News Simonds Stadium Stage 4 Redevelopment

[lionbear]

Did anyone happen to have a chance to get down to the open session today?

I was actually at a work conference in the Cotton on box.

Got photos of the stand from there. Seems to be a lot of internal work to go.

Don't have the ability to upload the couple of photos I got

 

[supahoops]

Had a kick with my boys on the ground today, checked out my seats in the Brownlow. Shocked to see the boundary 15m from the fence until I realised there was a ditch along the fence where I am assuming they'll install fake turf. Looking good, bring on the dogs..

 

[Tyzza_07_09_11]

I probably should know this but has there been an accurate/offical word on what the capacity is this year?

 

[JohnZ]

I probably should know this but has there been an accurate/offical word on what the capacity is this year?

I've seen 35k to 36.5k thrown around. It's not a huge bump in capacity like Stage 5 will be.

 

[cats2rise]

I've seen 35k to 36.5k thrown around. It's not a huge bump in capacity like Stage 5 will be.

What is that bump going to be? I assume that links the new stand across the whole GA area?

 

[JohnZ]

What is that bump going to be? I assume that links the new stand across the whole GA area?

I've seen numbers ranging between 38 and 42k. Guess it depends how close they build it to the Reg Hickey, and how deep the levels will be. I'm assuming it's the same design pretty much as the Players Stand

 

[aCunningPlan]

I've seen numbers ranging between 38 and 42k. Guess it depends how close they build it to the Reg Hickey, and how deep the levels will be. I'm assuming it's the same design pretty much as the Players Stand

Well I'm pretty sure the World Cup bid had K Park at around 44k completed.

 

[Willo_]

What is that bump going to be? I assume that links the new stand across the whole GA area?

I've seen numbers ranging between 38 and 42k. Guess it depends how close they build it to the Reg Hickey, and how deep the levels will be. I'm assuming it's the same design pretty much as the Players Stand

You would think at least 40k is the completed total.. otherwise I'm almost not sure of the point,

 

[Tyzza_07_09_11]

I'm not sure how much of a bump up stage 5 will be to be honest... if you think about it both the Gary ablett terrace and the 'ford stand' (including the Flanagan room) are three bays deep already. At a guess, I don't think it would be much more than a thousand (or two) extra.

 

[aCunningPlan]

I'm not sure how much of a bump up stage 5 will be to be honest... if you think about it both the Gary ablett terrace and the 'ford stand' (including the Flanagan room) are three bays deep already. At a guess, I don't think it would be much more than a thousand (or two) extra.

Those bays aren't exactly that big though.

 

[Willo_]

I'm not sure how much of a bump up stage 5 will be to be honest... if you think about it both the Gary ablett terrace and the 'ford stand' (including the Flanagan room) are three bays deep already. At a guess, I don't think it would be much more than a thousand (or two) extra.

Yeah but those bays are single level basically as well... adding another tier should help I would imagine?

 

[Tyzza_07_09_11]

Yeah but those bays are single level basically as well... adding another tier should help I would imagine?

True, but they are quite deep, possibly deeper than the lower bowl in the players stand... anyway just a thought.

EDIT: Just had a look on the ticketmaster website and the current ablett terrace is 34 rows back (first 2 seated bays, not including standing room), while in the ford stand it is 30 including the fred flanagan room seats. The players stand lower bowl is 31 seats, so assuming the design of stage 5 is the same as the players stand, that's only an extra 10 rows (roughly) across the stand when the upper section is included, working out to be an extra 2100ish seats. That figure is only the amount of extra seats, so the added capacity should be roughly that number minus the current standing room capacity.

 

[Tyzza_07_09_11]

View attachment 355980

264 seats wouldn't cost too much to replace and change to white, would they???
We need to get a petition up and running, or one of this go fund me things and post it on the supporters facebook page!

 

[lionbear]

Brian Cook on 3AW said today we get handed the keys on the day of the Bulldogs game but are still on track, talking about cutting it fine.

Was at a workshop last Wednesday and there is a lot of internal work to be done.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Brian Cook on 3AW said today we get handed the keys on the day of the Bulldogs game but are still on track, talking about cutting it fine.

Was at a workshop last Wednesday and there is a lot of internal work to be done.

Only 5 weeks left.

 

[SJ]

If we are cutting it that fine than even if it's ready to go, I expect there will be issues that night.

 

[cats2rise]

If we are cutting it that fine than even if it's ready to go, I expect there will be issues that night.

Surely a given. A few seats not bolted in properly, the odd toilet door gets stuck etc. A few audio/visual issues with the new screen. It will be like a lottery - you never know what you are going to get.

 

[SJ]

Surely a given. A few seats not bolted in properly, the odd toilet door gets stuck etc. A few audio/visual issues with the new screen. It will be like a lottery - you never know what you are going to get.

If it rains, those under cover may get wet. Happened at AAMI Park when they rushed the opening: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/l...at-opening-of-267m-stadium-20100510-unhe.html

 

[ciaobella]

The natives won't know what to do with themselves with three large screens!

 

[Willo_]

Brian Cook on 3AW said today we get handed the keys on the day of the Bulldogs game but are still on track, talking about cutting it fine.

Was at a workshop last Wednesday and there is a lot of internal work to be done.

If 'The Block' has taught me anything it is that it is perfectly legal and acceptable to make people work 24 hour days.

And that it will be finished 1 minute before Scotty Cam arrives

 

[speedybundy]

If 'The Block' has taught me anything it is that it is perfectly legal and acceptable to make people work 24 hour days.

And that it will be finished 1 minute before Scotty Cam arrives

As the teams are running out Scotty Cam will be standing in the middle of the ground..... *loud whistle* TOOLS DOWN!

 

[Thunder Road]

I probably should know this but has there been an accurate/offical word on what the capacity is this year?

I've seen numbers ranging between 38 and 42k. Guess it depends how close they build it to the Reg Hickey, and how deep the levels will be. I'm assuming it's the same design pretty much as the Players Stand

Cooky has said a few times that just under 40,000 can be expected, probably 38,500-39,000. The State Government have said they want to finish things off with a 40,000-42000 capacity. I guess using these comments we can reasonably expect 39K-42K.
I was a bit disappointed that the new stand didn't go a little higher and provide some respite from the saw-tooth design at one height all around the ground. There is a small rise in the new roofline, but nothing much- a lot of people won't even notice it. Imagine if it had swept upwards to another level and then down again for the northern goal end when it is built!
Perhaps the north end could go higher? It won't though.There's a trhousand or two more capacity possible if they ever bridge the gaps beside the Hickey Stand but the last I heard there were no plans to do that, or even restore the "missing" bays from the Players Stand. Shame. I guess a future redevolopment replaces the Hickey and that could allow for an extra tier and a lot more seats in the future.



Here's the north end. The existing setup is roughly the same as the newer stands' bottom levels. The Ford stand is a lot of wasted space, so add 1000 there.
Add a second (or third, as I imagined above) level and there will be quite a few more seats. I doubt there will be much space set aside for corporate/entertainment facilities (but I could be way off on that, of course) so it should be just seats, similar to the Players end. I think we will easily get that 39K+ figure. That might be disappointing if we don't crack 40,000 but it is right in the sweet spot for modern stadiums, especially a regional one.
There is a lot of money to be made at that size that may not necessarily improve much with 5,000 more seats that only fill for a final. 39K means we SHOULD be able to host every other team. Lets hope that happens!

The architects told me during a briefing before construction that Cooky doesn't want to make it much easier for fans of other teams to be at our home games- he wants a hostile environment. I thought that was a bit short sighted: the atmosphere ramps up big time if there is opposition noise when they are on a roll. And then it goes throught the roof when the Cats kick a couple late in time on of the third to set up a monster last quarter!

 

[lionbear]

264 seats wouldn't cost too much to replace and change to white, would they???
We need to get a petition up and running, or one of this go fund me things and post it on the supporters facebook page!
View attachment 358494 View attachment 358495

Like Etihad and the four n twenty end, it only take some white seat covers to make it happen, pretty easy to do.

 

[Tony Barber]

I really hope that with stage 5 they have standing room like they do in the southern stand at the MCG.
Standing room not only adds numbers but atmosphere.

 

[SJ]

I really hope that with stage 5 they have standing room like they do in the southern stand at the MCG.
Standing room not only adds numbers but atmosphere.

And adds accessibility.