Forceful Stadium Demands

[Swee_82]

TQ1, you have an intricate understanding of politics; but you seem just a little cynical..

Don't the two come hand in hand??

[thunderchicken9]

Do you mean to imply that "bitter Americans, clinging to their guns and religion-" aren't the only beings in the world unsatisfied with their representation?

[shasta]

Thank U Mr Taylor for such a clear concise article - Mr Harris was also very clear and concise in his list of wants and needs as well..

Ditto. great effort.

Wonderful to see the journos supporting RugbyWa in their push to get a stadium - and we still have the fans petition to be tabled in parliament which should nudge the whole funding issue over the line.

You mustn't have heard some of the bleating AFL types in the media lately TQ1

They've all got gravel rash on their bottom lips. They'll be hoping Demetriou will ride into town with a posse of heavies and talk Waldron around. I hope he tells them to dob in some of the money they wanted to spend buying Telstra Staduim and help rebuild Subi as a cash cow for their established business.

[Thequeerone]

Yes I am cynical - but I really want the Feds to cough up for either or both stadiums - the mining money we are producing is the only thing keeping the country afloat - they don't seem to give a lot back - no probs with AFL just not to the exclusion of all other codes

[Flamethrower]

What would be the interest on $25mill over 4 or 5 years the Gov has sat on it???

[blueandblack]

at a flat rate of 6%, 1.5m/yr (enough for a little over 2200 people to get the current basic+sport foxtel package for a full year)

[Egan]

Well done on the article Nick. I had this lead a few months ago but did not have time to deliver it.

However if you want to correct some factual information about that 25 million promised by the State Government either read what I have said on the austadiums forum or contact me through PM. I have corrected numerous people and it is accepted by Rugby League WA, Allia Holdings that the Force demanded a larger stadium and thus it meant the MES redevelopment was canned until the finalisation of the Major Stadia Taskforce Report, because nobody could reach agreement. As the government did not want to build a 30,000 seat stadium but was prepared to build a 25,000 seat stadium. Contact Bill Nosworthy, Peter Bauchop...


Rugby's decision for extra funding was partly due to the better then expected response to the new Super 14 team. "They have membership approaching 20,000 and have stated that they now don't want to go to a 22,000 seat venue" - Ron Alexander stating that the Force have rejected the 22,000 seat stadium the government promised
Australian Stadiums :: Members Equity Stadium Funding Indefinite
Australian Stadiums :: Members Equity Stadium will be redeveloped to 25,000

On 26th June 2006, The CEO of the Town of Vincent quoted this to me

“As soon as the crowds are justified at 25,000, the government is committed to building the stadium”

“Western Force haven’t spoken to us, and they are still hoping for 32,000….The Government has told them no way will they go straight to 32,000”

Australian Stadiums :: Members Equity Stadium will be redeveloped to 25,000

Nick, it would be good to correct the sunday times article to make sure that the Force fans know the full story...At the moment we are blaming the Government for something that did not happen. It may be the downfall if the public are being misinformed on why there was no rectangular stadium after it was promised.

In short the Force have rejected the offer that was given and the Government gave no further offer...The statement the 25 million dollars will now go to the new billion dollar stadium, was made after the Major Stadia Taskforce reports recommended this, after the stalemate of meetings between the Force and State Government, left it to the Taskforce to go its course before it made a public decision.

[Darren]

Nick, it would be good to correct the sunday times article to make sure that the Force fans know the full story.

That's assuming that your version is correct - as I see it, all your information came from politicians, and business folk with commercial interest in the outcomes and we all know how honest they are.

Whether or not the government are to blame, a perception that they are will push their hand to change that negative public perception.

[Thequeerone]

When the started I doubt anyone thought that Subi would create as many problems as it has for the fans and more importantly as an introduction to rugby to new fans.

History is invariably written by the winners - a stalemate in negotiations , put into another pot for a multi-purpose stadium whatever .. let's move forward - if things are kept simple and concise there is more chance of getting what is needed.

Controversy muddles the issues, confuses the pollies and just delays processes.

AFL are doing that at the moment - whereby they said they wanted one thing and now they are saying something else - even the fans are confused - whatever they want it's not a multipurpose stadium.

[Happy]

Remember that the only two individuals in the previous government who promised us money for ME were Gallop and Kucera - when they left we essentially had no-one!

[Swee_82]

AFL are really confusing me at the moment- they're sending Demitriou over at the end of this week to argue in favour of the Albino Pachyderm but at the same time the WAFC are taking thier redevelopment plans for Subi to Minister Waldron.


Arguments about rectangular stadiums still seem to be beset with the bizzare tendancy to compare apples with oranges- this weekends paper is a classic example. In the front 'political' section of the paper it was all about footy, and the only rectangular option considered was the brand new $456 million 35,00 seater- which is really easy to dismiss since it's so much money. Only if you get around to reading Nick's article wedged at the end of the sports section does the average punter find out that there is an alternative for the short-medium term i.e. redeveloping MES for a quarter of that money.

I think the decision RugbyWA took in knocking back a 22,000 seater was a fair one, given the amount of subscriptions they had, even accounting for 'first year buzz'. The government took advantage of the fact that they were proposing something totally inadequate to roll that funding into a new you-beaut footy oval with a few sliding seats, and calling it a 'rugby ground'.
IMHO though, a move to a smaller stadium, like at 25,000 seat MES is the best move for them now. They will never be able to prove a business case for a 30-35k seat stadium while playing out of Subi- any minister deciding on that would have to do it for the good of the game, and in the face of the WAFC lobbying machine, that won't happen. I dare say the same would be true about the Albino Pachyderm were it to get off ther ground.

I'm really pleased to see some movement from Rugby WA on this one- they were hamstrung by 'trying to get the best deal' out of the MPS (which in itself speak volumes for how 'multi-purpose' it really was going to be). Here's hoping there's an opportunity here to get a good result for all rugby's stakeholders

[tragic]

Wanna Pay for that Stadium?

... bet he doesn't.

[Egan]

That's assuming that your version is correct - as I see it, all your information came from politicians, and business folk with commercial interest in the outcomes and we all know how honest they are.

Whether or not the government are to blame, a perception that they are will push their hand to change that negative public perception.

The Head of the Department of Sport confirming the Force rejected the stadia bid...

[Flamethrower]

A bid that would have crippled the Force due to a stadium that wouldn't house all the members in the first year.

Egan, you're asking that the full story be told therefore don't omit all the details that may not suit your slant.


The truth is out there

[LarryNJ]

Wanna Pay for that Stadium?

... bet he doesn't.

Do the teams not have to put any $$$ towards the stadiums?