‘Grand plans’

Andrew Mathieson
SKILLED Stadium would hold 40,000 patrons by 2013 under the plans of Geelong Football Club’s new board.
Building light towers for night matches and a push to host nine AFL home games a year was also a priority, according to former president Frank Costa.
Australia’s failed World Cup soccer bid scuttled plans to boost the stadium’s capacity to 44,000 to host matches.
But Mr Costa told the Independent that replacing the Doug Wade stand and nearby temporary seating would ensure the club could accommodate members.
The ground currently holds less than 30,000 people after the first two stages of its redevelopment.
“We want to now push up for a genuine, permanent 40,000,” Mr Costa said.
“The situation at the moment is that every seat is sold and our membership has been growing every year. We were over 40,000 last year and our budget is 43,000 this year but we can’t sell them a seat – that’s not terribly satisfactory.”
Mr Costa accepted a new role this week as club patron, which would include lobbying governments for stadium upgrade funding.
Under initial redevelopment plans the stadium’s capacity would not have exceeded 35,000 unless Geelong was to host World Cup games.
Under the new plans a northern grandstand stretching from wing- -to-wing will be delayed to stage four to accommodate the Wade stand development.
“That’s going to be a $75 million to $80 million development, while the Wade stand is only about $33 million,” Mr Costa said.
“We’ve already got $25 million secured from State Government, we’ve put in money ourselves, we’ll got some from the AFL, so we’re hoping to get a little bit from Federal Government.”