http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26430075-5006301,00.html

(couldnt copy/paste the article into SSC for some reason)

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26430075-5006301,00.html

ADELAIDE Oval will be redeveloped as a 50,000-seat stadium to host AFL matches under a $450 million deal announced this morning by the State Government.

The redevelopment will include a $20 million pedestrian bridge across the River Torrens to link the railway station with the oval, while AAMI Stadium will become the Crows' home and the extra land around the West Lakes oval will be rezoned to allow the SANFL to profit.

The Government has pledged $450 million towards the redevelopment, which will see the first ball bounced in "four to five years tops", Treasurer Kevin Foley said this morning.

The SA National Football League, the SA Cricket Association and the AFL have signed an in-principle agreement to the proposal.

TELL US: What else should be done to integrate this development with the surrounding area - and revitalise the centre of Adelaide?

FIRST LOOK: Take a fly around the new stadium
Gallery: Artists' impressions of the new-look Oval
Announcement: Read the full media statement
Video: Rann's stadium masterstroke
Video: Everyone's a winner with new Oval
Graham Cornes: Unthinkable could become reality
Paul Starick: Victory for the people
Reaction: Property Council welcomes Oval plan
New vision: Libs unveil city stadium plan
Old vision: Of the Oval's great sporting moments
Gallery: Adelaide Oval through the years
Timeline: Grand history of sport at the Oval

The new stadium will be administered by an authority chaired by SACA president Ian McLachlan, with SANFL general manager Leigh Whicker as chief executive.

Premier Mike Rann, Mr Foley and sporting officials attended the announcement this morning in the Gil Langley Room at Adelaide Oval.

Mr Rann said the century-old scoreboard and the grass hill beneath the Moreton Bay fig trees at the cathedral end would remain.

"The redeveloped Adelaide Oval will continue to be the home of domestic and international cricket in SA and will host Adelaide's two AFL teams," he said.

It is understood AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou was in Adelaide last night for talks with Mr Foley as part of the final negotiations on the ground-breaking deal.

After the announcement this morning, Mr Demetriou said the development would produce "an iconic venue in the heart of the city that retains the charm of Adelaide Oval".

"From the AFL's perspective, we are very very grateful to have had a small part in helping cricket and football come together as they should," he said.

"I can assure you there'll be thousands and thousands more Victorians who come over."

Mr Whicker said it was an exciting move for the state.

"I thank the Premier and the Deputy Premier and the Rann Government for firstly their on-going support to our great game," he said.

"Today is just another endorsement of the confidence of the Rann Government in both the major sports here in SA - football and cricket."

Mr McLachlan described the plan as "an excellent result".

"I think it will be just wonderful when it comes to fruition," he said.

"I don't see any impediments that will get in our way because the goodwill is quite spectacularly good.

"I think many South Australians hoped this would happen."

The Government's pledge includes the $100 million already earmarked for AAMI Stadium, $100 million from the Commonwealth and $200 million through the deferral of extending the tram line to West Lakes for two years.

The Government had already said that $100 million earmarked for stadium development at AAMI Stadium could be recommitted to Adelaide Oval if the SANFL and SACA could reach agreement on staging AFL matches there.

The Government move is being seen in political circles as an attempt to derail the Opposition's $1 billion city west stadium plan announced by Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond last week.

The Government has bitterly attacked the plan since it was announced and in Parliament yesterday used Question Time to give both Mr Foley, Environment Minister Jay Weatherill, Transport Minister Patrick Conlon and Sport Minister Michael Wright the opportunity to oppose the Liberal "vision".

Liberal Leader Isobel Redmond said the Government's vision for Adelaide Oval was a "patch-up job" that would ruin the ground's heritage value.

"The Government is playing follow the leader yet again and they are acceding to what we've always been arguing, that we need a city stadium," she said.

"Their stadium doesn't have a roof, doesn't have car parking, doesn't solve a whole bunch of the problems that need to be solved and doesn't do something exciting for the city.

"What it does potentially is destroy the iconic Adelaide Oval which we've always said should stay.

Ms Redmond also cast doubt on the Government's costings, saying the Government has "scrambled" to find the $450 million required.

"Although the Government has announced this as a historic agreement, it's about as historic as the one he announced on the River Murray, in other words, it doesn't hold water," she said.

"Nothing's going to be signed off until July next year and by that time I intend to be Premier and talking to the SANFL about our proposal, which I'm sure they'll find very favorable.

As landlord of the site, Adelaide City Council has the power to block any development at Adelaide Oval.

AdelaideNow is seeking comment from Lord Mayor Michael Harbison.

Councillor Anne Moran is the only person to have openly declared their candidacy for the lord mayoralty and said she expects the fate of Adelaide Oval would become a major issue ahead of the election next October.

"I'd have to say while I oppose building on the parklands, this is a facility that's already there," she said.

"It wouldn't be a big jump to push it up to 50,000.

"Without having seen all the details yet, I do support it.

"Two of them (stadiums) on the parklands is ridiculous."

Adelaide Football Club chief executive Steven Trigg has welcomed the plan to redevelop Adelaide Oval, describing the move as a 'very significant opportunity'.

Mr Trigg said in a statement that playing games at Adelaide Oval would have many benefits for the club and its supporters.

"From a member and supporter perspective, that potential is in the form of a new world class amenity, more people under cover (which is a vital issue) and an AFL venue in a central, entertainment precinct," he said.

"The match day activities and revenue would be enhanced in a move to Adelaide Oval – as a key condition of the Adelaide Football Club."

Mr Trigg said the announcement had no effect on the recently completely $21 million upgrade of its training and entertainment facility, and the club's training and administration base would stay at AAMI Stadium.

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Where will people park? And in Football and Cricket seasons, this will put a lot of pressure on out PT. I love that they are moving the venue to the city, but they need to add more to it. Dress it up a little better and accomodate for the pressure this will put on the city.

So if Labour gets its way... the hospital and the stadium will be on the torrens. I hope they really do revamp the torrens and the side walks.

Where will people park?

By the time it's capacity is 50,000, the ACC will have over 50,000 carparking spaces in the Adelaide CBD, there's hardly a shortage of parking spaces in Adelaide.

Yes but how many of them are not going to be used!? MOST of them I would think. They are expenisive. People want to spend a day at the place, they will re-consider. And not everyone will be taking public transport.

what's up with having the gaps for the light towers between the stands? seriously that is a terrible design.

if they moved the light towers and eliminated the gaps it would look much better.

also, couldn't they move the heritage scoreboard at the end to another ground? the empty space at the scoreboard end looks ridiculous.

and btw, this not even close to fifa standards.

Where will people park? And in Football and Cricket seasons, this will put a lot of pressure on out PT.

they will park at their houses, in their carports and take public transport in. If they want to drive, charge $25+ like they do at Etihad/Docklands. This hasn't stop Victorians flocking to their stadium. If we can cater for 300,000 people for a xmas pageant, Im quite sure our PT system can cope with 40-50,000
What a vibrant little city it will be on match days


and btw, this not even close to fifa standards.

oh well, dont care:)

and btw, this not even close to fifa standards.

the Melbourne rectangular stadium (u can tell someone really thought about the name) doesnt even meet fifa standards.

But... if we DO get the world cup won't new stadiums be built?

eastadl, you bring up a GREAT point about the paegent. Forgot about that. SO TRUE. And yes the city will be GREAT on match days AND nights. Should add to the atmosphere. What they need to do now is add more cafes, entertainment districts around the area. Why not make the Rail yard an entertainment district for people to enjoy themsleves before abnd after matches? A new hospital would be great but given they can upgrade the existing one... why not add something new to that area?

And if they ARE so hell bent on building this new hospital, why not do up the surrounf area around the Arts Centre/Train station. Add more cafes, shops... make it a great little hub for the western side of our city.

One thing I LOVE about the Libs proposal is that it has gotten the Rann gov to pull its finger out of its ass. I am excited for the next few years. Now that we're heading out of the crisis, bring on the mining BOOM, bring in the inner city developements.

Please note, that is not the final design.


The refurbished stadium will hold 50,000 people but will preserve the traditional grass hill and iconic scoreboard at the ground's northern end. Which means the redeveloped oval would not be regarded as a World Cup venue that complies with FIFA's stipulation that host stadiums be all-seater venues.

But a spokesman for the Premier's office said yesterday that the stadium plans contained a contingency that would allow the oval to be converted to an all-seater venue at minimal cost.

Beyond that, not much is known and all aspects of the design are up for grabs. Drawings circulated yesterday are ''concept designs'' with a group led by South Australian Cricket Association chairman Ian McLachlan and SANFL chief Leigh Whicker to thrash out design details and requirements between now and July 1.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afls-push-on-the-oval-will-help-the-roundball-game-20091202-k69v.html

Yes but how many of them are not going to be used!? MOST of them I would think. They are expenisive. People want to spend a day at the place, they will re-consider. And not everyone will be taking public transport.

Weekend parking in the city is cheap as chips.

Besides, there's way more PT capacity to Adelaide Oval than you could dream of for West Lakes. Now on a Friday night game, Footy Express services will compliment peak hour services rather than compete with them. Every evening, hundreds near empty buses head into the city.

the Melbourne rectangular stadium (u can tell someone really thought about the name) doesnt even meet fifa standards.

LOL. That's just a working name for the stadium. It'll only be called that until the naming rights are sold off - which they are currently in the process of doing.

I recon the hospital would compliment the stadium rather nicely.

Someone's team wins which leads to Everyone getting absolutely smashed :cheers: which leads to a fight, car crash or over intoxication which leads to hospital

Someone's team loses which leads to everyone smashing the fans of the winning team which leads to hospital. Its win/win