We are going to get a new rectangular stadium - allegedly.
To be reported in tomorrows West Australian.
State flags rugby, soccer arena
Saturday July 25 2009
Peter Kerr
A rectangular stadium will be built by the State Government, potentially as early as 2012, after it rejected a Town of Vincent proposal for a $75 million patch-up of Members Equity Stadium.
Although the plans are yet to be detailed, Sports Minister Terry Waldron confirmed yesterday that the government would negotiate with the council, rugby and soccer authorities with the aim of delivering a firm proposal by the middle of next year.
Meanwhile, the Government will provide Rugby WA with a $2 million interest-free loan to improve facilities at Members Equity Stadium, where the Western Force will play next year.
It is understood the Government’s preferred option is a progressive rebuild of Members Equity Stadium.
The template the Government is working on is believed to be the $160 million multi-purpose Skilled Park rectangular stadium on the Gold Coast. It was built in two years and designed for rugby and soccer. It holds about 27,000 spectators and includes 100 open corporate boxes and 25 closed corporate suites as well as offices and associated facilities.
“This Government has been a strong advocate for a rectangular stadium to meet the needs of our State football and rugby codes and I will be working to deliver that vision over the next 12 months,” Mr Waldron said.
“There will obviously be a need for some interim measures to help bring Members Equity to an acceptable standard... and the Government will be providing a $2 million interest-free loan to Rugby WA to develop interim infrastructure.”
“This will help the Western Force host home games during the Super 14 season and benefit other users.”
The Government had feared the Town of Vincent’s proposal could blow out to more and $100 million without the full benefits of a new stadium and would have been complicated by the management lease that Nick Tana’s Allia Holdings has at the site.
The decision will throw the spotlight back on development options for Subiaco Oval, which the Government has said it would not revisit until 2011.
Mr Waldron would not be drawn on the issue but the WA Football Commission has said it will ask the State and Federal governments to fund the $300 million first stage of a rebuilding program at Subiaco Oval, taking its capacity to more than 50,000.
Rugby WA chief executive Vern Reid said he was delighted with the new rectangular stadium plan.
“It will be a terrific boon for rugby in WA and the Western Force and vital for out long-term viability,” he said.
Rectangular stadium for Perth
July 25, 2009 - 12:04PM .
The State Government says it intends to run a new rectangular sports stadium for WA itself, after turning down a council proposal to upgrade Member's Equity Stadium and instead announcing its own plan for a $160 million dollar upgrade.
Sports minister Terry Waldron revealed today his intention to build a rectangular stadium for rugby and soccer after rejecting the Town of Vincent's plan for a $75 million revamp of the former Perth Oval.
With negotiations to start with the council, the Force and the Perth Glory which are likely to continue at least into the middle of next year, the Force were granted a $2 million interest free loan so they could continue their plans to move to Member's Equity next season.
And Mr Waldron flagged a potentially fiery negotiation with current rights holder Allia - saying if the government was going to pay for the new facility, it would also want to run it.
"If the state is putting in the funding then we would like to have some control over the facility, but we have got to work through that," Mr Waldron told the ABC.
"If the state is putting in we will want to have governance. That is a process that we will go through now. I think we can work through that issue."
Western Force chief Vern Reid today promised the club will help to deliver a stadium for the state, not just for rugby, with the interim upgrade likely include upgraded lighting, extra corporate boxes and more seats
"It is great news for rugby and we are delighted the government has moved to this position to identify the site at Member's Equity Stadium and for us to be part of the planning to deliver the stadium for WA," Mr Reid said.
Mr Waldron said while he had ruled out the Town of Vincent plan in its entirety, elements of it could be incorporated.
"We want a complete rectangular stadium … and want to finalise that by the middle of next year, and it would be a staged rebuild of Member's Equity," Waldron said.
"It is not the proposal as put forward by the Town of Vincent, we will be looking to incorporate aspects of the Town of Vincent proposal so we can deliver a complete rectangular stadium that will meet the long-term, future needs of the sport.
"Well they'll be looking at things like corporate boxes, lighting and general improvements to just improve the ground to what it is at the moment, but rugby won't be spending that on things we'll incorporate in a new completed stadium.
Waldron said today the $160 million multi-purpose Skilled Park rectangular stadium on the Gold Coast - which holds about 27,000 spectators - was a good model for Perth - It was built in two years and designed for rugby and soccer.
Temporary corporate suites at the northern end of the ground, a corporate marquee for match day functions and an extra 900 seats will make up part of the $2 million makeover.
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/re...0725-dwnc.html