Barnett confirms new stadium for soccer World Cup
CHALPAT SONTI
December 9, 2009 - 1:53PM Comments 4
http://images.watoday.com.au/2009/08...oval-200x0.jpg Premier will rebuild Subiaco Oval if WA hosts the World Cup.
Colin Barnett has promised a completely new stadium will be built on the site of Subiaco Oval if Australia wins the hosting rights to the 2018 or 2022 soccer World Cup.
The State Government will reveal the plans - which will be centred around a progressive rebuild of the existing Subiaco stadium - in about 12 months' time.
Mr Barnett told Radio 6PR's Simon Beaumont that a progressive rebuild - where the stadium is demolished a section at a time and rebuilt - would involve a greater spend than the recently announced $450 million Adelaide Oval revamp.
But it would cost much less than the $1 billion the former Labor government proposed to outlay for a new stadium at Kitchener Park.
"As part of that (World Cup bid) Western Australia has made a commitment we will have a FIFA compliant stadium should we win the World Cup," Mr Barnett said.
"We will at some stage, probably in about 12 months time, come out with our plans for a rebuild of Subiaco."
However, unlike Adelaide, any new stadium would not accommodate AFL and cricket.
The rebuilt stadium would need to have a capacity of more than 50,000 "and probably over 60,000 if we want to get a semi-final", Mr Barnett said.
He also held out hope for proponents of a larger special-purpose rectangular stadium for rugby union and soccer.
Mr Barnett recently visited Skilled Stadium on the Gold Coast - home of National Rugby League side Gold Coast Titans and the A-League's Gold Coast United - and said that ground's 27,000 capacity was similar to what was required here.
The present revamp of ME Bank Stadium will still leave that ground with a capacity of just 20,500.
http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/socc...1209-kjkj.html
Colin Barnett reveals plan to rebuild Subiaco Oval for World Cup stadium
Colin Barnett reveals plan to rebuild Subiaco Oval for World Cup stadium
Yasmine Phillips From: PerthNow December 09, 2009 5:54PM
REVAMP: A progressive rebuild of Subiaco Oval would be Perth's best option for hosting soccer World Cup games, Premier Colin Barnett says. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: PerthNow
PREMIER Colin Barnett has revealed he wants to demolish Subiaco Oval and build a new stadium so Perth can host some soccer World Cup games in 2018 or 2022.
Hinting the State Government might be forced to make a decision earlier than expected, Mr Barnett told 6PR radio this morning that he would "come out with our commitments and plans for a rebuilt Subiaco" in about 12 months.
"Now one of the things that’s going on at the moment is, Australia is making a bid for the World Cup Soccer, and as part of that Western Australia has made a commitment that we will have a FIFA, which is their football association internationally, a FIFA compliant stadium should we win the World Cup," he said.
"So it will happen, and we will probably end up spending a lot more than $450 million. Now that will probably be a progressive rebuild of Subiaco, and by a rebuild, I mean complete demolition and rebuilding an entirely new stadium.
"That’s, I think, the way the state can afford it. You know, you can do it in stages... Adelaide’s doing a progressive rebuild of Adelaide Oval, they’re not going out and building an entirely new stadium, they’re building it section by section," he said.
Mr Barnett said he expected WA's new stadium to seat more than 50,000 people, in order to comply with FIFA's requirements for hosting a World Cup game. Semi-finals would require seating for more than 60,000, he said.
A major step looms this month in bidding for the 2018 and 2022 world cups, with FIFA requiring candidates to legally guarantee that a bid will meet its requirements.
WA Minister for Sport and Recreation Terry Waldron had previously said the guarantee would mean an upgrade of Subiaco Oval or a new stadium.
However it has emerged the Government would need to provide further details by May next year.
The Football Federation of Australia is required to compile a Bid Book in May, outlining the more comprehensive details of Australia's World Cup proposal.
``Basically, what's needed by December is a commitment to having a FIFA-compliant stadium or stadia. Then in May 2010 we submit the Bid Book, which outlines further details,'' a spokesman for Australia's bid said in September.
``There has to be a further commitment (from WA) by May.
``But if they're committing to having a FIFA-compliant stadium, if we're successful with the bid, then that's all that's needed by December.''
With staff writers
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/west...-1225808805034
New stadium needed regardless of World Cup
TIM CLARKE
December 10, 2009 - 7:10AM
Comments 1
The Barnett Government needs to commit to rebuilding Subiaco Oval regardless of whether Australia is successful in bidding to host soccer's World Cup.
That's the view of the State's football bosses as they prepare to hand over their latest $450 million stadium blueprint within days.
Premier Colin Barnett yesterday gave a huge boost to the WA Football Commission's case for Subiaco Oval remaining the state's home of football, saying the prospect of the 2018 or 2022 World Cups coming to Australia would be the catalyst for a "world class" stadium in Perth.
To be in with a shot of hosting knock-out World Cup games, a revamped Subiaco Oval would have to seat at least 60,000 people.
WAFC chief executive Wayne Bradshaw said the Government should go further and commit to a rebuild regardless of the success of the FFA's bid to bring the world game's showpiece down under.
"The soccer World Cup does present an opportunity, but we want to have a stadium developed irrespective of whether the soccer World Cup bid is successful or not," Bradshaw said.
"I think it is an accepted fact that a new stadium is required in Perth. It is not a matter of if a new stadium is developed, it is when, and what."
The WAFC is putting the finishing touches to its latest plans for Subiaco Oval and will present them to the Government before Christmas, with the potential hurdle of Roberts Road and the surrounding areas the major sticking point.
The recently unveiled plans for a staged rebuild of Adelaide Oval are expected to see football and cricket in South Australia played in the one venue, and Mr Barnett said that model was the way the State could afford a new sporting centerpiece.
"At some stage, probably in about 12 months time, we will come out with our commitments and plans for a rebuilt Subiaco Oval," Mr Barnett told radio 6PR.
"That is the way I think this State can afford it, you can do it in stages.
"Australia is making a bid for the World Cup soccer, and as part of that we have said we will have a FIFA-compliant stadium.
"It will happen, and we will probably end up spending more than $450 million – it will probably be a progressive rebuild.
"And by a rebuild I mean a complete demolition and rebuild an entirely new stadium."
Mr Bradshaw said the comments, while increasing hopes of sporting fans, were no real leap forward.
"My reading is that he is sticking with the same position ... and that is I will tell you what we are going to do in a year's time," he said.
"He has always favoured a rebuild as far as we can tell, it does not rule out a new stadium totally."
And Bradshaw also warned that any rebuild would bring obvious disruption to fans in the short term.
"Clearly under any stadium development of the Subiaco site there is going to be disruption ... and it is our job to mitigate those impacts," Bradshaw said.
"There will be some impacts, we have just got to make the best we can during that process.
"If during the course of that process there is some pain for members, then unfortunately that is a by-product of the end result which will be an outstanding facility."
http://www.watoday.com.au/afl/afl-ne...1209-kk34.html
