Question I have often wondered - how did they end up with AFL Park - a massive investment but a failure In a short period of time. Did land value get them out of the hole?
Blame cricket. relations between the state football bodies and cricket werent always cordial, and negotiations between the two lead to outright discontent in all three cases.
Bought the land and built the stadium in the 60s nd 70s for the most part. SANFL did the same at Football Park in the 70s and the WAFL did at Subiaco (although on a peppercorn lease, not ownership).
The league built out at mulgrave as they correctly predicted the growth in the south east. However, transport links failed to materialise, and the government was quite hostile towards expansion of the venue or using it for the grand final.
Wasnt really a failure in its time, and it was obsolete when sold in 2001 for $110m to mirvac.