By PAUL MILLAR
GEELONG city council is committed in principle to providing $6 million for the redevelopment of Simonds Stadium – but only if the state government agrees to pick up ongoing funding and maintenance costs.
Tuesday night’s council meeting also supported the introduction of a state government appointed Trust group to run the operation but declined to allocate an expected $1.5 million annually for ongoing costs.
The Independent revealed last week that councilors were troubled by the $1.5 million levy on top of a request to provide the football club with $6 million to help fund redevelopment work.
Councillors believed that ratepayers should not be burdened with the additional $1.5 million a year when the facility was being operated by the Trust.
In a compromise proposal council “agreed, in principle, to provide up to $6 million towards the stage four redevelopment of Simonds Stadium on the condition that the State Government assumes management and operations of the stadium and Kardinia Park and absolves council of any ongoing financial contributions,” according to a statement.
Council has also requested that the state government provide a report back on negotiations by the end of the year.
Council, as land manager, formally approved the development, which will see the replacement of the Jennings and Brownlow Stands and increase the stadium’s capacity by 2500 to 3000 patrons.
“This is on the condition that the Victorian Government agrees to take ownership of the new stand, including assets and ongoing maintenance obligations as well as financial liability for any works triggered as a consequence of the development.
“Council exit from an operational and management role from the site will generate a saving that will enable council to support the redevelopment,” the statement said.
Council also stipulated that additional costs associated with delivering events at Kardinia Park during the construction period are borne by the project and that following the works, Legends Plaza is reinstated to council’s satisfaction.
Geelong Mayor Darryn Lyons said Simonds Stadium was already a world class ground and the stage four works, costing $89 million in total, would further raise the bar.
“This will put Simonds Stadium right up there and help attract more AFL games against Melbourne based teams, as well as T20 cricket, rugby, A-league and W-league soccer and other major events,” he said.
“Every AFL game at Simonds Stadium injects about $3 million into the economy and these works are only going to boost that figure.
“The ground is important for both the club and the community. Geelong gains huge benefits from being the only regional city to host an AFL club on a permanent basis.”
Works are expected to be completed early in the 2017 season.
Council has stipulated that its payment towards the cost of the stadium redevelopment is not due until the end of the 2017/18 financial year.
