1 hour ago, dpositive said:

Hey Red is your horse a good thing. If we all put a small amount on, it could compound to be enough to fund the project.

or is this also dependent on MRC discussions.

Was a nice horse that got an injury and hasn’t been the same since.

Also likes wet tracks and that looks unlikely.

I will try and find out more about us at Caulfield from any MRC committee persons I can find.

3 minutes ago, Redleg said:

It also doesn’t help when you are paying out contracts to ex Coaches, injured players, players who have gone to other clubs, ex Officials and a host of other issues that cost money not to mention decreased revenue due to things like smaller membership, missing finals, less sponsorship etc, etc, etc.

Clubs run as businesses and businesses have different financial results, due to a number of factors, some preventable, some not, each year.

Better off sinking your money into Bitcoin than this calamity.

On 17/12/2025 at 10:56, Redleg said:

It also doesn’t help when you are paying out contracts to ex Coaches, injured players, players who have gone to other clubs, ex Officials and a host of other issues that cost money not to mention decreased revenue due to things like smaller membership, missing finals, less sponsorship etc, etc, etc.

Clubs run as businesses and businesses have different financial results, due to a number of factors, some preventable, some not, each year.

And you think THAT is why we haven't turned a sod ? Honest question.

Personally I think ineptitude is the culprit not the Ledger

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

And you think THAT is why we haven't turned a sod ? Honest question.

Personally I think ineptitude is the culprit not the Ledger

I was responding to a post on trading losses and finance is not stopping the project.

Edited Thursday at 02:514 days by Redleg

15 minutes ago, Redleg said:

I was responding to a post on trading losses and finance is not stopping the project.

No, I'd agree it's not.

Appropriate in a fashion we're at a racecourse..... we seem to keep going around and around.

55 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

No, I'd agree it's not.

Appropriate in a fashion we're at a racecourse..... we seem to keep going around and around.

And we found a few hurdles on the way.

“we are really close” MFC President Steven Smith, AGM, 16 December 2025.

To appreciate the complexity of making Caulfield our home base, it is worth understanding how the Jewish community’s “One Scopus” project plays an integral part.

A link to the project is provided here:

https://www.projectgeneration.org.au/one-scopus/

Here are some facts in the public domain:

1.       Mt Scopus College purchased a 7-hectare strip of land on the western side of the Caulfield racecourse in December 2024.

2.       The price was $195mil, allowing the Melbourne Racing Club to pay down debt.

3.       Importantly, the settlement terms of the deal were an 18 to 24-month settlement period. This means that Scopus do not even take possession of the site until mid to late 2026.

4.       The reason presumably for this extended settlement is that Scopus needs to negotiate a sale of its existing 10.6-hectare Burwood school campus to neighbouring Deakin University to fund the purchase of Caulfield.

5.       I cannot find any publicly available information on the progress of this Burwood transaction.

Based on a review of the Scopus project, the narrow footprint of the land suggests that Scopus will need to position its football/cricket fields inside the racetrack.

See the image below, where I have highlighted the Scopus land acquired in blue and indicated the size of a standard oval with white circles in various parts of their land parcel. For reference, I have highlighted in red the proposed location of the MFC home base and ovals.

It illustrates how the mutual benefits can play out for both parties. However, it highlights how our ambitions for a new facility are linked to a much broader endeavour that involves both Scopus and various levels of government.

  

18 minutes ago, Redleg said:

And we found a few hurdles on the way.

I was going to say that..... but we're a long way from the 'Bool' ....

(.though possibly closer to the bull !! ).

2 hours ago, Blind_turn said:

“we are really close” MFC President Steven Smith, AGM, 16 December 2025.

To appreciate the complexity of making Caulfield our home base, it is worth understanding how the Jewish community’s “One Scopus” project plays an integral part.

A link to the project is provided here:

https://www.projectgeneration.org.au/one-scopus/

Here are some facts in the public domain:

1.       Mt Scopus College purchased a 7-hectare strip of land on the western side of the Caulfield racecourse in December 2024.

2.       The price was $195mil, allowing the Melbourne Racing Club to pay down debt.

3.       Importantly, the settlement terms of the deal were an 18 to 24-month settlement period. This means that Scopus do not even take possession of the site until mid to late 2026.

4.       The reason presumably for this extended settlement is that Scopus needs to negotiate a sale of its existing 10.6-hectare Burwood school campus to neighbouring Deakin University to fund the purchase of Caulfield.

5.       I cannot find any publicly available information on the progress of this Burwood transaction.

Based on a review of the Scopus project, the narrow footprint of the land suggests that Scopus will need to position its football/cricket fields inside the racetrack.

See the image below, where I have highlighted the Scopus land acquired in blue and indicated the size of a standard oval with white circles in various parts of their land parcel. For reference, I have highlighted in red the proposed location of the MFC home base and ovals.

It illustrates how the mutual benefits can play out for both parties. However, it highlights how our ambitions for a new facility are linked to a much broader endeavour that involves both Scopus and various levels of government.

  

Interesting.... raises more questions.

Surely they accounted for playing space within the land they BOUGHT ?

Now they want to crib ?? 🙄 🤔🤷‍♂️

Given the pontification from a lofty height, I think Neverland Ranch a strong possibility!! Stay tuned for an impending announcement.... around 2045 AD

What are the security concerns with the gambling and nobbling of horses.

Massive,… race days, jump outs, trials, pokies, bar flies every where.

Mt Scopus will be completely locked down, arm guarded.

Amongst all this a few people are going to be walking around waving their footy flags.

This is problematic, I say, and will take years to sort by all type of Government agencies.

21 hours ago, Blind_turn said:

“we are really close” MFC President Steven Smith, AGM, 16 December 2025.

To appreciate the complexity of making Caulfield our home base, it is worth understanding how the Jewish community’s “One Scopus” project plays an integral part.

A link to the project is provided here:

https://www.projectgeneration.org.au/one-scopus/

Here are some facts in the public domain:

1.       Mt Scopus College purchased a 7-hectare strip of land on the western side of the Caulfield racecourse in December 2024.

2.       The price was $195mil, allowing the Melbourne Racing Club to pay down debt.

3.       Importantly, the settlement terms of the deal were an 18 to 24-month settlement period. This means that Scopus do not even take possession of the site until mid to late 2026.

4.       The reason presumably for this extended settlement is that Scopus needs to negotiate a sale of its existing 10.6-hectare Burwood school campus to neighbouring Deakin University to fund the purchase of Caulfield.

5.       I cannot find any publicly available information on the progress of this Burwood transaction.

Based on a review of the Scopus project, the narrow footprint of the land suggests that Scopus will need to position its football/cricket fields inside the racetrack.

See the image below, where I have highlighted the Scopus land acquired in blue and indicated the size of a standard oval with white circles in various parts of their land parcel. For reference, I have highlighted in red the proposed location of the MFC home base and ovals.

It illustrates how the mutual benefits can play out for both parties. However, it highlights how our ambitions for a new facility are linked to a much broader endeavour that involves both Scopus and various levels of government.

  

Whilst the drawn circles wouldn't fit outside the track, the old glenhuntly football ground next to Glen Eira college is oval and something that shape would fit outside the track, although wider than the purchased land. Our admin buildings would not fit in the 2024 map on the website though. The northwest and Southwest corners would come into play. As you say lots of negotiations.

19 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Interesting.... raises more questions.

Surely they accounted for playing space within the land they BOUGHT ?

Now they want to crib ?? 🙄 🤔🤷‍♂️

You do understand that we are looking to use Crown Land, which is usually meant for community use, not solely for a Professional AFL club, to the exclusion of the community.

The school are working hand in hand with us and supporting each other and just maybe a small use by the school of the ovals, when not used by the MFC, is the catalyst for the Trust and Government to approve and contribute to the project, because of some COMMUNITY use.

With the President saying we are really close, but are unable to announce it yet, I would think is a clear indication it is proceeding, but that the timing of the announcement is not ours to choose.

I am as keen and impatient as all Demon fans for this to happen and am choosing to be positive not negative.

I have a personal stake in this, as I want to start my retirement, knowing that I can walk to training and watch my beloved team train, in the company of like minded Demon fans and then maybe continue the discussion over a coffee or beer at the nearest provider. Exercise, refreshment, Demon training engagement, the occasional hug from Ghosty and MFC discussion, will be a great start for Redleg, filling in the non working days.

Hopefully I can add more tomorrow, if I get to speak to any MRC committee persons who are happy to discuss the topic.

On 14/12/2025 at 13:44, Blind_turn said:

I recently ventured out to the Kennedy Community Centre to check out Hawthorn’s new training base.

I then did some work to see if I could roughly answer three questions:

1.       Would a Hawthorn (or Essendon) sized training facility fit on the south-east corner of the Caulfield site?

Yes. The footprint of Hawthorn's main training and administration building is about 9,300 sqm, adding car parking etc, it fits on our site.

We, of course will have our ovals inside the racetrack, so there is the added cost of a tunnel. But the walk from the buildings to the ovals would "only" be about 200 metres.

2.       How much would it cost, how would it be funded?

Hawthorn states on their website that their facility cost $113mil. Below is a table of what I think our new development would cost and assuming we could garner the same level of government funding, what the club need to come up with.  

There are two things worth noting in the above comparison:

a.       We will not own the land, so unlike Hawthorn, the club will have an ongoing lease cost that we will have to fund each year.

b.       The reason the above numbers are less than Hawthorn’s is that they had to build an additional grandstand on their second oval for their women’s program. We will continue to use Casey as our second campus.

 

3.       When could we realistically expect to be in the new home base?

Optimistically, late 2028, more likely late 2029.

On 16/12/2025 at 22:54, Redleg said:

Well the President did say "we are really close and we will share more as soon as we are able to."

I guess that means that we are not allowed to announce anything yet and I assume that is because one of the stakeholders has told us not to.

Caulfield will happen and it will just need a bit more patience before it is officially announced.

It is disappointing though that the President couldn't elaborate a bit more, without making an official announcement.

I am as frustrated at that as everyone else on here.

I suggest Mr. Leg that the Vic government is the hold up. No idea where they are going to get multiple $millions for a silver tails club, the same applies to the racing club. The whole thing involves hundreds of millions. It is not a good look to be giving that figure to a horse racing club and Football club both of which are seen the top end of town when our hospitals are falling apart.

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

You do understand that we are looking to use Crown Land, which is usually meant for community use, not solely for a Professional AFL club, to the exclusion of the community.

The school are working hand in hand with us and supporting each other and just maybe a small use by the school of the ovals, when not used by the MFC, is the catalyst for the Trust and Government to approve and contribute to the project, because of some COMMUNITY use.

With the President saying we are really close, but are unable to announce it yet, I would think is a clear indication it is proceeding, but that the timing of the announcement is not ours to choose.

I am as keen and impatient as all Demon fans for this to happen and am choosing to be positive not negative.

I have a personal stake in this, as I want to start my retirement, knowing that I can walk to training and watch my beloved team train, in the company of like minded Demon fans and then maybe continue the discussion over a coffee or beer at the nearest provider. Exercise, refreshment, Demon training engagement, the occasional hug from Ghosty and MFC discussion, will be a great start for Redleg, filling in the non working days.

Hopefully I can add more tomorrow, if I get to speak to any MRC committee persons who are happy to discuss the topic.

Red... you missed the whole point.

There's is private property. Most private schools look to USE their property.

23 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Red... you missed the whole point.

Theirs is private property. Most private schools look to USE their property.

No you missed the point, we don’t get the ovals and possibly the facility area, unless we demonstrate community use. So we need someone like the school or other schools or the community to also use the ovals.

Therefore the school is HELPING US get the project completed.

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

No you missed the point, we don’t get the ovals and possibly the facility area, unless we demonstrate community use. So we need someone like the school or other schools or the community to also use the ovals.

Therefore the school is HELPING US get the project completed.

Red... I get that.. I also know Private schools invariably want and use control over sporting facilities.

Given recent events that might be even more relevant.

My point isn't about us sharing.... its that they would even desire this.

Edited Friday at 05:593 days by beelzebub

6 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Red... I get that.. I also know Private schools invariably want and use control over sporting facilities.

Given recent events that might be even more relevant.

My point isn't about us sharing.... it’s that they would even desire this.

The school is not wanting control over the ovals. Fact.

The ovals are an MFC project, not a school project, that they know will be built near the MFC facilities, not the school. Fact.

That under the banner of community use, they may get some limited use, when not needed by the primary user the MFC. Fact.

Over and out.

Edited Friday at 06:143 days by Redleg

18 minutes ago, Redleg said:

The school is not wanting control over the ovals. Fact.

The ovals are an MFC project, not a school project, that they know will be built near the MFC facilities, not the school. Fact.

That under the banner of community use, they may get some limited use, when not needed by the primary user the MFC. Fact.

Over and out.

Sadly I don't think it is. With a state election due in 2026 it will not look good giving us money. I can easily see this slipping out till after the election. A libs win will see them attempting to reduce expenditure and reduce the states borrowings. I cannot see this going ahead this decade.

Edited Friday at 06:383 days by old dee

5 minutes ago, Redleg said:

You do understand that we are looking to use Crown Land, which is usually meant for community use, not solely for a Professional AFL club, to the exclusion of the community.

The school are working hand in hand with us and supporting each other and just maybe a small use by the school of the ovals, when not used by the MFC, is the catalyst for the Trust and Government to approve and contribute to the project, because of some COMMUNITY use.

With the President saying we are really close, but are unable to announce it yet, I would think is a clear indication it is proceeding, but that the timing of the announcement is not ours to choose.

I am as keen and impatient as all Demon fans for this to happen and am choosing to be positive not negative.

I have a personal stake in this, as I want to start my retirement, knowing that I can walk to training and watch my beloved team train, in the company of like minded Demon fans and then maybe continue the discussion over a coffee or beer at the nearest provider. Exercise, refreshment, Demon training engagement, the occasional hug from Ghosty and MFC discussion, will be a great start for Redleg, filling in the non working days.

Hopefully I can add more tomorrow, if I get to speak to any MRC committee persons who are happy to discuss the topic.

18 minutes ago, old dee said:

Sadly I don't think it is. With a state election due in 2026 it will not look good giving us money. I can easily see this slipping out till after the election. A libs win will see them attempting to reduce expenditure and reduce the states borrowings. I cannot see this going ahead this decade.

$15m for local sports fields isn’t swinging any election, so it’s irrelevant and won’t impact on this. Both a Labor or Lib government would be funding improvements to local facilities.

They spend billions on infrastructure projects, $15m is a drop in the ocean.

Edited Friday at 06:573 days by DistrACTION Jackson

34 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

$15m for local sports fields isn’t swinging any election, so it’s irrelevant and won’t impact on this. Both a Labor or Lib government would be funding improvements to local facilities.

They spend billions on infrastructure projects, $15m is a drop in the ocean.

15 million you have to be joking. It is long way above that figure.

39 minutes ago, old dee said:

15 million you have to be joking. It is long way above that figure.

That will be the VIC government contribution. Well I’d say $15m-$30m. Still not moving the needle.

Do you understand the difference between $30m and $1 billion?

The trust are obliged to support the community.

Not donate precious land to a boutique football club, ain’t that the truth.

On 18/12/2025 at 10:59, Redleg said:

Was a nice horse that got an injury and hasn’t been the same since.

Also likes wet tracks and that looks unlikely.

I will try and find out more about us at Caulfield from any MRC committee persons I can find.

Fear of hard track so horse scratched.

Won’t be talking to any MRC Committee persons saturday, so no new news.

13 hours ago, bluey said:

The trust are obliged to support the community.

Not donate precious land to a boutique football club, ain’t that the truth.

The CRCT will not be donating anything to anybody. The Trust will lease some disused land (currently the SE corner) to the MFC for our Admin and indoor facilities. This should provide the Trust an annual income of $250,000 (guesstimate) which I think the State Govt would consider a good thing. The Trust will also redevelop the inside of the race course for sports ovals/squares etc for community use with the MFC having right of use for a set number of hours a week.