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Rabbitohs to make their case for NRL Centres of Excellence funding for new home at Maroubra

Messages
14,937
Melissa Seiler, Southern Courier
May 4, 2017 11:43am
SOUTH Sydney Rabbitohs are preparing to make their case for the last piece of the funding puzzle to push ahead with building a $32 million new home at Heffron Park.

After submitting an application for a $15.10 million slice of the State Government NRL Centres of Excellence funding in March, Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly will present to the project’s committee in person later this month.

“Our aim is to present the best possible submission,” Mr Solly said.

“In effect every club gets 30 minutes to bring their application to life, and cover off the most important things about why their facility is needed, what the outcomes will be and why the funding requested is important.”

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media_cameraArtist’s impression of South Sydney Rabbitohs High Performance Community Centre at Heffron Park in Maroubra.
The club has already secured $10 million in Federal Government funding for the proposed Community and High Performance Centre, along with $3 million from Randwick Council, and $4 million of its own money.

The Rabbitohs’ lease on their current home at Redfern Oval will expire in 2020, with the club’s entire staff to make the move to Heffron Park once the project gets the green light. Construction is expected to take around 18 months.

A representative from Randwick Council will accompany Mr Solly when he fronts the panel chaired by former NSW Premier John Fahey in the next fortnight.

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media_cameraThe area of Heffron park that will be the site of the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ new development. Picture: John Appleyard
“We feel as confident as we did when we submitted the application,” Mr Solly said.

“We’ve got excellent support from council and the Federal Government, which will put us in a really strong position when we stand in front of the State Government.

“This is a huge opportunity for the NSW government to fund a centre that will not only be good for the club, but great for the community around Heffron.

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media_cameraRandwick City Council is spending $5.8 million on improvements to Heffron Park in 2017-18, including a netball and tennis court upgrade. Picture: Randwick City Council.
“We hope to have an answer some time in June — it will be the final piece of the puzzle for us.”

Heffron Park is a continued focus for council, with $5.8 million in upgrades earmarked for the precinct in its 2017-18 draft budget, released late last month.


The cash will fund the continued rollout of council’s Heffron Park Management Plan, and comes in addition to the money promised to the Rabbitohs.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...a/news-story/447786f05076b8d674867c505d71a13a
 

Souths Till I Die

First Grade
Messages
5,956
we need to build a 35,000 minimum seated stadium at heffron park.....souths need a home ground desperately....

Completely agree shadow ANZ has no culture at all behind it. It's not a true home ground either it's shared with multiple teams. The fact that the pride of the league shares a home ground is ridiculous. If it's Heffron Park so be it, as long as we can get out of ANZ quick smart.
 

Rabbits20

Immortal
Messages
41,663
Completely agree shadow ANZ has no culture at all behind it. It's not a true home ground either it's shared with multiple teams. The fact that the pride of the league shares a home ground is ridiculous. If it's Heffron Park so be it, as long as we can get out of ANZ quick smart.
Can't see us leaving ANZ.
 

foreverinourshadow

First Grade
Messages
9,400
i just hope we dont build a 25,000 seated stadium at heffron park we need a 30,000 minimum seated stadium preferably with 35,000 seats is a better scenario all round thats my true wish...Shadow...
 

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,709
Completely agree shadow ANZ has no culture at all behind it. It's not a true home ground either it's shared with multiple teams. The fact that the pride of the league shares a home ground is ridiculous. If it's Heffron Park so be it, as long as we can get out of ANZ quick smart.
To be fair, If we moved we'd still have to share a Stadium.
 
Messages
14,506
Rusty and investors should be buying the ground / area in conjunction with developers/council/govt and future proof our, and its, existence.

I can't believe Cronulla are the only club in the comp to outright own their ground.

Seriously, we, Saints, Manly, Bulldogs, Penrith, Parramatta, Balmain/Wests/Wests Tigers should have all owned their own home grounds.
 

Souths Till I Die

First Grade
Messages
5,956
Rusty and investors should be buying the ground / area in conjunction with developers/council/govt and future proof our, and its, existence.

I can't believe Cronulla are the only club in the comp to outright own their ground.

Seriously, we, Saints, Manly, Bulldogs, Penrith, Parramatta, Balmain/Wests/Wests Tigers should have all owned their own home grounds.

Couldn't agree more. It's a joke. What is a home ground after all?!
 

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
Rusty and investors should be buying the ground / area in conjunction with developers/council/govt and future proof our, and its, existence.

I can't believe Cronulla are the only club in the comp to outright own their ground.

Seriously, we, Saints, Manly, Bulldogs, Penrith, Parramatta, Balmain/Wests/Wests Tigers should have all owned their own home grounds.

I'm a huge critic of ANZ and I would rather play anywhere than ANZ but theres no way in hell we are going to get a ground in 2017. That boat has long since sailed. The cost to buy the land in Sydney big enough to build a stadium would be eye watering and well out of an NRL clubs grasp. Thats before we start getting in to the infrastructure a new stadium would require in terms of public transport and roads etc. Theres no way you would get planning permission without all that in place.
The way I see it is we have 2 options and thats Moore Park or Parramatta.
 
Messages
14,506
I'm a huge critic of ANZ and I would rather play anywhere than ANZ but theres no way in hell we are going to get a ground in 2017. That boat has long since sailed. The cost to buy the land in Sydney big enough to build a stadium would be eye watering and well out of an NRL clubs grasp. Thats before we start getting in to the infrastructure a new stadium would require in terms of public transport and roads etc. Theres no way you would get planning permission without all that in place.
The way I see it is we have 2 options and thats Moore Park or Parramatta.

I know about no owning the home ground, and ANZ is where it's at because of the corporates.

But the training, development etc grounds. We should own them.
 

themacemaceman

Juniors
Messages
1,106
Aren't we paid a large sum of money to play out of ANZ?
No one will pay us to play out of a home ground we own ourselves.
Like most things we copy from the AFL and the current model seems to be to do away with suburban home grounds and play at the larger new stadiums.

Rather than spending a shitload upgrading 10 stadium s across Sydney they are redeveloping Paramatta and Allianz.

Maybe playing back at Allianz would be the better option if we get paid more than what we get to play at ANZ.
 

alien

Referee
Messages
20,279
Shadow, I don't think they'll build a stadium at Heffron Park. It's better to have stadiums close to railway stations. It would be good if they could turn Redfern Oval into a 25,000 seat stadium (Redfern Stadium). I'm not sure there is enough room to work with though.
 

Souths Till I Die

First Grade
Messages
5,956
I guess I understand that we'll take money over a proper home ground but to me it makes no sense.

When I think of a home ground I instantly think that the team playing at home has some sort of advantage. But what advantage do Souths have playing at a park like ANZ? It's not exactly close to Redfern. The stands are not close to the field like they are at brookvale, 1300 smiles or southern cross stadium. The fans have no real impact on the game. I remember going to brookvale when I was younger to watch Souths vs manly and you could completely understand why manly were so dominant at home, the crowd was right up in Souths face and it was intimidating giving manly a real home advantage.

Just looking at our home record makes me hate ANZ even more. Our team has no connection at all to that stadium I would love to see Souths have a REAL home ground. One that the players and fans could actually be proud of. f**k ANZ. That is all.
 

foreverinourshadow

First Grade
Messages
9,400
Shadow, I don't think they'll build a stadium at Heffron Park. It's better to have stadiums close to railway stations. It would be good if they could turn Redfern Oval into a 25,000 seat stadium (Redfern Stadium). I'm not sure there is enough room to work with though.


if we built up high maybe but its a thought it looks like heffron will be our niche....Shadow...
 
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