Demons want land at Casey(+ SAINTS to align with Frankston?)

[casey scorp]

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/d ... 51311.html

THE cash-strapped Melbourne Football Club has made a bold bid for a $500,000 package of land at Casey Fields in exchange for its commitment to its potential new home.

Recently appointed chief executive Paul McNamee two nights ago led coach Dean Bailey and a football delegation to an informal meeting at the club's nominated new training facility and is understood to have pleaded with the Casey Council to move quickly in approving the nomadic Demons' move to the south east outskirts of Melbourne.

McNamee's audacious bid for land was being debated last night at a late and lengthy City of Casey council meeting.

Melbourne, bereft of assets and without a permanent home for more than two decades, is making the push as part of its new business plan that will also include a $1.5 million bid for special-assistance funding to the AFL and the Melbourne Cricket Club for 2009.

The Demons' CEO confirmed to The Age that Melbourne had told Casey it needed to know "almost immediately" whether or not it would have a new training base by October this year.

"We hope to know sometime this week whether or not Casey is keen to negotiate with us," said McNamee, who denied the club would look at a permanent relocation from the MCG-Olympic Park precinct. The club also indicated it would not push to share a training ground with Collingwood at the Olympic Park site once the new rectangular stadium was completed but would more likely train at Gosch's Paddock No. 2, the Magpies' current venue.

"Otherwise we'll have to start looking elsewhere. If we're going to put in more money than we had planned then we would like to get something in return which we can develop. That's why the goalposts have moved."

With the Demons pushing for a new $1.5 million sports facility within six months at Casey, McNamee confirmed that his debt-ridden club would have to fund an estimated $500,000 towards the new building, which would include an extended gym and football offices alongside the club's potential new MCG-size training ground.

Having unsuccessfully wooed St Kilda and more recently held talks with the Kangaroos, the Casey council has continued to attempt to persuade the Demons to consider a permanent move to the home of VFL club the Scorpions, currently aligned with the Saints but likely to join forces with Melbourne by 2010.

McNamee, Bailey, football operations manager Chris Connolly and new football director Andrew Leoncelli toured Casey Fields on Monday and over dinner put forward plans to spend at least 18 months training full-time at Casey, moving the club's AusKick and community programs there along with adopting the grounds as its summer training base once the new stadium at Olympic Park is completed.

Casey chief executive Mike Tyler last night refuted the claim by Demons chairman Paul Gardner that the move from the Junction Oval to Casey was a "done deal". Confirming Melbourne's bid for land ownership at the new venue, Tyler added: "The AFL mantra is that clubs must have assets and Melbourne is no different.

"But it remains highly speculative and a lot of water has to pass under the bridge for that to happen. We do need to make a decision soon, plans have to be made and work needs to start on the new building if the club is to move here by November. There is no time to be lost."

Melbourne's thrilling first win of the season over Fremantle on Sunday has seen the club reach its revised membership target of 27,000, signing 500 new members since the win.

[casey scorp]

Looks like Melbourne will temporarily get a home at Casey Fields.

I wonder when we'll move in at Frankston.

[casey scorp]

and in the article there's the bit:

"....(Melbourne to) move to the home of VFL club the Scorpions, currently aligned with the Saints but likely to join forces with Melbourne by 2010."

Where does that leave us? Still being based at Moorabbin in 2010, and having to align with Sandy or Frankston (who say they don't want us)?

[ausfatcat]

port?

[casey scorp]

A good suggestion.

Although stand-alone and burnt by their experience with North, they are close to St Kilda (the suburb) and you can see Telstra Dome from their ground.

Worth thinking about.

[bobmurray]

port?

Will Gary "at the end of the day" Ayres be moved on as coach of Port if that happened

[bobmurray]

What if Melbourne end up with a better deal at Casey than we have at Frnkston,will that mean the Saints admin didn't try hard enough.I still
think Casey is better than the dinky Frankston set up,even if it will have a new Grandstand.......

[Shaggy]

and in the article there's the bit:

"....(Melbourne to) move to the home of VFL club the Scorpions, currently aligned with the Saints but likely to join forces with Melbourne by 2010."

Where does that leave us? Still being based at Moorabbin in 2010, and having to align with Sandy or Frankston (who say they don't want us)?

If that is true then we are really in the deep sht.

I doubt there is any club who will let us do what we have just done to Casey and watch their legends walk out. Our reputation will proceed/hinder us getting any alliance.

[casey scorp]

What if Melbourne end up with a better deal at Casey than we have at Frnkston,will that mean the Saints admin didn't try hard enough.

Opportunity well and truly lost by St Kilda.

It's amazing but MFC supporters (whose new facility at Olympic Park is already under construction compared to ours where who knows when plans will even see the light of day) are about 80/20 in favour of a move to Casey Fields on a short term basis and afterwards on a summer basis.

St Kilda supporters were probably about 50/50 in favour of pursuing the Casey Fields option.

MFC supporters can see the massive membership benefits in tapping into and running community programs in a growth corridor stuffed full of kids and young families.

[saint66au]

What if Melbourne end up with a better deal at Casey than we have at Frnkston,will that mean the Saints admin didn't try hard enough.

Opportunity well and truly lost by St Kilda.

It's amazing but MFC supporters (whose new facility at Olympic Park is already under construction compared to ours where who knows when plans will even see the light of day) are about 80/20 in favour of a move to Casey Fields on a short term basis and afterwards on a summer basis.

St Kilda supporters were probably about 50/50 in favour of pursuing the Casey Fields option.

MFC supporters can see the massive membership benefits in tapping into and running community programs in a growth corridor stuffed full of kids and young families.

At the start of the year werent Melbourne going on about tapping into the middle class, MCC-member perception of them? They were gonna promote themselves as an "inner-city" kinda club?

That will go down a treat in Cranbourne


I reckon MFC supporters are open to any ideas that will transform their Club from the off-field nomadic rabble that they are at the minute.

[casey scorp]

At the start of the year werent Melbourne going on about tapping into the middle class, MCC-member perception of them? They were gonna promote themselves as an "inner-city" kinda club?

That's right.

The new CEO, Paul McNamee, was talking about reconnecting with the top end of town and re-establishing the true blue blood links etc. He's obviously had a semi-change of mind now that he's talking about Casey Fields as a temporary base and then a summer training base.

[iceman]

casey scorp. do you think this will happen by summer this year?
And do you think Casey council will budge on the possibility as land as an asset?

AS outlined in the article this is a major drawing point for league clubs these days and probably the sole deciding factor in the saints moving to Frankston, however with Melbourne being perhaps Casey councils last chance to pull a club at the highest level is there anychance that they will roll over a little bit and put the offer on the table?

[casey scorp]

casey scorp. do you think this will happen by summer this year?

You'd have to think so given how much Chris Connolly has been pumping this up for a couple of months and now how much Paul McNamee seems keen.

And do you think Casey council will budge on the possibility as land as an asset?

As outlined in the article this is a major drawing point for league clubs these days and probably the sole deciding factor in the saints moving to Frankston, however with Melbourne being perhaps Casey councils last chance to pull a club at the highest level is there anychance that they will roll over a little bit and put the offer on the table?

Always possible I suppose. According to Caroline Wilson's article the asset sought by Melbourne is $500,000 of land. It will be interesting to watch it unfold.

[iceman]

Very interesting. Talking to a couple of the people around Casey, they seem pretty keen to get melbourne out there as it will increase awareness to the facilityy and also benefit the Scorpions and community directly with the possibility of first class facilities.

Very exciting times for the the Scorpions I feel. It will be interesting to see what happens if Frankston isn't ready for the saints to move into in the near future (being this year next year and possibly the year after) while Melbourne occupy Casey Fields.

[casey scorp]

It will be interesting to see what happens if Frankston isn't ready for the saints to move into in the near future (being this year next year and possibly the year after) while Melbourne occupy Casey Fields.

Interesting? Understatement of the year!!

[iceman]

don't want to get too far into that discussion casey scorp

[ace]

It is time we set fire to Melbourne.
I have it on good authority that is the best way to get rid of unwanted leeches.
Melbourne has been a leech to St Kilda all my life.
I grew up in Bentleigh within walking distance of the Moorabbin ground.
You would have thought that living that close to St Klda's home ground would have placed you in St Kilda's recruitment zone.
Oh no, you would have your blood sucked by Melbourne instead.
With the emergence of the draft and the new VFL replacing the VFA these leeches attached themselves to Sandringham.
Now these leeches are following us around again they want to move to Casey and attach themselves to the Scorpions.
Paul McNamee should take his pathetic bunch and train at Rod Laver arena or more preferably go find a new home on the Gold Coast or West Sydney.
Only fire will get these leeches out of the south east of our city, the natural home of the might saints.

[Sainter_Boy]

Whoa ACE - honestly - tell us all how you really feel!!! - lol

[Top4King]

Hey Guys, great thread casey scorp.

The logic from Melbourne is simple enough. The Melbourne Park development simply doesn't cater for the on-field needs. The Melbourne Park site is a rugby/soccer site and does not consist of a rules field. Sure, Bracks sold the concept as a base for MFC however that does not mean that MFC were ever able to train there.

Collingwood are purchasing the old Storm site and plan on turning it into Magpie World.

So where are Melbourne in all this?

All I care about is Frankston. The stadium at Frankston will take six months to build so you have to ask -- why wait? Let's make it happen. The Eastlink will be finished in June and the trip from Moorabbin to Frankston will take all of about ten minutes. The trip from Frankston to The Dome -- 3/4 of an hour.

St Kilda is the Peninsula Club, and Melbourne can just go and F*OFF! As can Collingwood the dirty maggots.

Vision people .. it's all about vision!
BOOM BOOM COMING THROUGH GIMME SOME ROOM .. ST KILDA!

[Top4King]

Whoa ACE - honestly - tell us all how you really feel!!! - lol

NO HE'S DEAD RIGHT!

australian rules begun in st. kilda. the game was invented at the junction oval. all these mfc scabs can go and f*off!