Federal Government commits $10 million to Brookvale Oval redevelopment

The Federal Government has committed $10 million to the Manly Sea Eagles NRL club's planned $30 million first stage redevelopment of Brookvale Oval.

In a funding announcement made yesterday (6th August) and apparently unrelated to the current Federal election campaign, Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese visited the venue on Sydney's northern beaches to announce the funding contribution for a purpose-built grandstand to seat 4,350 people. The grandstand will be sited on the venue's current hill' on its eastern side while the development will also include new F&B outlets, corporate hospitality areas and community meeting spaces.

The club has a four-stage concept plan to revitalise the stadium, which includes the development of other areas to the west and north of the ground. However, with the venue not part of the NSW Government's 2012 Stadium Strategy (which looked to end financial support for upgrades at many of Sydney's suburban grounds), its future had looked uncertain.

Under the Strategy, Manly faced the possibility of having to relocate its larger NRL matches to Allianz or ANZ Stadium, a situation Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph suggested "would most likely prove a disaster for Manly, whose fans are notoriously poor travellers beyond the northern beaches."

A media release from the Federal Labor election campaign says that the funding was allocated in the recent Federal budget and will apparently be guaranteed, regardless of the result in next month's Federal election. The funding appears not to be a part of any existing infrastructure or community program.

Brookvale Oval is in the Warringah electorate of Federal opposition and Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott, who campaigned to upgrade the stadium at the past two elections.

Article amended 1120 hours, 7th August 2013.

Australasian Leisure Management's 2012 news story on the NSW Stadium Strategy can be read at

https://www.ausleisure.com.au/default.asp?PageID=2&Display=True&ReleaseID=7034