Building A New Stadium: hypothetical

[rdhopkins2]

*****************FAST FORWARD TO 2015*************************

You are CEO of the AFL. The world is your oyster. The small moustache on your top lip reminds you of the strength you have.

Your secretary has just entered your office with your favourite mocassins and a stubby of Bundaberg ginger beer and lemon slice. Suddenly you rise to your feet and exclaim you have had a brainwave.

"Build it and they shall come", you chant to yourself out loud. Assuring your secretary that you don't intend another Borisgate, Newman or Fevolaesque scandal you explain to her that, "I am going to build another stadium in Melbourne."

Sitting back down and taking another blood pressure tablet, you realise that it's going to be more than a little work. It will be a very tough task.

You start jotting away at some ideas- budget, location, size, facilities, public transport and car parking to name a few knowing that you will also be able to throw your ideas to the good people of Big Footy for their feedback before you present to the AFL Board. Atleast it will look you you care about the community if you are consultative of them. Perception counts, right?
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So, discuss away AFL CEO's and let us know your grand plans for AFL supremacy through the construction of the new stadium.

 

[BlueTouchPaper]

Not sure what it costs to build a new stadium.

But the Inner-North of Melbourne is due for a stadium. The East has the G and had Waverly, the West has Etihad, the North has nothing at the minute post-Princes' Park, and it is a neutral area that completely bypasses the CBD (unlike the MCG would for Westies or the Dome does for East-siders).

Size? 30,000 seems to be the magic number. Good size for the new AFL teams, and versatile enough to be used by rugby and A-League whilst still maintaining a decent atmosphere.

As far as I'm concerned, the North is as well serviced by public transport as other areas, and Princes' Park lies within one of the most heavily serviced areas in Melbourne. Trams (Royal parade has about 42 different lines) and buses are abundant (especially now with the 'North Melbourne Smart Bus') and trains (Jewell/Royal Park et al). Would also be close to Citylink for whoever can afford that ****er.

If the redevelopment site was to be Princes' Park, then parking (if not underground) would come at the expense of the nearby cricket oval, unfortunately. This is probably the best thing about the Dome - tonnes of "carePark" type parking for pretty cheap (~$12) - something I'd never noticed at PP.

 

[TempleKelvington]

I think he's decide we don't need anymore stadiums. if we need another boutique ground they should look to up grade princess park to hold circa 35,000.

 

[Henry Jr]

Am I correct in saying that PP doesn't have any driect train access to the ground?

You have to train then tram?

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Showgrounds. Rebuild the exhibition area at the front, have the victorian government support it.

37,000 seats + 3000 standing.

Supported by a rail netwrok and buses.

plenty of car parking

 

[rdhopkins2]

It is 2015 and Princes Park is now known as Melbourne Union Stadium and cannot host AFL matches.

You must develop a new venue, not refurbish an existing....

Showgrounds I will accept as a possibility given there is no existing AFL ground.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Am I correct in saying that PP doesn't have any driect train access to the ground?

You have to train then tram?

Royal Park station is about 1km from PP I believe.

 

[BlueTouchPaper]

Am I correct in saying that PP doesn't have any driect train access to the ground?

You have to train then tram?

If you're a truly lazy prick.

As for the OPs response - Would build in Royal Park then. Half price entry to the zoo with a valid AFL ticket.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I'm not sure that N/S/E/W location is much to go by.

I live out South East.
My most convenient venue is Ettihad, simply drive through tunnel to Casino car park, and walk up the hill to Stadium.

For MCG games I find it best to drive to Caulfield and catch the train ( A train from my nearest "hub" station at Dandenong is just too epic ).

I think to go to Optus, I'd be looking at the Eastern Freeway (via eastlink).

Showgrounds would probably be either the Ettihad method and get on the train at Southern Cross, or the MCG method and change at Flinders St.
I wouldn't be too keen on either of these options.

To me what Melbourne really needs is some big park and ride railway stations adjacent to our major freeways. For example A multi-level car park at Darling Station ( SE Freeway ). Take the exit , collect your combined park/metcard ticket, save on Citylink toll. Run express trains to Flinders St, Southern Cross, and the MCG ( when events are on ).

Melbourne is too much of a sprawl to assume that it is convenient for everyone to get to one of the few rail lines easily. I believe that convenience of access is a big factor in whether a stadium becomes a sucess or not.

 

[collingwill]

northern suburbs for mine, cheap land and lots of undeveloped land, they could easily extend a trainline past epping, lots of people live around that area and the areas to the north are growing rapidlly, it has good freeway access as well.

 

[Zvim]

Am I correct in saying that PP doesn't have any driect train access to the ground?

You have to train then tram?

Yes, it has no station. You can get there by tram or bus that heads to the zoo. The problem is there isn't a lot of parking either and while it is on a major road it is a very congested road which has poor flow. It is okay getting a train into the city and just taking a tram up but it is not convenient, it is less painful than getting to Arctic Park but if you come from a long way off in the south east of Melbourne and need to drive then it is a pita.

It wont be a whole lot better anywhere else that has been proposed, unless it is really close to the CBD then for the vast majority of people you are looking at two or more forms of public transport to get to it.

 

[TempleKelvington]

It is 2015 and Princes Park is now known as Melbourne Union Stadium and cannot host AFL matches.

You must develop a new venue, not refurbish an existing....

Showgrounds I will accept as a possibility given there is no existing AFL ground.

lol...you are changing the rules as you go...in that case i'd look at the show grounds but only if there were more uses than just footy and there was some community benefit...I'm a bit over the money that's going into sporting stadiums when we also need money spent on other more important infrastructure....or will change that part of the premise too....lol...

 

[SaintsSeptember]

The spot where PP is, isn't too bad.

Feasible ideas are extending the end of the freeway and having a dedicated ramp, and building a multi-story or underground carpark. ( Would the dead people mind if a ramp was built over the top of them )? I'm pretty sure that at some point the government would want to join the end of the Eastern Freeway the Westgate ( probably another big tunnel ).

Its also only about a Km from the Zoo Station, ( nod to U2 ), improved pedestrian ways (overpass ) could make it pretty useable. You could probably even justify a small siding to get trains a bit closer.

It probably all depends on the long term plans for roads and things in this area.

 

[Jade]

I think he's decide we don't need anymore stadiums. if we need another boutique ground they should look to up grade princess park to hold circa 35,000.

I'd say 25,000 - 30,000 would be more then sufficient (this has to be boutique and for a purpose), but yes, I think Princess Park is the answer.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I'd say 25,000 - 30,000 would be more then sufficient (this has to be boutique and for a purpose), but yes, I think Princess Park is the answer.

As long as it is less than 42000 so the FFA don't try to steal it.

If you were starting again from Scratch it would be good to have it in Royal park , but its hard to see town planners allow a new stadium in the area when there is one sitting there empty, and the noise might scare the Gorilla's.

 

[harmesy 37]

Showgrounds. Rebuild the exhibition area at the front, have the victorian government support it.

37,000 seats + 3000 standing.

Supported by a rail netwrok and buses.

plenty of car parking

I thought the Victorian labor government only supported financially the building of rugby and soccer stadiums. A 330 million lottery win for those sports isn't bad -is it?

Meanwhile, the AFL paid for the construction of Waverley Park by themselves and were banned from playing grand finals there by the labor government at the time.


Remind me of how much the state govt put in towards building docklands?
was it zilch or nothing?

 

[tandino]

Olympic Park.

It's as long as the MCG and with a new Eastern Stand would be wider than Kardinia Park

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Olympic Park.

It's as long as the MCG and with a new Eastern Stand would be wider than Kardinia Park

Surely that would be oversaturating an area that is already a tad overdeveloped. I really don't like the idea of putting more and more eggs in this particular basket.

Imagine the traffic ( vehicle / Transport / and pedestrian ) if there was a afternoon game in the Stadium, an evening game in the G and a Pink Concert in Rod Laver.

 

[telsor]

Princes park is a nice idea, but has several significant issues.

1) They tore down the 'old' stands to put in the new training rooms, and adding further seating might prove difficult without a major rebuild ( tearing down a 'newer' stand to build a bigger one?? ). There are also restrictions on where they can expand ( it already overhangs the road ).

2) Transport would suck.

There is next to no parking.

There is a tram line up Royal parade, and I'm sure they could put extra trams on, but they'd take 15-20 mins from Melbourne Central, and running 1 every 3 mins would only get ~2000 people an hour there.

The nearest train is on the other side of the Zoo...Probably ~10-15 min walk.

I'd imagine they'd need to run a lot of busses.

3) Carlton. Maybe they'd play nice now, but back when the ground was still used, clubs playing home games there barely made any money because Carlton took a huge slice in rent ( while retaining signage, pourage, etc ). True, they were paying off the John Elliot stand, but that didn't help Fitzroy/Hawthorn/etc much ( very much like docklands now ).

 

[Henry Jr]

If you're a truly lazy prick.

As for the OPs response - Would build in Royal Park then. Half price entry to the zoo with a valid AFL ticket.

WTF is up your ass?

I don't use public transport, nor do I intend to. I was just asking since Waverely's downfall in the end was the lack of public transport to the ground.

 

[PumpyChowdown]

Warragul - 250,000 capacity, glass dome, fully enclosed and temperature controlled, full wireless broadband connectivity, in-built multichannel tv in each seat with live stats feed, multi-channel commentary, push button food and beverage service that comes to you, deditated train service express Southern Cross - Flinders St - Dandenong - Warragul departing every 2 minutes on game day, helipad and air strip, dedicated 5 lane highway to and from ground. Parking for up to 50,000 cars.

 

[bluechampion]

Princes Park is the best option. The ground is a good size, and even with the recent developments could squeeze 20,000 in easily enough.

IF we're aiming for 2022, then you have to commit to the cross city tunnel that connects The Eastern Freeway with the Western Ring Rd. This would reduce traffic across Collingwood/Fitzroy/Carlton by removing through traffic and most city-bound traffic.

Then you need a carpark for at least half the capacity of the ground. The only viable space for this is under both the ground and oval no. 1 (which is next door). Enter via Royal pde, exit via Lygon st.

You'd have to redevelop the Legends stand for both capacity and hospitality. The entire ground would need a better, more accessible concourse, as the rabbit-warren under the Legends stand is... let's say difficult to traverse.

Encourage people to take the Tram from the city up Royal Pde or Lygon.

If they want the train, run it to Royal Park Station, but build a light rail track along the old rail lines that run to Princes Park and establish a hub station near the bowls club. This shuttle service would only run on match days.

Honestly, it'd probably be easier to start from scratch... But the question is where...

There's not much space in the North. Maybe Campbellfield? There's nothing up there... West there's The Showgrounds... or the sensible spot, under the Bolte Bridge.

 

[Andrew Mc]

I'm not sure that N/S/E/W location is much to go by.

Tend to agree - I live in the west and Ethiad is a drive via the westgate, exit at Montague, park near the police station, 5 minute walk - easy. For the MCG, in via the westgate, exit at Power St, park at Southgate, 10 minute walk to the MCG. Bugger all difference really.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Tend to agree - I live in the west and Ethiad is a drive via the westgate, exit at Montague, park near the police station, 5 minute walk - easy. For the MCG, in via the westgate, exit at Power St, park at Southgate, 10 minute walk to the MCG. Bugger all difference really.

Lets just build it next to Etihad , over the train tracks.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

If it's 2015 and I'm the AFL CEO I think "We already have great access to the MCG and will own Docklands Stadium in 10 years. Building another stadium in Melbourne would just be an enormous cost with limited gain. We're not going to build one."

Imagine the traffic ( vehicle / Transport / and pedestrian ) if there was a afternoon game in the Stadium, an evening game in the G and a Pink Concert in Rod Laver.

I like to think Pink will be dead by 2015.