New proposal for AFL games in Ballarat

[comrade]

I think we are onto a winner there. Regional Victoria just got a whole lot more attractive for people.

As a Ballarat resident, I fear the influx we're going to cop in the next 12-18 months.

[Grantysghost]

As a Ballarat resident, I fear the influx we're going to cop in the next 12-18 months.

You might be right. Plus there's the new govhub being built on Armstrong st. so you'll likely get an influx of state government workers. Great South American restaurant there

[comrade]

You might be right. Plus there's the new govhub being built on Armstrong st. so you'll likely get an influx of state government workers. Great South American restaurant there

Which one?

[Grantysghost]

Which one?

Pancho I think...? Very good.

[comrade]

Pancho I think...? Very good.

Same restaurateur owns Pancho and Meigas across the road from it in Armstrong St. Both are incredible.

I go to Meigas each year for my birthday.

[LostDoggy]

The latest works will see new covered entrances with permanent ticketing check-in and security points at Gates 1 and 2 (top left and top right of the stadium above respectively). New stair ways are being built to feed spectators directly onto the hill from Gate 2. New permanent toilet blocks are replacing those dreaded portaloos to at the Southern end of the Stadium (top right of shot). I'm not sure how much of the grassed portion of the hill we are losing to the new concrete terracing, but the concrete should make standing less wet and more comfortable. Not sure if they are expanding the hill in some way or if there are to be semi-permanent awnings going over parts of it. But the changes being made at the ground are about addressing the niggly shortcomings and finer points that could not be completed within the first stage budget or construction time constraints back in 2017. So expect better permanent canteens, improved standing terrace, quicker and more comfortable checking in facilities and permanent toilets.

We shouldn't expect any announcements on new stand construction at Mars Stadium until at least 2022 (at my guess) because by then GMHBA Stadium's new 14,000 seat stand will be completed and the Andrews Government will enter their 2022 State election mode. Around that time, the Club will have likely re-negotiated their terms for staying at Ballarat until 2028 agreeing to play two games per-year and an AFLW game per-season. The Club will no doubt clearly signal their desire for seating capacity to be increased as part of the conditions for extending their contract.

My guess is that by 2025, Mars Stadium will have about 10,000 seats concentrated mainly around the Western and Southern (Scoreboard end) boundaries, the Eastern Stand (near Gate 1) will likely be extended rearward by 12-15 rows, and the hill will remain half concreted and half grassed.

[josie]

Having sat in stadium area, bottom right under big roof, gotta say it is the best overall view of any footy ground I’ve been too. Close to action yet could see everything. (I have also sat with cheer squad and found the cold conditions much more inhospitable when it is rainy and cold there).

[jeemak]

Government funding for election benefits.......Sedat's response (which is completely rational, I'm just wanting to lol):

[LostDoggy]

Government funding for election benefits is how stadiums get built. Rockhamption is crazilly about to get two separate 10,000 capacity rugby stadiums (one funded by the Qld State ALP government, the other by the Federal Liberal government) as promises from the recent Qld State election. It's how Townsville secured $250 million for its 25,000 capacity rugby stadium. Bendigo got a 4000 seat basketball arena, Ballarat its new 3000 capacity Sports and Events Centre and Regional Soccer facility.

In Victoria our stadium developments are now linked to the State Government's "Major Stadia Strategy Plan" released in 2018 where they outlined visions and priorities for designated stadiums including Whitten Oval and Mars Stadium. The plans all exist but their announcements are ALL linked to political timing (Bang for Buck election announcements). VUWO will recieve priority to fund a permanent video scoreboard, TV broadcast lighting and upgrades to player facilities to make it an AFLW hub.

In early 2018 Mars Sadium underwent a $500,000 state governent funded study by Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC) to determine the priority, scale and most importantly the timing of future development works. The report was submitted to the Ballarat Council in August 2018 and they submitted it's recommendations back to State Government just before the last State election. In Sept 2018 the Premier announced a modest $6.6 million spend to address the quick fixes identified as significant shortcomings at Mars Stadium by 2021. The big items also outlined in the PWC report included a doubling of seating and a major boost to the lighting. The estimated costs being $17.5 mil and $4 mil respectively. One can almost see Dan Andrews standing at Mars Stadium in August 2022 with Peter Gordon, the Member for Wendouree and Ballarat Mayor at his side touting the recent $6.6 mil upgrades, the re-signing of the WBFC out to 2028 and committing to the next round of $22 mil upgrades after the Nov 22 Election.

Of course increasing capacity by 50-60% is the easy bit. But now where are the additional 5-6000 patrons going to park or how are they to be ferried from and to Ballarat Station (2.7 km away)? The PWC report probably recommended constructing an events day train platform across Creswick Road. Sounds easy enough, but this would need to include a nearby railway siding, signalling and works to build either a pedestrian crossing, subway under or footbridge over Creswick Road. Suddenly, we are talking at least another several mil.

[bornadog]

Government funding for election benefits is how stadiums get built.Rockhamption is crazilly about to get two separate 10,000 capacity rugby stadiums (one funded by the Qld State ALP government, the other by the Federal Liberal government) as promises from the recent Qld State election. It's how Townsville secured $250 million for its 25,000 capacity rugby stadium.

In Victoria our stadium developments are linked to the State Government's "Major Stadia Strategy Plan" released in 2018 where they outlined visions and priorities for designated stadiums including Whitten Oval and Mars Stadium. VUWO will recieve priority to fund a permanent video scoreboard, TV broadcast lighting and upgrades to player facilities to make it an AFLW hub. In early 2018 Mars Sadium underwent a $500,000 study by Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC) to determine the priority, scaleand timing of future developent works. The report was submitted to the Ballarat Council in August 2018 and they submitted it's recommendations to State Government just before the last State election. In Sept 2018 the Premier announced a modest $6.6 million spend to address the quick fixes identified as significant shortcomings at Mars Stadium by 2021. The big items also outled in the PWC report included a doubling of seating and a major boost to the lighting. The estimated costs being $17.5 mil and $4 mil respectively.

Of course increasing capacity by 50-60% is the easy bit. But now where are the additional 5-6000 patrons going to park or how are they to be ferried from and to Ballarat Station (2.7 km away)? The PWC report probably recommended constructing an events day train platform across Creswick Road. Sounds easy enough, but this would need to include a nearby railway siding, signalling and works to build either a pedestrian crossing, subway under or footbridge over Creswick Road. Suddenly, we are talking at least another several mil.

I just hope we get our share for Whitten Oval in this coming budget.

[LostDoggy]

I reckon the next big spend at Whitten will be for the new lights. Likely in my estimation to be very very similar to the new ones at Frankstons Skybus Oval.

[bornadog]

Yes, the lights need to be upgraded for TV quality, especially for AFLW games.

I know the club has put forward a proposal to the State Government for funding to redevelop the ground. One of the priorities is the training centre. The club wants to extend the centre so that it is longer and able to give the boys goal kicking practise indoors and better game simulation.

Other measures are to realign the playing surface,plus develop the ground on the parcel of land gifted at the railway end.

[LostDoggy]

Having sat in stadium area, bottom right under big roof, gotta say it is the best overall view of any footy ground I’ve been too. Close to action yet could see everything. (I have also sat with cheer squad and found the cold conditions much more inhospitable when it is rainy and cold there).

Where the cheer squad are normally located is in the 8-row Eastern Stand. One of the future building options is to remove the existing roof, remove the back walls and extend the stand rearward with a new cantilevered roof so that it mirrors the Eureka Stand. The steel uprights on the existing Eastern and Northern Stand roof are exactly the same steel size and type that supports the first nine rows on the Eureka Stand. That's no accident, the architects (Peddle Thorp) designed it so that they could be cut down and have the supports for the new additional concrete rows welded or bolted straight on. Nicholson Constructions (the Stage 1 builders) also did a lot of preparatory work with drainage, electrical services and foundations in order to allow for a quicker and affordable future build.

Nicholson's are among the best and currently have contracts to build the new gateways, canteens, toilets and to manage the upgrade of the main hill. They at least know where every drain, conduit, nut and bolt is in the stadium. They'll do a great job.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Yes, the lights need to be upgraded for TV quality, especially for AFLW games.

I know the club has put forward a proposal to the State Government for funding to redevelop the ground. One of the priorities is the training centre. The club wants to extend the centre so that it is longer and able to give the boys goal kicking practise indoors and better game simulation.

Other measures are to realign the playing surface,plus develop the ground on the parcel of land gifted at the railway end.

Wouldn't it be great if the ground got to this point and the AFL ticked it off for one match a year (likely against low pulling opposition such as GC/GWS/Freo.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

The latest works will see new covered entrances with permanent ticketing check-in and security points at Gates 1 and 2 (top left and top right of the stadium above respectively). New stair ways are being built to feed spectators directly onto the hill from Gate 2. New permanent toilet blocks are replacing those dreaded portaloos to at the Southern end of the Stadium (top right of shot). I'm not sure how much of the grassed portion of the hill we are losing to the new concrete terracing, but the concrete should make standing less wet and more comfortable. Not sure if they are expanding the hill in some way or if there are to be semi-permanent awnings going over parts of it. But the changes being made at the ground are about addressing the niggly shortcomings and finer points that could not be completed within the first stage budget or construction time constraints back in 2017. So expect better permanent canteens, improved standing terrace, quicker and more comfortable checking in facilities and permanent toilets.

We shouldn't expect any announcements on new stand construction at Mars Stadium until at least 2022 (at my guess) because by then GMHBA Stadium's new 14,000 seat stand will be completed and the Andrews Government will enter their 2022 State election mode. Around that time, the Club will have likely re-negotiated their terms for staying at Ballarat until 2028 agreeing to play two games per-year and an AFLW game per-season. The Club will no doubt clearly signal their desire for seating capacity to be increased as part of the conditions for extending their contract.

My guess is that by 2025, Mars Stadium will have about 10,000 seats concentrated mainly around the Western and Southern (Scoreboard end) boundaries, the Eastern Stand (near Gate 1) will likely be extended rearward by 12-15 rows, and the hill will remain half concreted and half grassed.

Love standing on the grassed area. More traditional so would hate to lose it to more concrete.