$75 million plan for Geelong's Skilled Stadium

Rugby League, A-League football and national Twenty20 cricket would join AFL at Skilled Stadium as Geelong Football Club seeks Federal Government backing for $75 million stage three development plans.

The Club has this week released details of a proposed reconstruction of the northern end of the stadium which would add 5,000 seating capacity and dramatically increase its community use and appeal across codes.

The Club hopes to gain $36 million in Federal Government support in the run into the Federal Election, sealing stage three work before focus shifts to joining Australia's bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Geelong Football Club Chief Executive Brian Cook explained "we see stage three work as critical to the future of the Geelong Football Club over the next 10 to 15 years", adding "we are concerned that if we don't win the World Cup bid that people may start forgetting about any further improvements to Skilled Stadium when they are so much required.

"This enables membership growth for ourselves, which is currently limited by the stadium capacity, and caters for increased community use."

Cook predicts stage three construction would mean $34.9 million in direct new expenditure in Geelong, with equivalent of 94 full full-time jobs. Ongoing use of the stadium would mean $251.6 million extra new spending in the city between 2011 and 2020.

The Victorian Government has already committed $25 million to the plan while Cook hopes to attract $7 million from the City of Greater Geelong, $6 million from the AFL while the Club would contribute $5 million from the club.

The stage three plans include:

• A 1,000-seat room for private and business functions, the largest in Geelong;
• New training, playing and spectator facilities for Geelong Cricket Club in Victoria's Premier League;
• A museum celebrating the city's sporting history;
• A wellness and education centre to draw students to the stadium and help the Cats deliver their community program;
• A big-screen live site outside the ground for major events; and,
• Upgrading Kardinia Park's netball hub.

Cook said Skilled Stadium already stands alone in Australia for multi-purpose use and stage three work would open the door for training or match appearances by rugby and football clubs.

A drop-in wicket would enable its use if Geelong secures place in a new national Twenty20 cricket competition.

The new two-tier northern stand would stretch from the northern end of the new Reg Hickey Stand and replace Gary Ablett Terrace, Ford and Jack Jennings stands. The Brownlow Stand would remain.

Meanwhile, The Age newspaper has this week reported that the AFL is encouraging Geelong to install floodlights at Skilled Stadium to give the club and the league more scope to have games played in prime evening timeslots.

The Cats, as the best-performed team of recent seasons, hold major appeal for television audiences but games at Skilled Stadium can only be played in the afternoons, which attract fewer viewers.

The push for the Cats to have lights at Skilled Stadium also fits with the league's 'emerging preference' for Saturday twilight games to fill the extra timeslot in an expanded 18-team competition.

28th March 2010 - STATE-OF-THE ART ACCESS AT SKILLED