ARCHIVED: MCG - v2 [Archive]

barneybuck

February 11th, 2004, 03:43 AM

The MCG is NOT a circle, its dimentions are 169.7 x 146.2 metres at the moment.

MCG Facts and Figures

Arena Dimensions
Due to the current MCG redevelopment, the playing field was shortened prior to the 2003 AFL season at the City end to allow for the successful demolition of the Ponsford Stand. As a result, the ground dimensions have been altered.

The new playing field is 7.6 metres shorter than for the 2002 AFL season.

The ground has a total of approximately 18,100 square metres in area and measures 169.7 X 146.2 metres in length from fence to fence.

The height of the goal posts are 11 metres (10.25m above ground) and the length of the cricket pitch is 22 yards, which in metric terms is 20.12 metres.

Centre Square - 4 lines are 45 metres each line. Goal square width is 6.4m. Goal square length is 9m. The centre circle diameter is 3m.

The ground holds 96 sprinklers and the fall of the ground is 1%. The grass is a mixture of couch and rye grass.

The present capacity of the MCG is 72,814. Of these, there are 68,704 seats and 4,110 standing room positions. Up until October 2002, the capacity of the ground was 96,308 v now the Ponsford Stand has been demolished as part of the building of the new Northern Stand, capacity at the ground will be reduced for the next two or three years.

Adamonline

February 11th, 2004, 05:48 AM

Message cancelled, membership voluntarily withdrawn.

jacobsian

February 11th, 2004, 06:24 AM

MCG on track for footy season
By Michael Warner
February 11, 2004

THE MCG's $430 million reconstruction is on schedule and one-third completed.

Demolition of the western half of the Olympic Stand began yesterday, with the second part to be torn down after this year's AFL Grand Final.

The historic MCC Members' Pavilion has been completely torn down, leaving the stadium with a capacity of just over 70,000 for the upcoming AFL season.

A Grand Final capacity of 80,000 will depend on the progress of work in the new pavilion.

Fans will welcome a second giant electronic scoreboard to be installed in the new Ponsford Stand in April.

The MCC's 80,000 members are on the move again and will be relocated temporarily into the first two levels of the Ponsford Stand for the 2004 footy season.

Television, radio and print media have also been shifted into corporate boxes in the eastern end of the Olympic Stand.

AFL members will remain in the Great Southern Stand.

Grocon project manager Steve Richardson said work was on track for completion in time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

"It's moving along extremely well. It's a big and complex project, but so far we're meeting expectations," he said yesterday.

Grocon's 400-man workforce has begun installing seats in the second and third tiers of the Ponsford Stand and will fit out the top deck throughout the year.

The construction giant is contracted to complete its work by late next year, allowing Games organisers time to fit out the stadium before the opening ceremony on March 15, 2006.

Capacity at the MCG for the Commonwealth Games will be about 97,000 - boosted to more than 100,000 after the Games.

The AFL season kicks off on Friday, March 26, when Richmond meets Collingwood under lights at the MCG.

The MCC expects some new corporate boxes and dining rooms in the Ponsford Stand to be ready by Round 1.

*****

I doubt that the Ground will be at 80,000 capacity by the grand final - that would require the lower bowl of stage 3 and 4 to be completed by September - both stages 1 and 2 were under way by this time last year - and only barely finished in time for the grand final, yet this year stage 3 is about to start, and demolition for the stage 4 area has only just begun.

From what I can gather - the television camera position will be the same as this year, using either scafolding ora crane to elevate a TV camera over or behind the old members stand site.

ciaobellaxo

February 13th, 2004, 08:57 AM

http://www.iffd.net/scott/widefromnthstand.jpg

Just having another look at this pic and it looks as though the 2nd deck has three rows also and these go all the way around to the start of the new stand. So maybe we will have a little bit of outside viewing on the 2nd deck?? What do you think people?

kareue

February 13th, 2004, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by ciaobellaxo
Just having another look at this pic and it looks as though the 2nd deck has three rows also and these go all the way around to the start of the new stand. So maybe we will have a little bit of outside viewing on the 2nd deck?? What do you think people?

It's a good photo of the standard section of the northern stand redevelopment. There are seats at this level just below the top tier, but they are part of corporate boxes. I haven't been lucky enough to sit in a corporate box in the Great Southern Stand, but I heard that people standing or walking in the external area in front of the corporate boxes blocks the view of the people in there. Won't be a problem with no seats in front for the new stands.

Note that the Members section (which will be a bay or two around from the end shown in the photo) actually does have extended external seating similar to the GSS, which will help distinguish this area of the new stands.

Aussie Steve

February 16th, 2004, 01:25 AM

An update of what the MCG looks like as of late last week.

The roof will look amazing from Princess Bridge. Or should I say, it already looks huge from Princess Bridge!

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000300-image.jpg

ciaobellaxo

February 18th, 2004, 09:52 AM

I see they've now widened the view on the webcam to incorporate the old members area and the new stand. Will be hard to make out what's happening up close (maybe they'll zoom in occasionally), however, will be able to see the new members area slowly rise to join the rest of the new stand!! After the top deck of the new members area is completed I think we're really going to get an idea of how this masterpiece will look when completed. :guns1:

A-brain

February 18th, 2004, 12:04 PM

I'm continually AGOG by every new development at the incredible new G that is transforming before our eyes..

Only the first three bays of the rooftop beams are now standing and joined and already they are *MASSIVE* ..

I didn't believe the renders that these beams would reach up to the bottom of the Light Tower 'V' at the middle but from the first 3 bays it's clear they will be every bit this huge!!!

I'm laughing now at this pic..

http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3050551-v

Can you believe we used to think the 'G looked 'Big' back in the 80's !! The Great Southern Stand made the old stands look puny, and now the new NS makes the GSS look punier !!

Other cities would laugh that we have included a Stadium amongst our 'Skyscraper Projects' forum - but the 'G is truly worthy of being counted amongst our new scrapers ..

dynamoultraclean

February 18th, 2004, 01:16 PM

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000312-image.jpg

ciaobellaxo

February 18th, 2004, 01:17 PM

Great find A-brain and dyna! Yes I'm sure alot of us will agree that we will all be shocked by the sheer size of the new northern stand. Considering the top deck is about 10 rows higher than the top deck of the GSS. Then we need to add the roof on top which, according to the renders on the MCC website, dwarfs the roof on the GSS. We're talking about one huge massive mother here people :guns1:

We sit in the northern stand and look in awe at the GSS in all it's glory. What are we gonna do when the new stand is completed?? :master: :master: :master:

CharlieP

February 18th, 2004, 07:18 PM

Originally posted by ciaobellaxo
We sit in the northern stand and look in awe at the GSS in all it's glory. What are we gonna do when the new stand is completed?? :master: :master: :master:

Um, sit in the GSS and gaze at the new stand? Or am I missing something? :D

CharlieP

February 18th, 2004, 07:23 PM

Originally posted by ciaobellaxo
I see they've now widened the view on the webcam to incorporate the old members area and the new stand. Will be hard to make out what's happening up close (maybe they'll zoom in occasionally), however, will be able to see the new members area slowly rise to join the rest of the new stand!! After the top deck of the new members area is completed I think we're really going to get an idea of how this masterpiece will look when completed. :guns1:

Hmm, shame I'm 10 timezones away - it's a bit dark at the G at the mo! :)

Is anybody keeping a record of all the webcam images? Just imagine what a time-lapse animation would look like :D

Aussie Steve

February 18th, 2004, 11:32 PM

It looks like a lot more of the Olympic Stand is coming down then I had expected!

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000310-image.jpg

Almost all of the red seats will be going!
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000308-image.jpg

Adamonline

February 19th, 2004, 08:52 AM

Message cancelled, membership voluntarily withdrawn.

ciaobellaxo

February 19th, 2004, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by Adamonline
...just before they built the light towers (1985)...

Shit! I didn't even notice there weren't any light towers! Always thought they were there :D

ciaobellaxo

February 19th, 2004, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by Aussie Steve It looks like a lot more of the Olympic Stand is coming down then I had expected! Almost all of the red seats will be going!

Ummm... isn't the whole northern stand being demolished for the new stand which I gather would include the Olympic Stand :? Not sure what you mean by saying 'almost all of the red seats will be going' Aussie Steve :? Am I missing something??

A-brain

February 19th, 2004, 11:13 AM

Originally posted by ciaobellaxo
Ummm... isn't the whole northern stand being demolished for the new stand which I gather would include the Olympic Stand :? Not sure what you mean by saying 'almost all of the red seats will be going' Aussie Steve :? Am I missing something??

What he means is that we thought only a small part of the Northern Stand would be demolished in This Stage of re-development.

To keep capacity up they are supposed to only rebuild a bit at a time, yet from the pic it looks like they are already going to knock down a majority of the Northern Stand!!!

Anyway will see what happens over next few months. I think its a 5 Stage process so they obviously plan to have part of Stage 2 (where the old members stand was) opened by Grand Final day - as they did with the lower levels of Stage 1 at the last GF.

ciaobellaxo

February 19th, 2004, 11:28 AM

:colgate: I knew that. ;)

Billy the Kid

February 19th, 2004, 06:02 PM

Its great to see as much as possible of the Olympic Stand coming down I always thought it to be the worst and most rundown of all the MCG stands good riddence.

CharlieP

February 19th, 2004, 06:52 PM

Originally posted by A-brain
What he means is that we thought only a small part of the Northern Stand would be demolished in This Stage of re-development.

To keep capacity up they are supposed to only rebuild a bit at a time, yet from the pic it looks like they are already going to knock down a majority of the Northern Stand!!!

Anyway will see what happens over next few months. I think its a 5 Stage process so they obviously plan to have part of Stage 2 (where the old members stand was) opened by Grand Final day - as they did with the lower levels of Stage 1 at the last GF.

Yes, it's a five stage process - see http://www.mcg.org.au/content/document/00000012-src.pdf

barneybuck

February 19th, 2004, 11:25 PM

I wonder if Grollos will step up the pace this year as it seems to be the critical time to get most of the major construction out of the way.

Cornholio

February 20th, 2004, 12:52 AM

I notice that now that the first of the roof beams are in place, the top section of the third bay of the top tier (next to the mega screen) has been constructed. With no roof actually being placed on until the end of total construction (as I understand it), the new stand should be completely up and running for the start of the new AFL season W/E of March 26/27/28).

Adamonline

February 21st, 2004, 03:24 AM

Message deleted. Membership voluntarily withdrawn.

A-brain

February 21st, 2004, 06:03 AM

Yes if the scoreboard actually does fill up the entire frame that is in place (and not a pissy little subsection like the Fed Sq screen) then it will be easily one of the worlds biggest !

Here's an angle today confirming the completetion of the upper levels of 'Bay 1', as well as more framework for the roof going in.

http://users.bigpond.net.au/speckled10/Cons/DSC00683.jpg

Man I am just loving that roofline already!! I think that's the biggest suprise of the actual development - how much that massive rising roofline structure will create such a huge impact on the skyline!

ciaobellaxo

February 21st, 2004, 10:15 AM

Great shot A-brain!! Must be going to be one hell of a roof in terms of both size and weight considering the amount of cables and support beams that are going in!

Adamonline - is the new scoreboard actually at the G waiting to be put in place or was it just shown as a preview prior to going in place? If that makes sense :D

Will be going into the city tomorrow arvo so hopefully will get some shots on my digicam ;)

Adamonline

February 21st, 2004, 12:40 PM

Message deleted. Membership voluntarily withdrawn.

ciaobellaxo

February 22nd, 2004, 02:06 PM

Here are some pics from my trip into the city yesterday (Sunday). First is of the complex structure of the beams and wires to support the roof. As per the cross section diagram, the vertical support beams start off short, then gradually get longer as the stand moves around the ground. When you stand up close to these things they really are massive now so I can't imagine what they're going to be like when we get half way around!! :eek: Do we know how tall the highest grandstand in the world is? Take a look...

http://www.iffd.net/scott/beamswires.jpg

Here's a shot of a crane that I gather will be used to lift the roof into place :? I think you could say it is the baby brother of the big mother over at SCS :D

http://www.iffd.net/scott/crane.jpg

Saved this one till last. The scoreboard is going to be FARKING huge!!!!:guns1:

http://www.iffd.net/scott/scoreboard.jpg

plotstyle

February 22nd, 2004, 02:34 PM

nice work!!!!!!!!!!!!

jacobsian

February 23rd, 2004, 03:50 PM

Does anybody know what happened to the old big screen on the ponsford?

Weerez

February 24th, 2004, 10:59 AM

View across from Queens Bridge now is amazing. I knew the re-development was huge but it's MASSIVE.:dizzy:

tayser

February 24th, 2004, 11:04 AM

http://metropolis.tayser.net/tours/240204/sycity52.jpg

ciaobellaxo

February 24th, 2004, 01:49 PM

Great pic tays! From this angle you can really get an idea of how high the roof supports are going to get when the stand is half completed.

Question. Why do the roof supports elevate towards the centre of the stand and then retreat again towards the other end? Purely for design or support? The GSS doesn't have this.

Dean

February 24th, 2004, 02:40 PM

^^ think of the roof as a really long (but curved) beam with pin supports at either ends.

The bending moment(turning force) is greatest in the middle(over the members area) so larger supports are required.

if u drew a diagram of the BM's it would look like a smile. with the M* (max BMoment) smack in the centre, hence the above outcome.

Cheers

Dean - Melbourne

Adder-Laid

February 24th, 2004, 03:34 PM

More overweight MCC members? ;)

zion

February 24th, 2004, 05:18 PM

From the Ommi cam, you can see tall the new stand going be. By next year, there will not be a view of playing field of MCG. Which mean I can't watch the Grand final from overseas. But see the roof of new stand. :rant:

http://melbourne.citysearch.com.au/feature/26/

What height of the final height of the MCG?

A-brain

February 24th, 2004, 09:53 PM

Originally posted by Dean
^^ think of the roof as a really long (but curved) beam with pin supports at either ends.

The bending moment(turning force) is greatest in the middle(over the members area) so larger supports are required.

if u drew a diagram of the BM's it would look like a smile. with the M* (max BMoment) smack in the centre, hence the above outcome.

Cheers

Dean - Melbourne

I could be wrong but my distinct impression from looking at the model was that the roof gradually gets *longer* (ie. more overhang) in the middle than at the ends.. hence taller struts in the middle to support the greater weight.

I don't know if you can think of it as one long beam? Surely each section has be self supporting and not reliant on adjacent sections otherwise they couldn't build it in pieces could they?

Dean

February 24th, 2004, 11:59 PM

^^ i didnt know it was larger/deeper in the middle... so u could be right.

of course its not one long beam.. i was just trying to make things simpler in the explanation. lol

Cheers

Dean - Melbourne

Adamonline

February 27th, 2004, 11:23 PM

Message deleted. Membership voluntarily withdrawn.

A-brain

February 28th, 2004, 01:01 AM

The original design had the struts in the centre going a lot higher.

You reckon? How much higher did they go than this:

http://users.bigpond.net.au/speckled10/melb_newmcg_large[1].jpg

Thats the final design as I understand and those struts go pretty f'n high! I don't ever recall seeing a prelimary render where they go higher.

I still maintain they are taller in the middle because the roof is deeper - as you can just barely make out in the above model.

If they were mainly aesthetic I don't think they'd make them that high as it's actually unbalanced with the GSS (but we like it anway).

zion

February 28th, 2004, 08:03 AM

Maybe in 50 years time. the Southern Stand, would be torn down, to make way for higher stands, to balance things out.

I'm amazed that at the supporting pins, is nearly as high as light towers.

ciaobellaxo

February 28th, 2004, 08:38 AM

Looking at the webcam just now, judging by the brown boxes, looks like they're about to install the seats in the completed section of the top deck...
http://www.iffd.net/scott/cam1_webcam280204.jpg

A-brain - I can see what you mean by the roof being deeper towards the middle of the stand. For obvious reasons that's why the support beams are higher at that point :D You can also see just how much higher the roof of the new stand is compared to that of the GSS = alot more rows of seats on the top deck. They should be able to fit over 100,000 in the G easily when the new stand is completed.

Sky High

February 28th, 2004, 09:01 AM

I walked pass the G today and they were lifting the first section of the scoreboard roof.

They commenced the lift with one crane and transferred the roof section over to the next crane mid air, to be finally placed on the scorboard.

Adamonline

February 28th, 2004, 10:33 AM

Message deleted. Membership voluntarily withdrawn.

Adamonline

February 28th, 2004, 10:39 AM

Message deleted. Membership voluntarily withdrawn.

Homeroids

February 28th, 2004, 02:34 PM

So the new stand is actually going to have higher seating than the GSS? I thought I remembered other renderings showing the new stand to be lower but then seeing that model posted, well I'm in awe. How cool's it going to look!!!

A-brain

February 29th, 2004, 03:24 AM

Originally posted by Homeroids
So the new stand is actually going to have higher seating than the GSS? I thought I remembered other renderings showing the new stand to be lower but then seeing that model posted, well I'm in awe. How cool's it going to look!!!

'Ken Oath the new stand will have higher seating! If you drive by in real life you can already clearly see how much higher..

To give you an idea.. the last row of seats in the *new stand* is about as high as the top of the beams in the old stand!!

The first row of the new top deck does however also start slightly higher than the GSS top deck (couple of rows).

From the diagrams there are about 25 rows of seats in the top deck of the GSS - compared to about 34 rows in the new top deck.

The rows and seats are also more spaced out in the new stand - hence still only 100,000 capacity despite physically a much larger stand.

Cornholio

March 2nd, 2004, 04:33 AM

I noticed on the tram this arvo that they're putting the final rows of concrete at the top of the fourth bay of the top tier of the New Stand.

Wont be long now until this baby is "stick a fork in it" done. Hopefully with all the underground work they accomplished in this section, the new members section will not take too long to erect.

Aussie Steve

March 4th, 2004, 02:33 AM

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000313-image.jpg

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000314-image.jpg

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000315-image.jpg

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000316-image.jpg

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000317-image.jpg

bearbrass

March 4th, 2004, 03:59 AM

Thans for posting the pics AS its a pity they dont move the w/cam around occiasionally so we can see all the progress that is happening. Looks like they are ripping into the Olympic Stand very quickly.

ciaobellaxo

March 4th, 2004, 11:07 AM

The silver facade is starting look very nice around near the new scoreboard :guns1:

What's with the horizontal 'parts' protuding out from the top of the new scoreboard? Are they to shield the scoreboard from the sun?

ciaobellaxo

March 6th, 2004, 01:12 PM

Some shots taken today. Looking good from Batman Ave

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/batmanave.jpg

From the rear

http://www.iffd.net/scott/rearstandwide060304.jpg

Now if these support beams are for the roof to sit on, boy, are we looking at a FARKING massive roof!!

http://www.iffd.net/scott/roofsupport060304.jpg

Look how many rows of seats there are!! I'm now wondering whether the screen will take up the entire scoreboard seeing as there's now those rectangular frames on the left and right hand side. Who knows what they're for. Advertising boards?

http://www.iffd.net/scott/scoreboard060304.jpg

Can't wait till this section of the new stand is completed and we have bums on seats! Will be sight! :guns1: :guns1: :guns1:

A-brain

March 6th, 2004, 01:19 PM

Sensational work cb..

Yes there are I think 34 rows in the upper deck of seating vs. about 26 in the old GSS and from that photo it really shows!!

I will be severly dissapointed if the scoreboard it's only the size of the space between those cut-outs - no widescreen like they had before and not much bigger screensize.

Let's hope those white rectangles are actually part of the screen itself - and if not at least they've got the realestate there to make it bigger in future if they get the cash to..

zion

March 6th, 2004, 01:49 PM

I believe the two white side frame would part of the screen. Showing the score, and players in play.

There there a lot space above the screen. Maybe they will install more video screen, rather than adverting space.

They could of made the overall screen casing wider, rather than square (4x3)

ciaobellaxo

March 7th, 2004, 09:04 AM

I gather the overhanging parts are a shelter for the scoreboard :? Must be going to be a very special scoreboard as the old one never had anything like this ;)

plotstyle

March 7th, 2004, 10:11 AM

great shots! :cheers:

AUboy

March 7th, 2004, 10:34 AM

The roof over the scoreboard is also there to cover the poor people sitting underneath it when it rains.

Cornholio

March 8th, 2004, 01:58 AM

I would have gone with: "to project a shadow across the board, to aid in viewing from the other side of the G." IMO the roof will be so high that it will only offer rain protection if the wind is from the S to WSW anyways.

Aussie Steve

March 11th, 2004, 06:16 AM

WOW

We now get a view of the demolition of the 1956 Olympic Stand from the web cam

http://www.mcg.org.au/webcam/cam1_webcam.jpg

ciaobellaxo

March 11th, 2004, 09:36 AM

I gather it's only because it's dark (as at 7pm) but it seems a bit blurry to me. Still, good to see progress happening :D

dynamoultraclean

March 16th, 2004, 11:44 AM

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000318-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000319-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000320-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000321-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000322-image.jpg

jacobsian

March 16th, 2004, 12:17 PM

Good to see the webcam has been pointed at the demolition site the last couple of days.

The demolition of Queensland that is.

ciaobellaxo

March 16th, 2004, 01:19 PM

:eek: WOW!!

Everytime I look at the new stand I get shivers down my spine! Have seen some of the stadiums at http://www.worldstadiums.com/ and this will have to rate as one of the, if not the best, in the world.

A-brain

March 16th, 2004, 02:21 PM

Those two rectangular bits on the new scoreboard have been filled in with some sort of attachment. Cannot tell from those photos or in person if they are advertising boards or part of the screen itself.

But having looked again at another render, I am almost certain that the actual screen will only fill the smaller area inbetween these rectangular bits, and not the full area itself

:? :mad:

Oh well as I've said at least they have the room to expand the screen in the future..

The rest of the stadium is, as noted, looking enourmarific though!! Look how high the roof struts extent now !!

(Hows that for a new word? This stadium demands them..)

BigVman

March 17th, 2004, 12:22 AM

http://www.users.bigpond.com/Dwight.Veenman/MyPics/stand.jpg

An image I took yesterday after the Cup final.
Looking good :)

bearbrass

March 17th, 2004, 01:01 AM

That new screen looks humungus.

Aussie Steve

March 17th, 2004, 02:21 AM

WOW

The roof structure is taking shape, now that the web cam is back in place, we can see it all happen again!

http://www.mcg.org.au/webcam/cam1_webcam.jpg

dynamoultraclean

March 17th, 2004, 09:39 AM

MCG gears up for footy
11:32:22 AM Wed 17 March, 2004
Matt Burgan
Sportal
The Melbourne Cricket Club has announced that the second and top levels of the redeveloped Ponsford Stand at the MCG will open for business during the early stages of the new AFL season, with the second level open for the season-opener between Richmond and Collingwood on 26 March.

Although building will continue throughout the season, the MCG will be operating as normal during the 2004 season, with the Ponsford Stand set to be completed during the year. Construction of the new MCC Members Pavilion will also begin in 2004.

And with the demolition of the western end of the Olympic Stand, football fans will experience some new seating arrangements in 2004, which include the following:

General public and football club members

Olympic Stand
Blue Seats (plus a small number of red seats)
Enter via gates three, four and five
Due to the redevelopment, pedestrian access along Brunton Avenue is not permitted.

Eastern half of the Great Southern Stand
Enter via gates six and seven
Fans walking to the MCG from south of Brunton Avenue and intending to sit in the Great Southern Stand or Olympic Stands are advised to use the middle of the three footbridges available from outside Vodafone Arena.

AFL members

Western half of the Great Southern Stand
Enter via gates eight and nine
Guest passes are on sale at gate eight

MCC members

The MCC members will occupy the newly developed Ponsford Stand on all levels and perhaps a small section of the top deck of the Great Southern Stand.

MCC members coming from Jolimont Station or parking in Yarra Park are advised to take the Rod Laver Arena footbridge around the western side of the ground to access gate one in the new Ponsford Stand (formerly gate 12).

MCC members coming across the Vodafone footbridge are advised to turn left when they reach the Great Southern Stand and walk around to the new gate one in the Ponsford Stand.

Public Transport

On the fringe of two sides of the ground are Jolimont Station and Richmond Station, both a short walk from the venue.

Tram numbers 48 and 75 run along Wellington Pde from either Flinders St or Bridge Rd.

Public Transport users sitting in the Great Southern Stand are reminded to get off at the tram stop outside Vodafone Arena and utilise the footbridge to take them to the southern side of the ground.

A taxi rank is available at the Hilton Hotel and in Swan St at the conclusion of each event.

Parking

Parking is usually available at the venue in Yarra Park for a normal fee. Occasionally parts of Yarra Park are closed to save the grass after heavy rain. Street parking is very limited due to council regulations.

Driving

Traffic along Brunton Ave has been reduced to one lane in either direction from the Rod Laver Arena pedestrian bridge to the entrance of the Great Southern Stand car park.

No pedestrian traffic is allowed in the area, although post-game pedestrian movement will be allowed on the road if police decide to close Brunton Ave to vehicles.

Walking

The MCG is a 15-minute walk from the city and a close walk from Richmond. Due to the redevelopment, pedestrian access along the Brunton Ave is not permitted.

ciaobellaxo

March 17th, 2004, 10:49 AM

Great shot BigVman! Hope you don't mind but I made some adjustments to your pic so we could see it a little better. Here it is a bit smaller ;)

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/BigVmanreduced.jpg

Looks to me as though the first roof support is in place. I think that's what it is anyway :guns1:

ciaobellaxo

March 17th, 2004, 10:58 AM

Originally posted by dynamoultraclean
MCC members

The MCC members will occupy the newly developed Ponsford Stand on all levels and perhaps a small section of the top deck of the Great Southern Stand.

Gee that sucks. Why do the MCC members always get first preference? Does this mean there will be no room available for the general public? :rant:

BigVman

March 17th, 2004, 12:00 PM

Yep, thats a roof support all right. Took me a while to figure it out and theres plenty out the back ready to be hoisted into place soon so I think we'll see more activity pretty quickly ini that area.

Adder-Laid

March 17th, 2004, 02:55 PM

ummm.... what are the gaps in the 6th and 7th bays of the new stand about 1/4 of the way up on the top deck??

lozza

March 17th, 2004, 11:22 PM

Adder - Laid , this is just a guess, but i think the gaps may be for corporate boxes and sutes

cheers

lozza :dooby:

BigVman

March 18th, 2004, 12:34 AM

Guys,
think Telstra Dome, wheelchair access seats and views from the food court beyond.

Philip Burt

March 18th, 2004, 03:37 AM

Interesting to read Keith Dunstan's description of his tour of the new Ponsford:

Source: MCG Redevelopment News Volume 5, March 2004
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/document/00000213-src.pdf
Author: Keith Dunstan

GENEROUS AND VAST, WITH ROOM FOR CHARIOT RACES

It’s a shock to look across to your left.

Good heavens, the Gallery of Sport isn’t
there and as for the Members’ Stand,
nothing. There’s just a muddy road that
goes down into a great hole.
It looks like an archaeological dig. You
wonder whether they found the old well
where W.G. Grace enjoyed “copious drafts of water
after practice”, one of Hugh Trumble’s big hats, a
skittle from the skittle alley or perhaps a hand-blown
champagne bottle. There was a time when cricketers
wouldn’t play unless they received their champers.
No, alas, Marcus Phillips, MCC special project officer,
reports they have found no ancient treasure. But there
is a new treasure, a splendid building that smells of
new concrete. It is the temporary home for members
during the football season, it is almost complete and it
is something to behold.

We are in the area that once was the Ponsford Stand
and it is difficult not to be overwhelmed by size.
Everything seems so generous and vast. For a start there
are two basements. Way down below there is a car
park. Not open this winter, but it will hold a large
number of cars.

Above that there is the indoor cricket area. You would
think there would be just one practice net. No, there
are six. Over to one side there is plate glass behind
which enthusiasts can stand and watch. That might
attract even a bigger crowd than the Pura Cup.
Now we climb up to the main floor area and there is
the concourse. Some of us can remember, intimately,
the concourse through the old Southern Stand. We
called it Pneumonia Alley. The new concourse is as
wide as a ballroom. Charlton Heston, if he turns up
again as Ben Hur, could use it for chariot races.

I nearly forgot there is the main entrance and the
atrium. You will have seen atriums in some of the fancy
hotels, but this is enormous. It goes up three floors and
it is all faced with glass, so that the whole stand is
flooded with natural light.

There are three lifts and six stairwells, so every
spectator could be out of the place in five minutes.
Actually there are four main levels for the customers.
Three will be in action this winter. One and two are
for the members with seats for 11,600. I’d recommend
Level 2, where the seats are beautiful, all padded.
Level 2 also has the new members’ dining room. You
must see it. There is a towering expanse of plate glass
either side. Facing inwards you look down on the
ground, facing back you get this amazing view of
Melbourne city – all the towers, all the spires, the
Rialto, Melbourne Central, 101 Collins Street, St
Patrick’s, the lot.

The third level is for corporate boxes. A dozen will be
available at the season’s start and there could be 20 by
Grand Final. Now the fourth level won’t be ready until
the next cricket season, but it is awesome. The seats are
on the same angle as in the Great Southern Stand, but
they go back an extra eight rows and at the top you feel
you could take off and fly. Also, you can look up to the
new scoreboard, which has two eye shades and seems
almost double the size of its predecessor.

Marcus Phillips says the roof, when it goes on, will
have a 17-metre overhang, which will be transparent.
Furthermore 80 per cent of the occupants will be
under cover compared with 50 per cent in the Great
Southern Stand. It all looks very comfortable. However
members in 2004 will need to be rather more
vociferous than of old, because their seating is right
behind the goal posts.

There have been so many changes to the ‘G over the
past 50 years it is hard to believe what is happening
now. In October 2002 the first trucks moved through
the gate and now we have a brand new stand as
advanced as anything in the world.

Just at the moment it is waiting to be christened. It
doesn’t have a name, but you will be pleased to hear
everybody is still calling it “The Ponny”.

ciaobellaxo

March 18th, 2004, 01:09 PM

:eek: WOW!! What an awesome description of the new stand!! Looks so damn impressive from the outside so I can't wait to see the inside :guns1:

CharlieP

March 18th, 2004, 08:16 PM

I read somewhere that the pitch will be levelled and foundations for the running track added in November and December this year. Presumably the planers will move in as soon as the Grand Final's over, but does this mean no chance of a Boxing Day Test at the G in 2004?

Billy the Kid

March 19th, 2004, 03:51 AM

Charlie P, I dont think they will touch the playing surface till after the 2005 AFL season.
The CGs are in march 2006

Weerez

March 19th, 2004, 09:18 AM

For CharlieP:

Only prelim works on the surface after the 2005 Grand Final and will cease and restart work after the Boxing Day Test.

ciaobellaxo

March 19th, 2004, 01:36 PM

I noticed on the way home on the train the second roof support has been put in place. The way things are going I reckon we should have the roof on in a couple of months! Exciting times ahead folks :guns1:

Aussie Steve

March 22nd, 2004, 01:08 PM

As of this afternoon, the 4 crane was under construction at the MCG! Yipeeeeeeeeeee

Cornholio

March 23rd, 2004, 12:29 AM

Originally posted by Aussie Steve
As of this afternoon, the 4 crane was under construction at the MCG! Yipeeeeeeeeeee

This morning's webcam shot has the third roof support going in, and green seats in the last bay of the New Ponsford being placed. 4 bays have been extended all the way to the top now, only 3 to go. Also, it looks like there is a screen of some sort in place on the scoreboard supports, but it is kinda hard to tell from this angle.

SydneyDude

March 23rd, 2004, 08:13 AM

From Rialto Sat 21/03/04:

http://img41.photobucket.com/albums/v127/andadoo/MCG1.jpg

ciaobellaxo

March 23rd, 2004, 09:54 AM

Originally posted by Cornholio
This morning's webcam shot has the third roof support going in, and green seats in the last bay of the New Ponsford being placed. 4 bays have been extended all the way to the top now, only 3 to go.

The third roof support is now in place and there are just two bays to to be extended to the top now :guns1:

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/cam1_webcam230304.jpg

dynamoultraclean

March 23rd, 2004, 09:59 AM

According to Channel 10 the new scoreboard will be operational for round 5.

pisstake

March 24th, 2004, 07:40 AM

They've only got one of the top bays remaining to be placed. Though they've put the end one on first instead of keeping it a progression.
I imagine they'll have the last one in tomorrow the way things are going

CharlieP

March 24th, 2004, 07:40 PM

Originally posted by Billy the Kid
Charlie P, I dont think they will touch the playing surface till after the 2005 AFL season.
The CGs are in march 2006

Just seen this (http://www.mcg.org.au/default.asp?pg=redevelopmentdisplay&articleid=1366) on the official site - I was sure I'd read work was happening this year ;)

zion

March 24th, 2004, 07:49 PM

I haven't seen the plans for the outside of the new stand. However the new Ponsford stand from the outside looks kind of bland, compare the to older Southern stand, at the moment of time.

ciaobellaxo

March 26th, 2004, 10:52 AM

Thought I'd go into work a little earlier today and take some pics of what's happening around the CBD. Firstly, couldn't resist the G. I didn't realise the first game of the AFL season was being played at the G tonight so when I saw all the vending trucks parked outside ready for the game, I knew there would have to be a way in somewhere! Yup. There was ;) Enjoy...

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/demolympic260304.jpg

Apologies for the quality of some of these pics. They turned out a tad too bright :(

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/newstand260304.jpg

Judging by this next shot A-brain, I think we're going to be disappointed at the size of the screen. Looks like it's only going to take up not even half the entire scoreboard >(

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/newstandlessbright.jpg

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/roofsupports260304.jpg

Here's the scoreboard again up close. Again, apologies for the quality.

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/scoreboard260304.jpg

And again...

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/scoreboardwide260304.jpg

I will endeavour to get used to the light settings on my digi cam!

ciaobellaxo

March 26th, 2004, 11:10 AM

Oh and BTW, isn't it great to see bums on seats all the way up to the top deck now? Even if it's only two of the bays in the top deck ;)

http://www.ta-australia.com.au/scott/mcg/cam1_webcam260304.jpg

A-brain

March 26th, 2004, 03:42 PM

The G looked absolutely awesome on TV tonight - that long distance across ground shot of the new Ponsford on Telly look way impressive.

But I agree - the Scoreboard as we feared has turned out to be a major dissapointment size-wise. It's definately no bigger than the old scoreboard in visual area.

Oh well as I said at least the real estate is there for sometime in the future to build a screen that takes the entire space - though maybe that would be too big?

Anyway fantastic pics cb !! I'm impressed you snuck in so close to the gametime - should stayed for the match!

Aussie Steve

March 26th, 2004, 10:14 PM

ciaobellaxo

March 27th, 2004, 04:02 AM

Originally posted by A-brain
The G looked absolutely awesome on TV tonight - that long distance across ground shot of the new Ponsford on Telly look way impressive.

But I agree - the Scoreboard as we feared has turned out to be a major dissapointment size-wise. It's definately no bigger than the old scoreboard in visual area.

Oh well as I said at least the real estate is there for sometime in the future to build a screen that takes the entire space - though maybe that would be too big?

Anyway fantastic pics cb !! I'm impressed you snuck in so close to the gametime - should stayed for the match!

Yes, will be a major disappointment! I reckon this screen will be smaller than the previous one too. What to you think Ab?

I actually got to the G before 8 Friday morning when everything was being set up. Had to get to work at 9 and didn't have any intentions on watching the game anyway ;)

BTW, apologies for the pics not being up Aussie Steve and whoever else is/was having difficulties. As mentioned in the SCS thread, the host I have been using was down yet again so I've had to move them to another host. >(

CharlieP

March 28th, 2004, 06:55 PM

Charlie P, I dont think they will touch the playing surface till after the 2005 AFL season.
The CGs are in march 2006

Just found the latest volume (Volume 5) of MCG Redevelopment News at

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/document/00000213-src.pdf

which has everything I wanted to know and then some!

pisstake

April 3rd, 2004, 06:02 AM

Was at the G on Friday to watch a really crap game of footy... bloody demons

If you haven't seen it, all that white surround of the screen is nice big Vodafone advertising. Both sides and that huge top section, there's more advertising space that screen space. Major disappointment, it looks like its smaller than the current screen across the ground.

ciaobellaxo

April 4th, 2004, 06:50 AM

Had another good look at the scoreboard last night courtesy of the footy highlights and unfortunately I'd have to say I am far from impressed with the new scoreboard >( Unless the current arrangements in terms of the screen size and advertising boards are just temporary. I think I would've preferred the old one! Also think the roof over the scoreboard looks tacky.

As for the new stand, well, I could just sit and watch it all day :drool: ;)

pisstake - You would've been happy with your boys after Friday night :)

ciaobellaxo

April 5th, 2004, 04:08 PM

:applause: WOO HOO!! Finally the last section of the top deck has been put in place! Now for the roof and the external features of the new stand will be almost complete!

Also noticed they've now started with the cladding on the back of the *cough* scoreboard. Sorry, but I really am very disappointed with it :no:

dynamoultraclean

April 6th, 2004, 06:05 AM

I'm disappointed with the scoreboard too... They could've put more seats in instead of all that advertising. What a piss poor effort.

A-brain

April 6th, 2004, 09:03 AM

Guys - just speculation but thinking about the scoreboard -it *does* seem exceedingly silly of them to have designed and erected such an enourmous and no doubt expensive screen display area - only to put a screen that is not even half the height, for the sake of some extra advertising space.

Looking at that screen size - I'd swear it's actually the original matrix screen that was in the previous stand.

So *MAYBE* they have simply stuck the old screen in there for the time being - and come 2006 perhaps they will be ordering two brand new spanking massive full-size screens for the games ??

It's just a thought - in saying that I am also recalling how one of the renders does indeed show the smaller size screen that we have now. So maybe it is futureproofing with no immediate plans..

Time will tell - let's see what they do with the 2nd scoreboard - which unfortunately we will have till early 2006 for.

One of you guys with good contacts at the MCC can surely ring and complain / find out!!

dynamoultraclean

April 6th, 2004, 09:59 AM

I thought that as well A-Brain. Wait until both scoreboards are ready and have 2 scoreboards of the same quality and size and so on. But still, right now I'm hurt :(

zion

April 6th, 2004, 11:12 AM

The big disappointment the outside of new stand. It really looks bland and dated. Though the inside area looks impressive.

They should of stuck with Daryl Jackson's design , to make whole stadium consistant. Jackson's use of horizonal lines, circle port holes and use of concrete its still looks fresh, even it more than 12 years old.

A-brain

April 7th, 2004, 02:33 AM

Oh bollocks to that zion.. the new stand makes the old 'Great' Southern Stand look puny in the extroime !! I love the bigness of it and the huge roof supports... and whats wrong with the outside??

I don't know how you can make a statement that it's 'bland and dated' without it even being finished - what part of the exterior looks to you bland and dated pacificially ???

Part of the character of the G is the fact it's always been a mishmash of grandstand designs from different era's - if we suddenly built it exactly the same all the way around it might end up resembling one of your 'generic' American or Euro 'Mega' Stadiums *yawn*

Nope - the only dissapointment is that bloody scoreboard, and the fact the new capacity is not 110,000 (bugger those larger seats and corporate boxes!!) - and both of those are fixable..

SydneyDude

April 7th, 2004, 05:24 AM

Nope - the only dissapointment is that bloody scoreboard, and the fact the new capacity is not 110,000 (bugger those larger seats and corporate boxes!!) - and both of those are fixable..

What was so important about the capacity reaching the 110,000 mark? :) :runaway:

pisstake

April 7th, 2004, 08:26 AM

zion

April 7th, 2004, 10:28 AM

What I mean't A-brain: Dated meaning they just using white panels. Just cutting three flat rectangle windows out of it (a bit 1960s,) on each protruding sections. You would think architect be more creative, especially for a project of this scale. Such use of curves (e.g. curve protruding terrace windows) to compliment with the roof structure. The roof design, it is dynamic, and looks pretty good, really give the MCG scale. We'll just wait and see.

BigVman

April 7th, 2004, 12:17 PM

Agree with Z re the initial impression of the first gate, but I'm prepared to wait till it's complete. Just lacks a little pizzaz atm imho

Aussie Steve

April 8th, 2004, 01:29 AM

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000330-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000331-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000332-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000333-image.jpg

A-brain

April 8th, 2004, 06:42 AM

Great pics AS - but they're not from this week are they?

I'm pretty sure that last row of seats in the 2nd-to-last bay is now fitting in, and the Vodafone advetising has been in place since Rd.1 of the season?

sirbugalugs

April 8th, 2004, 04:54 PM

What was so important about the capacity reaching the 110,000 mark? :) :runaway:

Nothing to do with what you're hinting at. The MCG still holds the ground record for a sporting contest at 121,000 for the 1970 grand final.

At least if the MCG was built to 110,000 it wouldn't be temporary like another stadium. No need to run away. :)

Cheers.

A-brain

April 9th, 2004, 12:11 AM

Probably the fact that the maximum capacity of 100,000 will still only ever get to about 95-98000 because of members not showing up etc
With a capacity of 110,000 there would be enough room to actually get over 100,000 people at the big events

pt is exactly right - it should be 110,000 because they could then consistently get crowds of 100k+

They will never *ever* get close to 121,000 or even 110,000 the way it is because they strictly limit the amount of extra standing room patrons - unlike the old days when they just packed em in, and even in the seated areas it was G.A. on those wooden bench seats.

What irks me the most is the new stadium appears twice the area of the old - yet because of the wider seats and extra corporoate boxes - the actual capacity is not a single person more..

barneybuck

April 9th, 2004, 01:16 AM

But A-brain it will still be the biggest in Australia by a street and one of the biggest in the world even the new Wembley will only hold 90,000

ciaobellaxo

April 9th, 2004, 04:04 PM

What irks me the most is the new stadium appears twice the area of the old - yet because of the wider seats and extra corporoate boxes - the actual capacity is not a single person more..

Exactly the point I was making a while back Ab, although I made mention that when they allow bums on seats in the entire top deck as the stand is at the moment, I believe the members only have rights to these seats. And we know how reliable the members can be to fill their seats..NOT!! Even when the new stand is completed, the members will have a fair chunk of it. This factor alone will kill any possiblity of the G getting anywhere near 100k. :down:

jacobsian

April 14th, 2004, 02:41 PM

If anyone here is going to a game at the G anytime soon, can they grab some shots of the construction on the wing? Very little info about on what the progress is on stages 3 and 4 :(

ciaobellaxo

April 14th, 2004, 03:20 PM

Seeing as there is a game on at the G on Friday night I'll probably pay the G a visit early in the morning again so should be able to get some shots for everyone then :)

ciaobellaxo

April 16th, 2004, 02:00 PM

Sorry guys, didn't end up going to work today so didn't get any shots of the G. May be going in over the weekend. Will see. Noticed on the footy highlights tonight that the members is coming up quickly.

Aussie Steve

April 17th, 2004, 03:56 AM

Pics from yesterday!
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000338-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000339-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000337-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000336-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000335-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000334-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000333-image.jpg

Philip Burt

April 17th, 2004, 07:12 AM

I know it's a poor quality shot, but this is from last night's match:

http://hyperhealth.customer.netspace.net.au/IMGP0682.JPG

tayser

April 17th, 2004, 07:23 AM

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000336-image.jpg

^^ this is nice to see. That's what I thought the real big downside to the GSS was, the main walkways / arteries are disconnected from the seats, and you're going up and down all the standing room parts, whereas above there's a clear cut walkway that lets you see the game / whatever whilst moving around the stadium - and able to do it easily.

ctarrant

April 17th, 2004, 11:08 AM

my dad reckons the MCG is mecca and is chomping at the bit for it to be finished but I think the Dome is much much better at everything except capacity. :)

ciaobellaxo

April 17th, 2004, 03:17 PM

Nothing wrong with your pic PB! What an awesome and classic shot of the nearly finished section of the new stand! When it's completed I reckon it'll dwarf the GSS.

ctarrant - Welcome aboard! Sorry but I'd have to disagree with you in saying that "...I think the Dome is much much better at everything except capacity." In terms of atmosphere and tradition I would say the G wins hands down. I have been to the Dome and it is too 'American' for my liking. Nothing beats the outside atmosphere, especially with sport, but I won't go into the pros and cons of that as this 'aint a sports forum ;) You're not a magpies supporter by any chance are you?

jacobsian

April 22nd, 2004, 06:50 AM

ciaobellaxo

April 22nd, 2004, 11:20 AM

I'm going to need someone with better eye sight to help me out here.

On the webcam, it appears to me that an additional 2 bays in the top tier have been fitted with seating, and the temporary barrier moved aswell. (can someone verify that for me).

2 more bays now open to public? If it's true, how can they get away with it when the roof above the section still isn't finished? I would have thought there would be a safety issue there?

Also, for a brief moment the bigscreen was operational - it has now been turned off. The screen actually seems larger when there's something displayed on it, so have no fear sport lovers. Woop, it's back on again... hmmm... flashy :)

It's not your eye sight yob. I can't even make out what you're saying about the additional two bays now having seats and the temporary barrier being removed!

As for the screen, I'm sorry to say but it doesn't seem any larger to me :no:

Also, is it just me or is it taking forever for the roof to go on? I seem to remember the decks being assembled a hell of a lot quicker than what the roof is at the moment. Might be just me ;)

Blabbyboy

April 23rd, 2004, 10:49 AM

i can't believe that all that screen space went to bluddy vodafone!!! and it's amazing how stadiums get built so quickly - there's no need to finish up nicely - just pour in the concrete, and off you go!!! but those big trusses are looking too pencil thin and might not stack up against the old, solid looking GSS!!! the words "pin dick" comes to mind.

BigVman

April 24th, 2004, 01:07 AM

Word a month ago was that the screen was due o be up and running for rouund 5. well here we are!

The back panels of the screen are all assembled too which would indicate it's complete.

I'd expect new bays of seating would come online as the roof sections are completed, so there may well be some more bays open this weekend.

CharlieP

April 30th, 2004, 04:27 PM

Bah! I spent ages wishing they'd pan the webcam right to show the next phase under construction, but now they have, and there's not much to see!

ciaobellaxo

May 1st, 2004, 02:41 AM

Yep! Amazing how long it takes to get the foundations in, plus all the time they've been taking off hasn't helped the cause either :rant: Would prefer the webcam stay on the Ponsford section till they started getting some elevation happening in the members section.

A-brain

May 1st, 2004, 03:28 AM

Actually the ground level of the next section is already progressing pretty well, the first few bays appear to the underway!! I'm actually very impressed how quick it took the new Ponsford to go up !!

Adamonline

May 3rd, 2004, 02:21 PM

Our 151 year old baby is progressing along nicely, and soon by Grand Final time 2004 she will produce 80,000 seats. Soon after the Grand Final the whole turf will be torn up and almost three metres of top soil in some parts will be removed and the whole centre pitch will be lowered by 0.75 m. The newly flattened surface will be perfectly flat for this years Boxing Day test. It will be temporarily covered by a thin layer of turf to cover a new flattened base and newly installed drainage. This will last throughout 2005 footy season.

Then immediately after the 2005 GF we will tear up the temporary surface again and lay the whole athetics track. It will be covered over yet again with plastic and temporary turf to last only for the 2005 Boxing Day Test. And after all of that the 2005/06 one day games will be played at Telstra Dome. As the one day games progress the MCG will be readied to host the 2006 Commonwealth Games. People didn't believe me whebn I said that they were going to rip up the ground's surface and start preparations as early as this year. (I was called dick head and sorts of things. Well sorry guys for being being bloody right).

No Athens here ... Ohh no definately not. Melbourne has leant its lesson well. Wind back the clock by 48 years and Melbourne was the Athens of 1956 when the world held it's breath wondering if Melbourne would be ready to host the Games then. Melbourne almost stuffed up it's preparations 48 years ago (but nowhere near as bad as Athens might).

To read more about the total development click here:

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/document/00000213-src.pdf

Lord Melbourne

May 3rd, 2004, 03:54 PM

Welcome back Adam ! :)

revolution

May 3rd, 2004, 05:39 PM

Wasn't he banned? Anyway good to see you back:)

Cornholio

May 4th, 2004, 03:34 AM

Wasn't he banned? Anyway good to see you back:)

No, but good to see him back anyways. Thankx for the MCG info adam.

Blabbyboy

May 4th, 2004, 03:49 AM

welcome back Adamonline. we knew that you couldn't stay off for long.:D :grouphug:

mikeyraw

May 4th, 2004, 04:12 PM

Will the G be hosting the 2005 world cup home qualifier. I hope so, i plan to be travelling to melbourne for it. Its looking fantastic.

BrizzyChris

May 5th, 2004, 08:42 AM

Its been good watching AFL game at the MCG, just to get an update on construction progress for us northerners.

Adamonline

May 5th, 2004, 08:58 AM

I would say that the capacity for this years GF may be a little higher than 80,000. If the whole outer section of stages 3 and 4 are completed in addition to the entire Ponsford section being available, then there may be 85,000 seats available.

The word is that for the Commonwealth Games, the track location has been altered which will give back a lot of seats in the GSS that would have had to have been moved otherwise. The plan now is to only encroach in about three or four rows. We may see capacity at the ComGames closer to 100,000 than first thought. This is all detailed in Version 5 of the development update on the MCG website. It details exactly what is happening both at the end of the 2004 GF and at the end of the 2005 GF.

Favco750

May 16th, 2004, 04:42 PM

The crane over the scoreboard area came down sat night/sun morning

Aussie Steve

May 17th, 2004, 08:53 AM

Friday 14 May 2004
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000344-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000347-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000349-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000351-image.jpg

dynamoultraclean

May 17th, 2004, 09:59 AM

I would've said the new new bit is coming along quite fast, but we are almost half way through the year...

Adamonline

May 17th, 2004, 02:04 PM

The stand is at exactly the stage as what the Ponsford section was last year. With a construction of this sort, much of the work is involved with the preliminary ground work and foundations.

You can guarantee that by the AFL GF that the whole ground level outer will be in place (adding another 7,000 seats) in addition to the whole top deck of the new Ponsford Stand. Capacity will be back at about 80-82,000.

I was in Melbourne earlier today and was quite impressed at the level of construction that has taken place. I was particularly pleased to see the first complete section of the roof that shows quite clearly that half of the new roof will be frosted glass. I took note of the several bays worth of glass that were under construction on the ground adjacent to the new stand near the footbridge as well as another new roof beam in waiting.

It seems that much of the fit out work for the new sections will not be fully done until the new Members Pavilion starts to rise. Another thing that struck me with the new stand is that there is a shite load more glass than the GSS. It will be a very spectacular grand stand when it it is completed.

Adamonline

May 23rd, 2004, 05:03 AM

http://webcam.omni.net.au/OmniCam/Images/t01/F41DC8FCBD/16/w.jpg

It seems that the sixth roof beam is in place and that the roof is now progressing again. Also those sun panels on the glass over the Ponsford entrance would have great potential to have translucent sports images on them in a similar fashion to the Transport Hub pub at Fed Square. The image above shows the fourth crane now firmly in place.

I liked the treatment of the back of the scoreborad and the way that they have painted it a contrasting dark grey. It suits, and the manner that they have blended the flag masts into the board adds surface and style to the structure. It makes the scoreboard look as though it has been designed to blend the two (Southern and Northern Stands). The finished portions really do look impressive.

Aussie Steve

May 24th, 2004, 08:17 AM

I guess they moved the crane from Brunton Ave to the city end of the old Olympic Stand over the weekend.

Favco750

May 29th, 2004, 12:10 PM

At 5pm friday night, the powerpack (engine bit) and some counterweights (the back bits) were being installed into the crane, maybe a couple of counterweights and then the boom (the pointy bit) to go, should be finished early next week.

Aussie Steve

May 31st, 2004, 06:40 AM

http://www.mcg.org.au/webcam/cam1_webcam.jpg

ciaobellaxo

May 31st, 2004, 02:54 PM

^^ Ummm... am I seeing things or is that time in the future??

invincible

June 1st, 2004, 08:54 AM

Yep, the MCG has such advanced technology on its webcam that it can take photos from two hours into the future. :)

Aussie Steve

June 7th, 2004, 04:52 AM

I was at The G on Saturday to watch the Essendon & Hawthorn match and to see the Olympic flame arrive again for the 3rd time. A friend of mine took the following pic with his mobile.

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/7192/Stadium.jpg

I never knew the roof was going to be partially transparent.

bearbrass

June 7th, 2004, 06:09 AM

It looks bloody monstrous in that pic the G is really going to be out of this world when finished.

ciaobellaxo

June 7th, 2004, 10:52 AM

Great shot AS! Looks like they've now got people sitting in the other bays rather than just in front of the scoreboard on the top deck.

If that is the case re the roof being partially transparent, it's going to be rather warmish up the top away from the shady parts. What type of material are they using for it AND what is that hanging down from the roof???

Aussie Steve

June 7th, 2004, 11:03 AM

No, you can only sit in front of teh score board for now. No other section of the top deck is open. There are heavy duty temporary wires holding down the roof.

ciaobellaxo

June 9th, 2004, 01:00 AM

Just having a look at the webcam and the first bay that goes all the way to the roof on the top deck (next to the scoreboard) is really going to be bad for spectators. From this angle of the webcam, even for people who are sitting 3/4 of the way up the top deck, their view of the GSS is going to be blocked by the scoreboard. Bit of bad planning maybe?

lozza

June 9th, 2004, 01:51 AM

Gday

I suppose the roof has to be transparent to allow some sunlight in to grow the grass! hehe ! :grouphug:

Cheers :borg: :rock: :cheers:

Lozza :drunk:

Aussie Steve

June 9th, 2004, 01:59 AM

What is even worse, is that if you are sitting just under the score board in the new stand, you can't see to your right, as the Great Southern Stand is sticking out quite a bit. Oh well! Every stadium has to have some crapy seats!

Adder-Laid

June 10th, 2004, 05:33 PM

ciaobellaxo

June 11th, 2004, 02:41 PM

Guys, I think the aim is for the average Joe to be able to see the entire pitch, not the entire stadium. ;) And yes, it's better for us construction freaks to be able to see the entire stadium, but we're certainly in a minority...

True. Although once the northern stand is complete I reckon the stand will be a tourist attraction itself. It is already looking awesome and we're only about 1/4 completed!

Cornholio

June 12th, 2004, 11:16 AM

No, you can only sit in front of teh score board for now. No other section of the top deck is open. There are heavy duty temporary wires holding down the roof.

Hi guys,

Went past the G on Thursday last, and I saw that the first 3 ‘full’ bays at the top of the new Ponsford stand are almost ready for habitation. The partition has been moved, and I think it could be used in the Queens B’day match.

As for the new construction, the first three bays on the bottom level of the second stage are almost ready (ie has terracing but no seats) and the second level has the next bay in place, with the brackets for the next two bays ready for the concrete.

Cheers.

A-brain

June 13th, 2004, 11:12 AM

I noticed going to the G yesterday that the upper deck of the new stand still has massive white weights hanging from the roof to evidently balance the roof while it's still being constructed - perhaps because not all of the support beams have been properly assembled..

Doubt we will see any occupation until at least these counter-weights have been removed. Also there are the mystery missing cross beams between two sections of the roof arch... I think it will be occupied only when the whole roof of the first section is fully completed..

Should definately be in time for GF though (which won't be featuring the Saints after yesterday's performance :( - happy marko??)

dynamoultraclean

June 13th, 2004, 11:59 AM

My guess is the beams aren't there so cranes can position stuff (I know that can go over the beams but that is less efficient), I don't really know though.

A-brain

June 14th, 2004, 04:33 AM

Bloody hell dyna!! Take's a fresh mind to come up with such simple genius!!

Call my self an engineer (well barely) and can't even figure that out!!

In other words: I reckon your spot on, or at least that's the most plausible explanation I've yet heard.

ciaobellaxo

June 15th, 2004, 04:16 PM

Went past the G on Thursday last, and I saw that the first 3 ‘full’ bays at the top of the new Ponsford stand are almost ready for habitation. The partition has been moved, and I think it could be used in the Queens B’day match.

Judging by the camera shot from the Punt Rd end, there were about four of the full bays occupied! Yes! Progress!! :guns1:

Cornholio

June 16th, 2004, 02:02 AM

Webcam view has changed......lots of progress for stage 2 in focus.

nick_taylor

June 17th, 2004, 01:40 AM

Just doing some research....but does anyone know the accomodation area for the MCG once redeveloped in a couple of years in sq.m????? Cheers :)

Shuzstar

June 17th, 2004, 08:56 AM

i dont know accomodation area but i know its gunna be a helluva lotta people in a tiny spot! 110,000 or something when done was it?

ciaobellaxo

June 17th, 2004, 11:05 AM

May just get over 100,000 with the top deck being higher than that of the GSS. Prior to the reco I do believe the capacity was just under 95,000.

barneybuck

June 17th, 2004, 12:09 PM

May just get over 100,000 with the top deck being higher than that of the GSS. Prior to the reco I do believe the capacity was just under 95,000.

The official crowd for the Adelaide vs St Kilda GF in 1997 was 98,828 so one would think that over the 100K will able to be achieved with the size of the new northern stands.It will also depend how many standing room places are allowed.

barneybuck

June 17th, 2004, 12:14 PM

Also between 1963 and 1983 there was only one GF with less than 100,000 in attendence with the all time record being set in 1970 of 121,696 Carlton vs Collingwood

dynamoultraclean

June 17th, 2004, 12:27 PM

He's talking about the area occupiable in terms of metres squared as opposed to capacity.

nick_taylor

June 17th, 2004, 12:38 PM

^^ - yeah just trying to do a comparison list of actual accomodation area , eg:

New Wembley - 173,000sq.m
Stadium Australia - 100,000sq.m
Stade de France - 70,000sq.m

:cheers:

barneybuck

June 17th, 2004, 12:53 PM

^^ - yeah just trying to do a comparison list of actual accomodation area , eg:

New Wembley - 173,000sq.m
Stadium Australia - 100,000sq.m
Stade de France - 70,000sq.m

:cheers:
What are you classing as accomodation area just the area for spectators(standing and seated) or all avaiable space to the public like bars and corporate boxes and dining areas?

Arunava

June 17th, 2004, 12:56 PM

Try emailing the MCG/MCC at communications@mcc.org.au.

dynamoultraclean

June 17th, 2004, 03:08 PM

My guess would be about 120,000. MCG is bigger than Stadium Australia, and as far as I know Wembly will have the largest dining room in England, or something like that. The MCG definately won't have anything like that. And if someone does email can they post the info for the rest of us please? Hehe, gogo gadget laziness.

Adamonline

June 19th, 2004, 01:43 AM

These are the latest offerings from the MCG website. It clearly shows progress on stages 3 and 4 will be very different to stages 1 and 2. It looks as though the remainder of the ground is to be built bay by bay. They will be starting on the 'Pavilion' bays very soon. Where the photos indicate the dark grey support beams going into place for the first tier. There will only be one more beam or bay (if you like) to be put in place before they actually start to build the new Members Pavilion.

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000359-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000358-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000357-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000356-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000353-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000359-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000361-image.jpg
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000360-image.jpg

mmm_free_wig

June 19th, 2004, 02:07 AM

Excellent pics!! This thing is really moving along now.

bearbrass

June 19th, 2004, 02:26 AM

I wonder what was the reason for not continuing the third tier as in the GSS all the way around the new stands? Or at least as far as the members area.

Adamonline

June 19th, 2004, 02:42 AM

The only practical reason that I can think of as to why they didn't add in the fourth tier was so that the new Members Pavillion (which will have four tiers BTW) would stand out. That was one of the conditions that the members stated when approval was sought from them for the development to go ahead. It seems that many members stated that they wanted the Pavillion to have a distinctive profile from the rest of the stadium.

The new stand isn't perfectly aligned with the older Southern Stand either. To see the two in real life, the bottom row of the top tier of the newer Northern Stand is actually higher than the bottom row of the Southern Stand. There is only about one or two feet in it, but it is certainly noticeable.

plotstyle

June 26th, 2004, 07:26 AM

who can guess whats just starting to be built that will allow better access to the g?

BigVman

June 26th, 2004, 07:35 AM

Dunno.
Are they building the bride from Birarung Mar to the G?

Adamonline

June 26th, 2004, 03:46 PM

That'd be my guess too 'V' man. It has to be started some time, so I guess that now is as good a time as any!

There was an interesting (although recycled old news) item in the Herald Sun during the week that detailed how the big holes (pits) presently being dug where the starting sections of the new Northern Stand are will eventually house two huge underground 'grey water' tanks. This so that there will be sufficient water on hand to always irrigate the ground and to wash down seats etc. This is part of the MCG becoming a 'Green' facility. The water will come directly from storm water and existing irrigation systems in the ground. I imagine that they will try to have the system up and running by late 2005 when the new surface is finally in place. The whole ground will be de-surfaced and levelled in October this year to have new pipes and irrigation systems as well as the athletics track foundations put in place.

I'm pretty sure that i have said this before and that nobody believed me, but rest assured that this is the plan.

plotstyle

June 27th, 2004, 03:11 AM

right on the money!

Aussie Steve

June 28th, 2004, 03:01 AM

http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/news/newbridge.jpg

http://www.butterpaper.com/assets/othersites/birbridge.jpg

barneybuck

June 28th, 2004, 10:29 AM

Heres the latest.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/27/1088274626584.html
MCG in race to be ready
By Chloe Saltau
Darwin
June 28, 2004

The Melbourne Cricket Club faces an enormous challenge to have the MCG ready for this year's Boxing Day Test, needing to tear up the entire ground, build half of the Commonwealth Games running track and resurface the field between the end of football and the Test.

Determined for the Melbourne Test between Australia and Pakistan to be played at its traditional home during preparations for the 2006 games, the club will begin the ambitious project the day after the AFL grand final. It has promised Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia it will be completed 10 days before Boxing Day.

"They would need to know in early December if they were going to have to move the Test match but we will know much earlier how we're tracking," said MCC arenas general manager Tony Ware, who is in Darwin overseeing preparation of the Marrara wicket for this week's first Test against Sri Lanka.

The MCC, Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria are all confident the deadline will be met. The only other stadium in Melbourne approved for international cricket is Telstra Dome, which will host a one-day international between Australia and New Zealand on December 5.

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Ware admitted the schedule was tight but said there were back-up plans to make up for lost time if necessary.

"It's not tight for just the ground reconstruction, but we're also doing a lot of the Commonwealth Games work as well so it's really two projects running in parallel and, yeah, it's a tight project. We have got contingencies, we can run double shifts and all those sorts of things so we think we're OK with that," he said.

The work, which will coincide with the demolition of the last part of the Northern Stand, will include a full ground excavation and reconfiguration to make the MCG completely flat in readiness for the Games - at present it has a slight dome shape for drainage purposes.

About $800,000 worth of material will be installed underneath through which electrical timing devices and data cables will be laid for the athletics track. By the summer of 2005-06, cricket will be played on a field with a running track underneath.

The grass for the Boxing Day Test is being grown near Yea in country Victoria and will be rolled out over layers of crushed rock and sand, and a portable cricket pitch will be installed for the Test.

"We've got so much work to do, we can't fit all that work into one summer. We still want to have our Test matches at the MCG, so we have to split the work up into portions," Ware said.

"It's a huge project. But we're making sure we've got everything covered, making sure everything's achievable and we've thought through all the issues. Where you run into trouble in a project like this is when you get halfway through and a big chunk of work no one's ever considered arises, but we know exactly what's happening."

The MCC's contract is with Cricket Victoria but Cricket Australia is, naturally, an interested party. "The MCG (redevelopment) project has been going really well and we're pretty confident that the Boxing Day Test will be played at the 'G," a Cricket Australia spokesman said.

Cricket Victoria chief executive Ken Jacobs said he would receive weekly progress reports and expected the ground to be ready for the Test. "The club has given us an assurance that the working program has been examined really closely to ensure there is enough time," he said.

"There is a little bit of leeway but at the same time it is a really tight timeframe. We are quite confident about things."

Ware said lessons had been learnt from the MCG's reconfiguration in 1991, and the wet weather that caused a setback then would not be a problem this time.

"When we start to build back up over the drainage layer, it can rain all it likes, we just keep working through the rain," he said. "By November 1 we will be comfortably able to say, yes, we're on schedule, or we're two weeks late, how are we going to make up that two weeks? Then we'll work through it."

The next stage of Games preparation will take place between next year's grand final and Boxing Day 2005, when the top layer will be removed again and replaced with asphalt, over which the rubber tracks and long-jump and high-jump run-ups will be built.

A cricket field will be rolled out over the running track for the Test and then removed again, with the stadium to be handed over by February 14, 2006.

Adamonline

June 28th, 2004, 02:12 PM

He .. he .. he ...

Good to see that Chloe Saltau is keeping up with current events from Darwin ... (six months ago). I am positive that this information has been around for a while. Ahh well ... after all, I guess that Mondays are slow days for any other news apart from footy stories (that comprises 50% of the winter papers normally) for the Age and Herald Sun.

I am certain that the Herald Sun published this exact same story six months ago. Under a similar featured articale that was attempting to engender some kind of panic????

They make it sound like it is urgent, crikey ... F#@# me!!! The whole thing is under control. The MCG is being redeveloped in carefully timed stages. Progress may seem slower than we'd all like but it is being paced for a reason and you can bet your bottom dollar that it is being paced for monetary reasons. There is no advantage to either the MCC or the AFL to have bulldozed the whole Northern and Western sections completely and to redevelop the ground simultaneously over a continuous 18 month period since Oct 2002. Yes the thing would have been near finished by now, but at what longer term cost in lost revenue from nil gate takings over an 18 month period for both the AFL and the MCC? The ground only has to hold an 80,000 plus crowd on a few ocassions during the year. Would this warrant closing the ground down altogether over an 18 month period? Of course not. The MCC and the AFL are happy to accept some compromises on capacity and playing surface conditions in the short term for the longer term good. There are no losers here except the silly bugger journalists fishing for a bullshit story to put in a Monday paper.

Digging up the turf and relaying it is barely a challenge in this day and age. The MCC and MCG are bloody experts at it. They will do the ground redevelopment standing on their heads. This includes both the grand stands and the playing surface. For more real information forumers should visit the MCC website it has had all of this exact same information promulgated for the last 18 months.

MCG Arena Redevelopment (http://www.mcg.org.au/default.asp?pg=redevelopmentdisplay&articleid=1366)

ciaobellaxo

July 4th, 2004, 02:18 AM

Just had a look at the MCG webcam and thankfully they've now zoomed in the shot (for the view of the members area)! Haven't really had the chance to check it out over the last week or so. Don't know about everyone else but it was damn near impossible for me to make out anything in the members area. I'm happy now :D

BTW, what's happened to the smilie page? Is it just me or are half of them missing (red X's appearing instead)

Blabbyboy

July 4th, 2004, 04:11 AM

that bridge looks pretty good and fits well into the birrarrung marr structural plan! pity they're not roofing the railyards, though - that's the big challenge!

ciaobellaxo

July 4th, 2004, 04:36 AM

http://www.butterpaper.com/assets/othersites/birbridge.jpg

Gee I'm pretty observant aren't I? Didn't even realise this pic has the new northern stand as being completed :doh:

BigVman

July 4th, 2004, 11:10 AM

Well that' a different alignment to the previous sproposal I've seen. The first example going over the tenning courts to virtually join up with the tennis centre bridge never looked feasible to me. This looks better.

But has work actually started and where? I haven't noticed it.

tayser

July 4th, 2004, 11:32 AM

I actually like that bridge - it's a direct line between Flinders Street / Fed Square / Princes Bridge and the stadium. Looks like there might be room for a tram terminus (another one!) underneath it too

chrisaus

July 4th, 2004, 11:39 AM

any plans for that land in the bottom left hand side of the pic?

plotstyle

July 4th, 2004, 11:44 AM

becton put forward a crap proposal... they should leave it for 5 or ten years if they do anything there it should be a some thing that has never been done before and is unique

Aussie Steve

July 5th, 2004, 02:34 AM

Part of the redevelopment of this bridge includes an upgrade of the tram stop as well.

Aussie Steve

July 5th, 2004, 06:56 AM

I was at the MCG on Saturday and you can clearly see the new members section of the new northern stand under construction.

These pics were taken on Saturday July 3 see MCG (www.mcg.org.au).

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000363-image.jpg

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000362-image.jpg

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000365-image.jpg

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000364-image.jpg

BigVman

July 5th, 2004, 07:56 AM

Yep,

the middle (members) section is starting to go. I reckon we'll be seeing a bay a week type of action and there'll be a wall of concrete in time for the finals.

ciaobellaxo

July 5th, 2004, 03:03 PM

The more I see the new stand progressing the more I'm impressed (except for that bloody scoreboard!) And boy is the members section coming along nicely. I must get down there and get some happy snaps.

A-brain

July 6th, 2004, 02:25 AM

Holy shiza they're already onto the Top Deck of the middle stage!!!

I thought we'd have to put up with seeing 1/3rd of a stand by itself for another 3-4 months at least - but clearly looks like they've changed strategy on the mid-section and finishing each complete bay to the top as soon as possible - rather than do entire levels all the way around at a time..

Great stuff!! Can't wait to get to the G on Sunday to watch the Saints stuff up again and check out the progress..

Cornholio

July 7th, 2004, 04:18 AM

The webcam @ the MCG is out of focus and skewiff - looks like it is pointed towards the scoreboard @ the olympic stand end........how do we get them to fix it?

On the train yesterday, I noticed that the steel support for the next bay in the top tier is in place. Only 3 to go and the new ponsford stand will be finished.

dynamoultraclean

July 7th, 2004, 04:39 AM

Does anyone know if they've designed a dressing room for the cricketers, like the old one in the Ponsford stand? This is so they don't have to sit underground in the footy changing rooms...

jacobsian

July 8th, 2004, 05:30 AM

All day they've been adding the final pieces to the remaining unfinished roof structure. It took them about an hour to get nearly the whole last roof section complete, bar the very tip of it, and I think they're now working on the second last. With any luck, it should be a couple of weeks before, with roof in tact, the final bays of seating in the new stand are installed.

Has anyone managed a count on how many of the lower bays are now finished (as in the concrete terracing)? I think i've counted around 4 bays completed, with that mould thing still working on the steps of a further 3 bays or so, and 3 bays of the middle tier above completed. The work on the new ponsford had 9 full bays of the lower bowl terracing complete by the beginning of the finals series, yielding 8,000 new seats. I'd say they're a bit behind on getting the current terracing done, compared to last year, however they're making significantly more progress on the middle tier when compared to July photos of last year.

3 July 04: - 4 bays of terracing done
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000362-image.jpg

7 July 03: - 5 bays of terracing done,
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000183-image.jpg

http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000181-image.jpg

20 August 03: - here we see that the progress they had made on the middle tier was at about the stage that has been achieved by beginning of July this year, so definitely a couple of months head start there.
http://www.mcg.org.au/content/photogalleryitem/00000195-image.jpg

The middle tier could not be used until the top tier was in place, so perhaps with this advanced move towards getting the top tier structure in place, they're aiming to have the middle tier habitable for this year's finals as well? That would probably, at a guess, yield an extra 2,000 seats.

*edit* - a massive chunk of roof is being lowered into place right as I type this, the farthest bay to the right is going to have a complete roof very soon, now for the second last bay to have the roof done.

*edit edit* - more roof chunk on the way, the whole damn thing could be done today :D