Richmond, Carlton pitch for multimillion dollar stadium upgradesCaroline Wilson and Jon Pierik
The Age
13 July 2017Traditional AFL rivals Richmond and Carlton are each pitching for multimillion-dollar government support to transform their old home grounds at Punt Road and Princes Park.
The Tigers and the Blues have submitted blueprints to the Victorian Government in a move that could form part of Premier Daniel Andrews' 2018 election strategy, along with a largely taxpayer-funded $300 million upgrade of Etihad Stadium.
Those blueprints feature in a series of stadium and precinct proposals expected to significantly alter the face of elite and community spectator sport across Victoria and, specifically, inner-city Melbourne.
And in a separate development, the AFL has begun detailed research into the future of its new national women's league, with Carlton's Ikon Park emerging as the proposed home of AFLW, potentially boasting an upgraded 20,000 to 25,000-seat stadium, with 70 per cent of that being undercover.
The prospect of Carlton's old home again hosting AFL games remains on the table.
The AFL is expected to have to wait for several months and, potentially, until next season to learn of Etihad Stadium's fate after the government deferred its call on the upgrade. The government had initially suggested its costing would be released this month.
Collingwood's proposal for a new $1 billion stadium close to the MCG has been taken off the table.
Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale confirmed the club would submit a new master plan for the Punt Road Oval by the end of 2017. This would provide a new and more attractive gateway to the MCG, along with comfortable seating for 8000 supporters.
"We need to continue to invest in this south-east entrance into Yarra Park from an aesthetic point of view," Gale said.
"Given our location within one of the world's great sporting precincts, you're looking at a tired railway station; you cross the road with your heart in your mouth and nothing improves when you enter the outskirts of the stadium. It makes sense to invest given the location alongside the MCG. We believe there's a place for AFL Women's, an elite training facility, VFL football and under-18s.
"We need to ensure it remains a really rich community hub for a whole range of community and second-tier activities that it really doesn't make sense to stage elsewhere."
Richmond, having met and been invited to submit to the Andrews' working party, has engaged the same firm of architects which oversaw the last redevelopment of the Tigers' home base to help form a fully-costed master plan.
The AFL, now attempting to negotiate new agreements with Etihad Stadium's frustrated tenant clubs, had hoped to learn the fate of its planned Docklands' upgrade this month. However, it is now understood the state government has placed a wide range of options on the table, including the overall future of the 17-year-old Etihad Stadium as an elite AFL venue.
Proposals have also been put forward by a number of AFL clubs, including the Western Bulldogs on behalf of the Whitten Oval and the club's new home venue at Ballarat.
The Victorian Government's funding decision could now form part of the Andrews Government's 2018 election campaign.
The government working party, chaired by Premier Andrews and including Treasurer Tim Pallas, has been established to look at multi-sport stadia and precinct funding across the state.
The committee has invited submissions from the MCG, the AFL and its Victorian clubs, the National Rugby League, Football Federation Australia and the Australian Rugby Union, along with representations from netball, hockey, basketball and tennis.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/richmond-carlton-pitch-for-multimillion-dollar-stadium-upgrades-20170712-gx9yfk.html
