AFL considers building a third stadium in Melbourne
Staff writer
August 01, 2008 11:15am
THE AFL is considering building a third stadium in Melbourne to cope with the increased demands two new clubs will bring.
A third stadium would also help to offset some of the unpopular deals certain Melbourne clubs have with the MCG and Telstra Dome.
Club chief executives attending a two-day information conference which ended yesterday were told the new venue was an option the AFL was seriously considering, The Australian reports.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou told 3AW radio this morning that facilities currebtly available may not be able to cope if and when Gold Coast and west Sydney teams come on line.
“With the advent of perhaps 40 more games, and 26 or 28 of those in Melbourne, they’ve got to be played somewhere," said Mr Demetriou.
“We’re not quite sure there’s the capacity at the MCG and the Telstra Dome.”
The size and location of a potential stadium have not yet been confirmed, but a "boutique" 25,000-seater stadium has been mooted as a possibility.
The move is likely to be welcomed by clubs such as the Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and St Kilda who, under present contracts, must pay a large proportion of money earned on match days to venue management.
The Australian reported that several chief executives left the meeting pleased that the AFL had placed the investigation of another Melbourne playing arena on the immediate agenda.
North Melbourne chief executive Eugene Arocca said: "If it was not on the AFL horizon before, it is now."
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24111682-11088,00.html
