St Kilda on the move ....To Frankston

[BelfastSaint]

As speculated in another thread .....here is official confirmation.

St Kilda on the move
21 November 2007 Herald Sun
Michael Warner

ST KILDA Football Club is quitting its traditional home for a new multi-million-dollar super stadium at Frankston.



The decision to abandon its Moorabbin base of 42 years follows a battle between the Saints and the City of Kingston over poker machines.

The Herald Sun has learned the club will set up its new headquarters and elite training base at Frankston Oval.

St Kilda's new home will be jointly funded by the AFL, St Kilda, State Government and Frankston City Council in a huge boost for the bayside suburb.

An official announcement will be made by club and league chiefs as early as today.

It is expected the Saints will stay at their Linton St home for one more season before shifting to Frankston in 2009.

Frankston Oval, the home of the Dolphins VFL club, will undergo an immediate revamp.

The move follows a long fight with council over the club's use of its 83 poker machines.

The council, which backs a cutback in local pokies, did not want St Kilda to move its machines 200m from its social club to a proposed new venue on South Rd.

A breakdown in talks prompted the Saints to announce a search for new facilities, as reported by the Herald Sun in May.

The Frankston move, which has not gone to a vote of St Kilda club members, was chosen over a lucrative offer by the City of Casey to set up at Casey Fields in Cranbourne North.

St Kilda's current VFL affiliate is the Casey Scorpions.

The Saints also have shelved plans for a $10.5 million upgrade of Moorabbin, which was to have been footed by the AFL ($2.55 million), the State Government ($3.45 million), Kingston Council ($2.5 million) and the Saints ($2 million).

However, the AFL and State Government are expected to approve that their contributions be transported to Frankston.

The Frankston City Council will make up the difference on facilities including offices, lap pools, a gymnasium, cafe and community centre.

A final decision on the shift was made by St Kilda's new-look board, headed by president-elect Greg Westaway, after initial investigations by the ousted Rob Butterss led-team. The club playing group has previously expressed a preference for staying at Moorabbin.

The ground has been home to St Kilda since 1965 and was used as an VFL-AFL venue in 254 matches until 1992.

[True Blue Sainter]

Wow - massive news...

Not sure about the long-term viability of that, the only positive result I could see is the possible poaching of a couple of thousand members. I don't understand why we have to move the club 50km from it's current home? Surely Casey would have been a better option if they were the two options on offer.

And why don't we as members get to see the plans for re-development like the ones on the Casey Council's website? That's information we need to know if we as members must stage a vote to pass the move.

[my les foote]

That makes me incredibly sad.

I hope that the council doesn't turn the land over to developers. I'm sure the grandstands would go but you could keep the ground and the standing area for local footy.

[Brian Collis]

Isn't Frankston as far away as Cranbourne is from the city? Maybe they're doing this for Harvey so he can play on for another year? Not far to go from Mt Eliza. I suppose they are a bayside club though. From that perspective it makes sense.

[my les foote]

Wow - massive news...

I don't understand why we have to move the club 50km from it's current home? Surely Casey would have been a better option if they were the two options on offer.

Not sure what you're getting at. They are both about 25km from Moorabbin

[karnak]

wow,

big big news.

good that they're the same colours. what does this mean for our affiliation with Casey? Could be interesting moving forward, as it now becomes pretty obvious where would make sense.

Could someone please post some more information about the suburb (like statistics and population, demographics etc) how viable is this?

Also would love to see the club pick up a non football related investment in St Kilda for a pub there that can be used for after match funcitons.

[karnak]

and what sort of bunch of council tools misses out on 10.5 million dollars worth of develpment in their suburb?

The morons should go and do an economics degree.

With the multiplier effect you could suggest that it would generate as much as up to 40 million in the direct community and possibly an extra 30 million to the wider community.

Get your heads read you stupid twaats. Rant over.

[Seaford_Saint]

Fantastic news IMHO!!..

The Frankston (and surrounds) demographic is certainly changing.

As the bayside suburbs closer to the city (North of Chelsea) become increasingly beyond the reach of 1st & 2nd home buyers as prices as house prices continue to soar, the suburbs between Mornington to Bonbeach are fast being filled with young families.

Great move Saints.... a huge growth area to tap into!!

And yes.... perhaps I am being just a teeny bit selfish.

[SaintBot]

when we did the poll on saintsational i voted for frankston.

very happy to be there rather than casey (from a personal point of view).

still sad to see us leave moorabbin, what do we make of that now? we still have another 40 odd years in lease there.

ill try and find some stats on frankston and the mornington peninsular.

[SaintBot]

Could someone please post some more information about the suburb (like statistics and population, demographics etc) how viable is this?

Frankston

Suburb Population: 44000
City: City Of Frankton (p.121000)
Location: On Port Phillip Bay - Surrounding Suburbs: Seaford (Harvey's childhood suburb) and Mt Eliza (Harvey's current suburb)
The gateway to the Mornington Peninsular
41 Km south of Melbourne's CBD
Weather: Rains on average about 140 times a year. Avg Max Temp: 25 (Summer) to 13 (Winter)


How long?

From Moorabbin:

Drive: 26.0 km – about 38 mins
26.0 km – about 38 mins
1. Head southeast on Perry St toward Nepean Highway Service Ln 0.3 km
2. Turn left at Nepean Hwy 25.0 km
36 mins
3. Continue on Plowman Pl 0.1 km
1 min
4. Turn left to stay on Plowman Pl 0.4 km
1 min


From Docklands Stadium:

Drive: 54.3 km – about 1 hour 3 mins
54.3 km – about 1 hour 3 mins
1. Head east on Bourke St toward Village St 0.2 km
1 min
2. Turn right at Docklands Hwy 1.1 km
2 mins
3. Take the ramp onto W Gate Fwy 1.4 km
2 mins
4. Continue on Burnley Tunnel 3.7 km
3 mins
5. Slight right at Citylink 3.7 km
3 mins
6. Continue on Monash Fwy 13.0 km
10 mins
7. Exit onto Ferntree Gully Rd 1.2 km
2 mins
8. Turn right at Springvale Rd 13.7 km
25 mins
9. Slight left at Mornington Peninsula Fwy 7.0 km
5 mins
10. Continue on Frankston Fwy 7.1 km
5 mins
11. Continue on Moorooduc Hwy 1.0 km
2 mins
12. Turn right at Hastings Rd 0.9 km
2 mins
13. Continue on Davey St 0.2 km
14. Turn left at Baxter St 0.1 km


From St Kilda:

Drive: 36.3 km – about 55 mins
36.3 km – about 55 mins
1. Head southeast on Shakespeare Grove toward Chaucer St 0.3 km
2. Turn left at Marine Parade 1.4 km
3 mins
3. Turn left at Glen Huntly Rd 1.7 km
4 mins
4. Turn right at Nepean Hwy 32.3 km
46 mins
5. Continue on Plowman Pl 0.1 km
1 min
6. Turn left to stay on Plowman Pl 0.4 km
1 min


Frankston Oval is literally right on the Nepean Highway and Young St. If you're looking on a map it may be easier to search for Beauty Park. Frankston's (suburb) centre is two blocks away. Young St also leads to Frankston Train Station.

Ok thats enough for now.

[saint66au]

Interesting times ahead..

Will wait for the official announcement, but I didnt notice any mention of the Social Club in the article, bar a mention of a "cafe" in the new plan. Id actually hope that the poker machines wont be relocated to Frankston. Theres too much competition for the pokie dollar already..and Im not sure ethically if mortgage-belt areas need more poker machines

Personally, I reckon the days of hte old-style Social Club at the Club headquarters are pretty defunct anyway. You need a game of footy to put bums on seats there, not 15 people at training. We have a vibrant SC operating on Match days at TD and that wont change obviously. I do think though, that the Club needs a reasonably central location that fans can gather to watch interstate games and give the SC an opportunity to run a raffle and sell a few beers. Im NOT dissing Frankston at all, I lived down that way for 6 years, but the fact IS that its on Melbournes fringe..thats geographic fact.

But...if the traditional SC has been done away with, surely that model could have been kept and the Club remain at Moorabbin?

Anyways..so long as the very BEST facilities are available for our players, I dont care if we set up shop nestled among the rings of Saturn

[Beej]

That makes me incredibly sad.

I hope that the council doesn't turn the land over to developers. I'm sure the grandstands would go but you could keep the ground and the standing area for local footy.

Same mate.

Was hoping we'd be able to redevelop Moorabbin somehow.

The end of an era.

[plugger66]

Good move but would have rather stayed at Moorabbin but that obviously wasnt possible.

Will be better for the players than Casey but not as good as staying where we are.

In one way it doesnt really matter where we train as no one watches training. It is probably more important where the social club is and I would think that it will be down at Frankston which will probably limit some people who go to the current social club but considering how poor that is a new one would be better.

[chook23]

Probably would cause more angst.....but is this something (the move/in particular -location) be something that the membership should have had a say??

Thoughts?

66 your points make interesting discussion.

[JeffDunne]

Frankston makes sense.

I hate the place and swore the last time I was there I'd never visit again . . . but it does make sense.

Frankston Oval is in a good location too.

[saintbrat]

http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=51
current stadium information

http://svc083.wic466d.server-web.com/im ... RE-MAP.pdf

between the "I" for information and the BBQ park
Franston oval.

[St. Luke]

This news came right under the radar for me...I had no idea they were thinking of a move to Frankston??? I can't say I feel too strongly one way or the other on the matter. I wonder if the club still has to abide by its leasing commitment?

[timclark27]

The local council are hopeless. I'm pretty sure Bracks sacked the lot of them and then most of them got back in. Good luck getting elected next time guys.

If the move benefits the club, so be it, but I wonder how often the players get their cars stolen while at training. You wont catch me going to any club in Frankston, even if it is our social club.

[Oh When the Saints]

From an interview with the Frankston councillor on SEN, St Kilda are not locating the social club at Frankston. They will instead buy a hotel or country club type setup somewhere closer to the city that will become their "social base"


We still have a 40-year lease on Moorabbin, and I imagine there are conditions to that lease in terms of maintaining the ground etc., so it will be interesting to see what happens there

It was suggested in the other thread by a "source" that the players were not pleased with Casey at all, and their preference was Moorabbin.

[Solar]

good decision if it means that they players have the best facilities, sounds like both deals were pretty close and the players thoughts tipped it over.

Was half asleep but someone from frankston council was on SEN this morning and said that they would only be moving the admin and training centre out to frankston but look at following other clubs with buying a pub to have as their social club, closer to the city. Not sure how hard this could be, but they will leave the pokies at moorabin and thumb their noses as a very stupid kingston council.

A few people on here will be very happy, they might see more of lenny

[Saint Mik]

Cant beleive that we cant find a ground that could be turned into a state of the art facility closer to the CBD but thats the way it goes.

Sad that this move is a result of pokie machines, sign of the times

Frankston will go ahead in leaps and bounds in the future, development is on the rise and once the new freeway sorry tollway goes through will be even better.

Frankston has the reputation of being filled with losers so i hope the saints can get rid of the tag and turn the place into a premeirship town.

End of an era and some history but that means nothing when you weigh it up against the mighty dollar which is very sad.

The new sponsor might have to be BP or SHELL so the players can all get a fuel card

[timclark27]

Why did the Frankston council cancel their plans for this years nativity scene?

They couldn't find 3 wise men or a virgin.

[Oh When the Saints]

Probably would cause more angst.....but is this something (the move/in particular -location) be something that the membership should have had a say??

Thoughts?

Mmmm ... it will certainly ignite passions.

The press conference later today will be critical - the board needs to set out clearly their exact reasons and the benefits of the deal to the club. Last thing we need is some half-cocked "stay at Moorabbin" campaign from an ill-informed group of supporters.

I guess the AGM in February will give members a chance to have their say, but it is not realistically attendable for most.

[Solar]

Cant beleive that we cant find a ground that could be turned into a state of the art facility closer to the CBD but thats the way it goes.

Sad that this move is a result of pokie machines, sign of the times

Frankston will go ahead in leaps and bounds in the future, development is on the rise and once the new freeway sorry tollway goes through will be even better.

Frankston has the reputation of being filled with losers so i hope the saints can get rid of the tag and turn the place into a premeirship town.

End of an era and some history but that means nothing when you weigh it up against the mighty dollar which is very sad.

The new sponsor might have to be BP or SHELL so the players can all get a fuel card

the whole moorabin development was underpinned with the bank through the movement of the pokies to increase income. So you are asking the club to go insolvant and lose heaps of money on a white elephant?

Money has something to do with it, it's not cheap to create a whole new training facility.

[karnak]

Who knows in 30 years we may find ourselves back at Moorabbin. Councils come and go, so you never know!

Will be interesting to read the fine print on this deal as just might be a 10 year option (to tide us through the AFL's relocation project!)

Anyway Just thoughts.