casey scorp

I've been here a little while, and have finally come acropss the General Board. I found a topic called "The Differences between Demonland and Demonology ". So I went looking for Demonology. One of the posts related to the last training day for 2008, but it had a really good run-down of facilities in and around Casey Fields, and also featured some of the community involvement that is central to the Casey Council MFC arrangement. It's also got some photos. Have a read. Top left hand corner of the site (at the moment anyway): http://demonology.midnight.net.au/ "Closing 2008 at Casey…. "

Permanent seating would have to be looked at in the context of a boutique stadium. The whole facility would then be re-designed. There were 6,000 at Melb v North: http://www.casey.vic.gov.au/caseyfieldspho....asp?Item=13079 However, the year before, there were 10,000 at Haw v Essendon: http://www.casey.vic.gov.au/caseyfieldspho...e.asp?Item=9644 The photos show solid crowd for the Haw v Essendon game, but this was on the grandstand side of the ground to behind the goals. In the Melb v North game, even on the grandstand side, the crowd was far thinner. There were far fewer people on the outer side for both games, and therefore plenty of room for more people - even for the Haw v Essendon game. I would think that it would hold at least 15,000 people standing and probably 20,000 at a squeeze.

It would be for a say MFC v Freo clash. Crowd might be 15,000, with few opposition supporters present. Most of the crowd would be MFC members, so the gate wouldn't be high, although you would expect quite a few locals who wouldn't otherwise go to the footy. Assuming an avalanche of free tickets for kids would soon gobble up a lot of seating with no revenue. Temporary seating (uncovered) costs around $20/seat (installed and removed) in place for a couple of weeks. It seems to me that it wouldn't stack up (so to speak), unless the AFL subsidised the seating costs in the interests of getting AFL footy into the growth area. Anyway, a game can still take place without seating - I always used to stand on the Moorabbin terraces until Waverley Park was built. If we are keen on seeing a couple of matches at a venue which makes it more viable for the MFC then maybe a few creature comforts like seating and cover can be forgone. Fixture the matches in early April and late April/early May and the weather should be kinder than in June/July/August.

Given that: * the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium is not conducive to an AFL environment (although recognising that there will be elite facilities there in the way of gym, pool etc) and that the players will have to use Gosch's Paddock for on-field training * there would be substantial rental costs associated with occupancy at the MRS * the MRS doesn't have sufficient facilities to accommodate MFC admin staff, who would have to be accommodated at the G * the G would come at a cost (albeit not as high as MRS) to accommodate MFC's footy dept, and the players will still have to use Gosch's Paddock is there energy (on this site anyway) for the footy dept to be based at Casey Fields while retaining the admin/Board etc at the G? There would be substantial recurrent savings, MFC would cement even more a relationship with the Casey area and ultimately when the club is then able to get through its current financial difficulties, develop a more elite training complex at Casey Fields.

MFC will play at Casey Fields at 2:00pm on Saturday 14 March 2009 unless it wins all of these games: Round 1 Sat 21 February @ Aurora Stadium @ 4:10pm v Hawthorn Round 2 if MFC wins Round 1 Sun 1 March @ Telstra Dome @ 4:40pm v winner of Carlton v North Round 3 if MFC wins Round 2 Sat 7 March @ Telstra Dome or AAMI at 7:10pm (AEDT) v winner of (Geelong v Adelaide) v (Sydney v Port Adelaide)

I agree it doesn't have to wait for trains, to schedule a match at Casey. But the long term possibility of a boutique stadium (ie 20k seated @ $50-60 million)probably wouldn't get off the ground without a govt commitment to a station nearby. Nevertheless, the planets are coming into alignment for this to happen in about a decade. In the meantime matches could be played at Casey with little additional infrastructure beyond what is currently planned at the VFL oval. There would be very little seating - it would be standing room only. There has already been a crowd of 10,000+ for Hawthorn v Essendon in 2007 (NAB Challenge series). The Casey Fields Boulevard connections would be necessary, but that's only a couple of years away. A possible scenario could be: 2009 - NAB Challenge match 2010 - NAB Cup match (the building extensions would be finished IF MFC signs the agreement with the Council) 2011 - AFL match (Melb v Freo??) if the Casey Fields Boulevard works are complete, otherwise 2012.

That would be the understatement of the year. But it is in hand. Planning is for: * a 4 lane road running north-south alongside Casey Fields (Casey Fields Boulevard) * traffic lights at the intersection of Casey Fields Boulevard and Berwick-Cranbourne Road * 3 connecting roads into Casey Fields from Casey Fields Boulevard * extensive carparks inside Casey Fields. Timing is the issue, but it will happen in stages. Initial stage - a 2 lane road with 2 connecting roads into Casey Fields and traffic lights at Berwick-Cranbourne Road (with Casey Fields Boulevard at 4 lanes in the vicinity of the intersection). Subsequent stages - upgrade Casey Fields Boulevard to 4 lanes and build 3rd connecting road into Casey Fields further to the south. The initial stage should be in place in about 2-3 years, provided land development continues at the same frenetic pace. If development stops to a crawl, then so will the infrastructure construction.

You're right - it's about getting it in the right place. Waverley is in the right area, but there is so little parking in the vicinity that they have to tell their members who come to a Family Day to park over at Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre and walk across. Casey Fields is likewise in the right area. With an increase in parking, and extension of the railway line and a station at Casey Fields, it will all start to come together.

You've reduced expenses, which is admirable. However you've reduced adminstration expenses from $3.034 million to $280,000 (you've left a 0 off - I think you meant to make it $2.8 million). That makes a loss of $1.83 million, if all the other figures stay the same.

From the Herald Sun website Community camps face the axe http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...9-19766,00.html According to GFC CEO, Brian Cook: "We actually told them that we'd prefer to do our camp in Geelong and on the Surf Coast (if it goes ahead)." Maybe MFC will do its camp somewhere in Melbourne - maybe in Casey!!

$50-$60 million for a 20k stadium. I know it sounds like a lot of money, but when you consider that the City of Casey is currently building a leisure centre (50 metre pool, water slides, gymnasium etc) just down the road that it is costing $37 million it just puts the figure into a bit of perspective.

As at August 2008, there were 99,932 MCC members, which comprised 60,550 Full members and 39,382 Restricted members. There were also 184,974 waiting list candidates. I don't think that the MCC relies on MFC supporters anymore, and I'd say that you could be certain that there aren't 28% (or even 21%) of the waiting list who are MFC supporters.

I am somewhat amused by comments by some people that crowds wouldn't travel all the way to Casey to watch a football match. What they seem to miss is that crowds travel from Casey every weekend into the G and Telstra Dome to watch football matches. What we've found is that it's the same distance each way.

That was decades ago. A pragmatic and strategic approach based on contemporary and future circumstances is what is now required. You have to choose one! Casey Council is prepared to work with MFC, and enter into a long term partnership. I don’t hear other Councils offering a similar arrangement, nor do they have the facilities. Casey Fields is surrounded by as yet undeveloped rural land – it will be surrounded by urban development, and all of the farmland visible in the photos will have housing on it, in 5 years. It would only be a few matches a year, against low-crowd drawing clubs like Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Freo and Gold Coast. MFC has played some of its matches at the Gabba and Canberra - I reckon Casey Fields is a little bit closer!

I'm not asking for empathy or even sympathy. "Dubious decisisions" is an understatement. The Saints made their decision, and I have to live with them not coming to Casey Fields (and so do they). However, the process has thrown up another team for me to support. I have bought a MFC membership and I know of quite a number of local Casey people who will do so when the agreement is signed (they're not as confident as me). Interestingly, the benefits to be provided to the local community by MFC mean that the community will be far more embraced by MFC than it ever would have been by the Saints. It's an absolute win-win for MFC and the community.

(I'm a Saints supporter!)

What is the Mansfield trip?

From the GFC website: AFL community camp The AFL in partnership with the 16 clubs has staged community camps since 2003. These annual training camps are held in various regions throughout Australia in locations as diverse as Hobart in the south, Darwin in the north and Wollongong in the east to Pilbara in the west. Each club conducts a four-day training camp and also participates in a range of activities to promote and develop the game and strengthen each community’s connection with the game. The location of the 2009 AFL community camps will be confirmed soon.

Initially the deal proposed was: * MFC contributes $500,000 cash to the project * MFC receives a $500,000 block of land * MFC receives access to a $1.6 million facility. MFC then sought a larger facility to be built at an extra cost of $500,000, and asked the Council to swap its gift of $500,000 land to an extra $500,000 cash contribution (up from $750,000 to $1.25 million). This meant that the Council had to find more cash, but was prepared to do so. The deal now proposed is: * MFC contributes $500,000 cash to the project * Council contributes an extra $500,000 to the project * MFC receives access to a $2.1 million facility.

Confirmed today: http://afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/2...px?newsId=70758 WEEK 3 – March 13-14, 2009 Saturday - Matches to be played at Gold Coast, Bunbury, Morwell, Casey Fields Dates to be confirmed - Matches at three other venues

Tonight the City of Casey launched its Leisure Facilities Development Plan - an ambitious $93 million program of sporting facilities over the next 15 years. While that's probably not significant in itself for Demonlanders, most of whom probably don't live in or near Casey, what is significant is that Dean Bailey and Stefan Martin (a Berwick local) were there as guest interviewees. As well I saw Chris Connolly in the room. Clearly MFC is getting more and more involved in the Casey community. Other interviewees were Michael Tuck, and Ashleigh Brennan (17 yo Olympic gymnast), who are also Berwick locals.

Just when you thought all the news about Casey was good.......it just keeps getting better. I don't think I have seen this referred to anywhere else on the site, but last week the State Government announced a new major investigation area for additional growth in Casey to accomomodate extra population for Melbourne. See this map: http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628...File/3999-2.pdf See the word "Cranbourne" and follow a yellow line to the right and down. It stops at the proposed Cranbourne East railway station site. If you continue in that direction and cross a road (grey line) you get to a light grey triangle. That is where Casey Fields is. That orange area will accommodate potentially another 100,000 people more than what had previously been proposed. Right on the doorstep of Casey Fields!!

I had a bit of help from the Saintsational site. Amen to that!

As a Saints supporter now taking more than a passing interest in the Demons this is a great article commenting on casual interplay between Riewoldt and Watts observed by Grant Thomas: http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/Blog.aspx?bloge...owcomments=true

Try tomorrow morning, Monday 8 December @ 8:30am. Should be some action then.