Article up sometime today - Latest on new stadium

[Happy]

We have all always known that an MES upgrade is the only suitable solution for the Force

well no ... it is the cheapest and quickest. As a short term solution I do agree it will probably happen .. in the longer term I would like to see a new stadium built or MES upgraded significantly.

[Darren]

I more meant out of the solutions that are actually likely to be put forward. The best option of course would be a new purpose built rectangular stadium - but that will never (at least not for a loooong time) happen in this state...

If they build a new stadium, it will not be near as intimate as MES is for rugby watching - it's primary purpose will be afl with rugby coming a distant 2nd or 3rd.

[Shaun]

Bloody AFL!!!! Screw up everything!!!!

[Burgs]

I don't mind the location of MES, just level it and start again, I hate to think that our Premier Rugby will be displayed to the world in some hotch potch honky tonk shonk of a ground, Western Australia has earnt better than that.
The Govt needs to get off their collective arses and source some of the huge wealth being generated from their State and make it be invested back into the community.
There is no legitimate reason for Perth not to have a world class 40-45k rectangular ground.
We have a team in the premier regional rugby comp in the world, we have a team in the national soccer competition that is looking to expand into Asia and we have two of the best teams in world hockey (Australian Mens and Womens, where are the Test matches???) based at WAIS (jeez I hope they are still there for the sake of my rant ).
Would it be so bad if ALL of the members got to sit along the sideline?
Just shut down the end sections, or parts there of, for the smaller fixtures and open them up for the biggies, simple!
A couple of decent concerts per year would cover the running of it anyway!
All this drivvel about not being able to afford it is absolute crud, they just can't be brave enough to make a few waves and so we are going to end up with some dung hole compromise for the next fifty years

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Egan]

I don't mind the location of MES, just level it and start again, I hate to think that our Premier Rugby will be displayed to the world in some hotch potch honky tonk shonk of a ground, Western Australia has earnt better than that.
The Govt needs to get off their collective arses and source some of the huge wealth being generated from their State and make it be invested back into the community.
There is no legitimate reason for Perth not to have a world class 40-45k rectangular ground.
We have a team in the premier regional rugby comp in the world, we have a team in the national soccer competition that is looking to expand into Asia and we have two of the best teams in world hockey (Australian Mens and Womens, where are the Test matches???) based at WAIS (jeez I hope they are still there for the sake of my rant ).
Would it be so bad if ALL of the members got to sit along the sideline?
Just shut down the end sections, or parts there of, for the smaller fixtures and open them up for the biggies, simple!
A couple of decent concerts per year would cover the running of it anyway!
All this drivvel about not being able to afford it is absolute crud, they just can't be brave enough to make a few waves and so we are going to end up with some dung hole compromise for the next fifty years

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

The Eastern Stand that was to be constructed on the other side of the ground will eventually wrap itself around the whole ground, for a capacity of 35,000.

Thus basically the stadium will be started up from scratch.

[Burgs]

It’s still too small for the future and an ongoing embarrassment on the International stage until "eventually" is fulfilled.

[Shaun]

Bash MES to bits and build us a god dam world class stadium!!!

[Egan]

It’s still too small for the future and an ongoing embarrassment on the International stage until "eventually" is fulfilled.

That's where I disagree...

Again I will save everyone the boredom.

I think 35,000 will be enough to satisfy us for the next 50 years.

All major Rugby events will go to the Major Facility...and the Force are behind that position.

[Shaun]

with 35, 000 will it even be able to host a Tri- Nations game?

Or will we have to go to Subi for those events???!?!?!?!!?!?

[Rodent]

I think that long term a new stadium would be great, but it will take them 5 years to complete a new stadium once they actually decide thats what they want to do... I would rather have a 35,000 seat MES within 2 years so I can watch rugby as it was intended.
Fact of the matter is that WA has the worst stadiums for all sports of any of the state capitals, and no one is willing to spend money on them... Instead the federal government gives $25M to revamp the SCG cos Little Johnny has a hard on for cricket. Meanwhile as a Force gold member for $400 a year I get splinters in my arse sitting on a wooden bench!
So while I would love a new world class 60,000 seat rugby stadium with all the fruit. I will settle for a revamped 35,000 seat MES where I can see the game without needing a telephoto lense and padded pants!

[Egan]

admin@austadiums.com

Sorry used the old address...Although the lazy bugger is doing the fixtures as we speak.

Cheers

Forza Force

[Dramoth]

What about the rectangular stadium that they are supposed to be building down next to the PES?

[Rodent]

That is only going to be about 10-15K seats from what I heard... Nowhere near big enough.

NEWS on the stadium front...
Speaking to the new owner of the Glory on Wednesday night and he said that they are going ahead with the redevelopment of MES...

HOWEVER aparently it is only going to be 31,000 seats not the 35,000 that the Force wanted. This was a compromise between the 2 teams for the size of the venue. Aparently they are in negotiations with contractors for food and drink stuff and when that is all ironed out they are going to make the announcement. He did say that it was going to be April/June which conflicts a bit with what the Force membership guys and the Major Stadia Taskforce have said (they were saying March announcement).

Who knows what you can trust but he seemed genuine enough, he was just chatting with a friend of mine after Touch rugby and got to talking about it.

[SPaRTAN]

God would it be great if we got just one decent Stadium.

[Dude]

One decent one for next season by extending MES and in a few years time, one "super" one for a Bledisloe Cup match in say 2011...