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Re: Western Bulldogs hope Ballarat clash persuades state government to boost Eureka Stadium’s capacity
No you're rewriting history again 
Eureka Stadium was never going to ever be built to anything beyond 20,000. David Smorgan (when he was Bulldogs President) first touted the idea of building a 15,000 seat boutique ground in Melbourne 13 years ago and he was laughed at by the Melbourne press. But around the same time in 2005 the first rumblings emerged about developing Eureka as an alternate AFL venue. The idea gathered serious momemtum when Australia first talked about hosting the soccer World Cup and part of the conditions to win the World Cup was that the host country has to have 15 stadiums capable of seating 40,000. Victoria offered up the MCG, Etihad, Simonds Stadium and also have allowed for AMII Park to be able to be expanded in its design to hold 40,000 if needed.
All of this would of course throw the AFL competition into a dilema because every major AFL capable stadium in the country from the SCG and Olympic Park in Sydney, the Adelaide Oval, the Perth Stadium and the Gabba would be off limits for six weeks in the middle of footy season. At the time the AFL did seriously look at alternative venues if a World Cup bid did eventuate. This would have meant for six weeks games would have been played at the Gold Coast, perhaps Subiaco, Darwin, Cairns, Hobart, Launceston, Princess Park and suddenly Ballarat shot onto their radar. In 2010 the Brumby government proposed building a 15,000 seat (20,000) capacity ground in Ballarat as part of their election bid. North Melbourne and the AFL stated that they would only back it once it was built and offered no guarantees of playing in Ballarat unless a stadium was already built. However, after the 2012 NAB cup game in front of record crowd at Eureka Stadium, the Bulldogs announced their interest in AFL games in Ballarat.
North Melbourne had been associated with Ballarat through the North Ballarat Roosters VFL team between 2006 to 2015 and had built up a big support base in Ballarat. We were all surprised when the local council pulled the rug from under them. Eugene Arocca was said to be livid by the decision because both North Ballarat FC and the Roos had shared a very mutually successful association that gave the North Ballarat Roosters 3 VFL Premierships, and offered North Melbourne a strong Reserves base as well as a training facility that was light years ahead of the mess that was at Arden Street at the time.
North wanted it redeveloped to a 25,000 capacity, without that commitment they chose Tassie. They did have commitment from John Brumby in the 2010 state election, but Ted Baillieu got in
We're doing all this community work with only an 11,000 capacity signed off. Melbourne-based supporters will sell that out and prevent the locals from getting a ticket
We're doing all this community work with only an 11,000 capacity signed off. Melbourne-based supporters will sell that out and prevent the locals from getting a ticket
Eureka Stadium was never going to ever be built to anything beyond 20,000. David Smorgan (when he was Bulldogs President) first touted the idea of building a 15,000 seat boutique ground in Melbourne 13 years ago and he was laughed at by the Melbourne press. But around the same time in 2005 the first rumblings emerged about developing Eureka as an alternate AFL venue. The idea gathered serious momemtum when Australia first talked about hosting the soccer World Cup and part of the conditions to win the World Cup was that the host country has to have 15 stadiums capable of seating 40,000. Victoria offered up the MCG, Etihad, Simonds Stadium and also have allowed for AMII Park to be able to be expanded in its design to hold 40,000 if needed. All of this would of course throw the AFL competition into a dilema because every major AFL capable stadium in the country from the SCG and Olympic Park in Sydney, the Adelaide Oval, the Perth Stadium and the Gabba would be off limits for six weeks in the middle of footy season. At the time the AFL did seriously look at alternative venues if a World Cup bid did eventuate. This would have meant for six weeks games would have been played at the Gold Coast, perhaps Subiaco, Darwin, Cairns, Hobart, Launceston, Princess Park and suddenly Ballarat shot onto their radar. In 2010 the Brumby government proposed building a 15,000 seat (20,000) capacity ground in Ballarat as part of their election bid. North Melbourne and the AFL stated that they would only back it once it was built and offered no guarantees of playing in Ballarat unless a stadium was already built. However, after the 2012 NAB cup game in front of record crowd at Eureka Stadium, the Bulldogs announced their interest in AFL games in Ballarat.
North Melbourne had been associated with Ballarat through the North Ballarat Roosters VFL team between 2006 to 2015 and had built up a big support base in Ballarat. We were all surprised when the local council pulled the rug from under them. Eugene Arocca was said to be livid by the decision because both North Ballarat FC and the Roos had shared a very mutually successful association that gave the North Ballarat Roosters 3 VFL Premierships, and offered North Melbourne a strong Reserves base as well as a training facility that was light years ahead of the mess that was at Arden Street at the time.
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