On 30/04/2025 at 23:43, Red and Bluebeard said:

Eddie McMouth

LOL. Does he ever stop talking on Footy Classified?

the mrc sounds like absolute chaos

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/racing/best-to-move-on-melbourne-racing-club-s-shock-call-to-remove-ceo-20250609-p5m62y.html

Melbourne has switched sites for its in the latest twist to its decade-long search for a new home.

The Herald Sun can reveal the Demons have binned plans to construct a facility on the south-western wedge of the Caulfield precinct in favour of a new area in the south-eastern corner of the reserve.

Artists' impression of the Melbourne Football Club plans for new headquarters at Caulfield racecourse.

The club is desperate for a new headquarters to help restore its reputation as a destination club for new recruits amid increasing frustrations about the shared arrangement between AAMI Park, the MCG and Casey Fields which splits up club staff, players and coaches.

In September last year, Melbourne publicly released designs for a new training and administration facility on the south-western side alongside Booran Rd which would be connected to two ovals on the inside of the track as well as community sporting facilities.

But those plans have been secretly pushed aside after the club was surprised by the potential $195 million sale of a parcel of adjoining land to Mt Scopus Memorial College which has complicated matters.

In recent months, Melbourne has since quietly set its sights on a new area and new plans in the south-eastern corner of the precinct close to Neerim Road and Queens Ave.

The club would not comment on the site switch on Monday as it strives to maintain support from key stakeholders for the major project which remains about four or five years away at best.

The club is hopeful the new site will deliver a bigger and better result for the Demons, but the overall project still hinges on receiving significant financial support from the cash-strapped State Government.

Melbourne’s new facility is tipped to cost between $80 – $100 million which could be split 50-50 between the club’s own cash reserves (and donor pledges), and government money.

Artists' impression of the Melbourne Football Club plans for new headquarters at Caulfield racecourse.

But it remains a difficult time to secure funds for sporting projects, leaving the Demons at risk of being left behind by rivals across the country who have undergone significant upgrades in recent times.

Melbourne officials are firm in the belief they currently have the AFL’s worst facilities, but still overcame any disadvantage winning the 2021 premiership.

Club bosses remain confident the project will be ticked-off with strong AFL support in-line with rival club’s new facilities such as Hawthorn’s new home at Dingley and Western Bulldogs’ $78 million redevelopment at Whitten Oval.

Former chief executive Gary Pert, who remains as a consultant to the project, said last year a new “magnificent, state of the art” high performance centre was a much-needed development.

“We’re acknowledged at a government level and by the AFL that we’re clearly on the bottom of the ladder for facilities,” Pert said.

“If I was to talk to anyone at the AFL and say, ‘I’ll meet you tomorrow at the Melbourne footy club,’ basically you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about because we’re in three, four, five different locations.”

Melbourne training at Gosch’s Paddock. Picture: David Caird

Melbourne is hopeful its business case on the new site will be complete by the end of the year amid what the club says is broad support from local residents for the project.

However, Melbourne Racing Club chairman John Kanga last year said some locals were against it due to the impact on a dog walking area.

“They (Demons) are also looking at using the inside (track) area for professional sporting fields … (but) we need to also remember and be conscious that it is a public reserve for the residents,” Kanga said.

“We, and me, personally use that dog park, and it is a very, very important aspect of community life.

“They don’t want to see it taken away, and neither do I.”

Melbourne is adamant there will be no impact to dog walking areas and will only improve community sporting facilities for residents.

dog walking track, geez some people have to much time and money on their hands to be worrying about that

Outrage over a dog walking track causing the cancelation of a decade long plan to build a desperately needed HQ for the oldest football club in the world would be the most MFC thing ever.

1 minute ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

Outrage over a dog walking track causing the cancelation of a decade long plan to build a desperately needed HQ for the oldest football club in the world would be the most MFC thing ever.

Caufield has certainly not been in the works for a decade. Every chance the project gets undone by NIMBYs unfortunately. That's the risk we've taken by trying to build this in such a contentious space.

Edited Monday at 06:442 days by KozzyCan

I’m sure that if the MFC were to supply dog waste bags around the walking track, many would happily accept our moving in.

Always wanting something for nothing……………people make me sick.

Speculation only, but the way Guerra talked in his first two or three interviews as incoming CEO, already shifting the possibility to somewhere other than Caulfield, I think the club knew this would likely fall over, or at the very least were trying to temper expectations.

As for this careful piece of framing "Melbourne is hopeful its business case on the new site will be complete by the end of the year amid what the club says is broad support from local residents for the project."

This sounds like it's all over this year.

Edited Monday at 06:462 days by Adam The God

Disappointing we have to find out about the change in approach via the media. Understand the sensitive stage of the project but think members deserved to hear some kind of update by now direct from the club rather than via the HS.

The new area will be better and is the old Freedman stables with better access to streets and more space in a self contained allotment. Closer to trains as well.

7 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Caufield has certainly not been in the works for a decade. Every chance the project gets undone by NIMBYs unfortunately. That's the risk we've taken by trying to build this in such a contentious space.

It’s so not a contentious space. It’s disused paddocks with a few dog walkers. The only reason we don’t get our home up is if Kanga has pocketed some cash and someone else is going to develop it. This is wasted space on all levels. A couple of ovals wouldn’t use half the available land. Get it done!!

3 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

It’s so not a contentious space. It’s disused paddocks with a few dog walkers. The only reason we don’t get our home up is if Kanga has pocketed some cash and someone else is going to develop it. This is wasted space on all levels. A couple of ovals wouldn’t use half the available land. Get it done!!

We're trying to build a training ground in the middle of a horse racing track. Of course it's contentious.

Sounds like it could be better than the thin sliver of land left over from the Mt Scopus purchase.

4 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

We're trying to build a training ground in the middle of a horse racing track. Of course it's contentious.

The land is currently completely wasted. They should be welcoming us with open arms. I’m an occasional dog walker there and it’s amazing that in the middle of a housing crisis we have a huge amount of vacant land surrounded by amenities and zero development. Who’s getting paid?

4 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

The land is currently completely wasted. They should be welcoming us with open arms. I’m an occasional dog walker there and it’s amazing that in the middle of a housing crisis we have a huge amount of vacant land surrounded by amenities and zero development. Who’s getting paid?

Kanga obviously is, that much is clear. He’d even argue that the friggin disc golfers cannot be displaced as there is nowhere else for them to go.

3 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

The land is currently completely wasted. They should be welcoming us with open arms. I’m an occasional dog walker there and it’s amazing that in the middle of a housing crisis we have a huge amount of vacant land surrounded by amenities and zero development. Who’s getting paid?

Maybe it is wasted but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy for us to secure. So far the MRC have not really been particularly enthusiastic towards the project and as a major stakeholder in the area that makes things more difficult to navigate.

The fact that we're having to work out a new spot to put our training facility because the first choice was disrupted by the Mt Scopus sale is not encouraging.

The Age 01/04/2029

Latest word emanating from the MFC suggests planning is well advanced pending Council approval. The City of Monash, despite some reports of protests from some councilors,has announced work is progressing on plans to reinvent the old Clayton Tip into a state of the art sporting facility. The football club acknowledges past disappointments and false starts but insists the new location is perfect suited to the club's needs. A spokesman for the club insists all rumours to the contrary are pure rubbish. We're tipping this will be their new home.

31 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

Speculation only, but the way Guerra talked in his first two or three interviews as incoming CEO, already shifting the possibility to somewhere other than Caulfield, I think the club knew this would likely fall over, or at the very least were trying to temper expectations.

As for this careful piece of framing "Melbourne is hopeful its business case on the new site will be complete by the end of the year amid what the club says is broad support from local residents for the project."

This sounds like it's all over this year.

Unfortunately Adam if it’s not coming from the horses mouth I do not believe the slant of the story line. I don’t trust the media, period.

30 minutes ago, Big Gun said:

Disappointing we have to find out about the change in approach via the media. Understand the sensitive stage of the project but think members deserved to hear some kind of update by now direct from the club rather than via the HS.

Do you believe and trust the source???

27 minutes ago, Redleg said:

The new area will be better and is the old Freedman stables with better access to streets and more space in a self contained allotment. Closer to trains as well.

Now Redleg is a source that I do trust.

Yaaawwwwwwn!

43 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

This sounds like it's all over this year.

Bit like our season.

Sigh… not great

39 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

Now Redleg is a source that I do trust.

I did not know of this new development in the project, but from my knowledge of the area, this is clearly a bigger site and better situated.

The Freedmans walked horses onto the track, directly at the rear of the stables, which would clearly allow direct access to the ovals by players, that would not appear to require any change to the mooted plans for the ovals and inner track development.