Tyler_Durden]

Interesting article about the waning popularity of the A-League. In relation to attendance figures anyway.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 40,00.html

All eight A-League clubs are experiencing dwindling average crowds this season. Some teams have been on a steady decline ever since the A-League started like Queensland and Sydney.

Soccer fans (of which I am one) sure continue to talk the talk. When are we going to walk the walk? When are all these prophesies of world domination going to show signs of being fullfilled?

Forget this new stadium rubbish. The only time Hindmarsh sells out is for an ACL final or semi final. And who knows when, if ever, we'll get to host these again. Average AUFC crowds are barely over 10k! It's time A-League fans started being realistic. The A-League is not booming. And it is not catching the AFL in terms of popularity.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Adelaide United cannot survive in a bigger stadium. They have the ideal stadium for their needs. The grass is not always greener on the other side (or in another stadium). Let's appreciate what we've got.

[rhino]

Heck, why let the facts get in the way of theory? This stadium issue is the biggest case of "Build it and They will Come" since Field of Dreams.

[muzzamo]

And moving the stadium to the city will aleviate this problem because our road system is so good to the CBD? And there is so much parking space there?

There is plenty of parking in the cbd especially at times when there are going to be sporting events on.

[adam73837]

One of your arguments for Homebush Stadium being OK was that there was good rail public transport there. Now it seems that public rail to West Lakes is a bad thing because it won't help get the outcome you desire. Once again, your argument is not valid.

And moving the stadium to the city will aleviate this problem because our road system is so good to the CBD? And there is so much parking space there? And once you're out of the CBD you won't still have to "negotiate your way to where ever you live in Adelaide"?

You just don't get it do you? If there's a stadium in the city, people will use public tranport to get to the stadium, 'BECAUSE IT'S IN THE CITY!!!. How many times must that be said?!?!?!?! As for 'negotiating your way to wherever you live in Adelaide', that's the reason public transport services the CBD! So people catch the train/tram/bus that takes them near where they live, then all they do is walk or drive home from the station/stop/whatever!!! Unlike, West Lakes, which is just another suburb (that happens to have a bit more to see than that of suburbs like Prospect, Burnside, Mitcham and Plympton!). Don't you understand?! if there's a stadium in the city, people will catch public transport to get there! Some who live in the inner suburbs may even walk for goodness sake!!!

[Norman]

Will you give us a cheque for $500m? Or will you take a chill pill?

[Shuz]

I too, refrain from the participation of this seemingly never-ending circular stadium debate.

[adam73837]

Will you give us a cheque for $500m?

That is exactly what Media Mike said to the Adelaide United fans at Adelaide Airport that were chanting "build us a stadium" (No, I was not one of them)
As for the $500m thing, the answer is no, I can't give you a check for $500m, but I can tell you a way to save up such an amount.
1. Start off by not giving that money to the SANFL.
=$100m
2. Sell off the land at AAMI Stadium. Someone like Delfin would love to have such a piece of real estate.
=$100m+approx $300m
=$400m
3. Sell off the land at Hindmarsh Stadium (and I mean all of it).
=$400m+approx $100m
=$500m
4. Don't extend the tramline to West Lakes (which would only really be well used during Footy matches)
=$500m+approx $200m
=$700m
5. The rest of the money to equate to $800m can be given by the SANFL, FFSA and the clubs that will use the stadium as their home ground (not to mention any more money that the State (and possibly Federal) Governments would donate -I wouldn't heavily rely on the Federal Government to give us funding, but hey, the Western Australian Government is seeking Federal funding for Stadium WA, so why can't we?)

[crawf]

Feels like this debate has been going for a lifetime

[Omicron]

Given all the hubbub surrounding the development of Cheltenham Park, a developer seeking to cover the nearby AAMI Stadium/Max Basheer Reserve with houses would need one hell of a cheque and a large chloroform-soaked cloth applied to the western suburbs under the cover of darkness.