AFL in $45 million money grab

[Dogs Of War]

Listen guys I appreciate the effort and the love for our game is shown, but the Ree's Government does not have $45,000,000 to spend. The NSW State Government is broke. They cannot spend money they don't have. As has been stated many times on here, this is simply the publicity the AFL want to give the GWS team. Let them pump their own money into it. Hell the way I see it, those Mexicans are pumping money into our state and economy, fixing up our sh*t facilities, all being spent on a team that will go under

Rees would only put $10mil in. $5mil from the AFL and the rest from the Federal Govt.

 

[Bulldog Force]

It's time to put things in perspective.

The AFL have asked for $45 million of NSW Government money for an upgrade of the Sydney Showgrounds.

State Government revenue for 2009/10 is expected to be $53 billion.

So the AFL are asking for 0.00084% of NSW revenue.

If I was to spend 0.00084% of my revenue on something this year, I'd be able to buy a HB pencil.

This money wont even make a blip on the radar and has, as usual, been blown out of all proportion.

I don't think the AFL will get the money, but I don't see the NRL banging down Rees' door for stadium upgrades either.

If your club contributes significant funds through taxation, eventually you should see some of that money flow back to you by way of grants towards stadium or asset improvements.

A very minor issue in the grand scheme of things.

Mate, it's actually 0.084%, I don't know where those 2 extra 0's of yours came from in front of the 84. Besides, regardless of how much of a percentage it is, $45,000,000 is still A LOT OF MONEY to for most expensive state in Australia to run. Why spend that money on a sh*tty useless stadium when it can be spent on roads, hospitals and schools? Where it's really needed! I'm sick fo the AFL getting the publicity they want. I wish they's ROAD!

 

[Bulldog Force]

Geez you're a f**king moron. How do you think the state got into hundreds of millions of dollars of debt it now finds itself in? Just in case you can't comprehend it's because they've been spending money they don't have! :roll:

What do you think I've been saying? They can't go into the red anymore... let alone $45,000,000 more! Especially for the AFL.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

We need to lobby the opposition, not Rees. He'll be out on his @rse before they even start this redevelopment.

 

[ozjet1]

This isn't just NRL v AFL, this is a ricidulous prioritising of government spending, and horrendously out of touch with the feelings of the people who voted them in (myself included). We need a million more things before an upgraded Showground, NW and SW rail links, M5 expansion, M4 extension, possible M7-F3 link, improving hospital waiting lists, air conditioners in schools, need I go on? Wake up to yourself Rees you f**king knob.

this.

i couldnt give a stuff whether its helping AFL or NRL. its the fact that a large proportion of my money might be spent on a facility which will only be used 7-8 days a year for a sport while there's a facility right next door that can accommodate it. the showground in its current guise already accommodates its other uses - Easter Show and the odd musical festival - satisfactorily. the other 340-odd days in the year, a Sydney-sider doesnt go anywhere near it. but then there's a lack of important infrastructure that the city requires and will rely upon to function adequately on a daily basis and nothing is ever done to address it.....no further than consultants lining their pockets that is.

The code of football he supports is irrelevant. Rees is a muppet.

 

[BuffaloRules]

It's time to put things in perspective.

The AFL have asked for $45 million of NSW Government money for an upgrade of the Sydney Showgrounds.

State Government revenue for 2009/10 is expected to be $53 billion.

So the AFL are asking for 0.00084% of NSW revenue.

If I was to spend 0.00084% of my revenue on something this year, I'd be able to buy a HB pencil.

This money wont even make a blip on the radar and has, as usual, been blown out of all proportion.

I don't think the AFL will get the money, but I don't see the NRL banging down Rees' door for stadium upgrades either.

If your club contributes significant funds through taxation, eventually you should see some of that money flow back to you by way of grants towards stadium or asset improvements.

A very minor issue in the grand scheme of things.

Thanks for your comments Vlad... didnt know you were a reader of this site.

As someone else has mentioned, your maths appears a bit faulty.... suggest you get that new $30 calculator ordered on your next stationery form...

$45 mil can be spend on much more worthwhile things in this state....

You might have to play in that big cavernous stadium 500m away after all....

If its good enough for Souths, its good enough for the new pissant AFL team....

 

[Bulldog Force]

this.

i couldnt give a stuff whether its helping AFL or NRL. its the fact that a large proportion of my money might be spent on a facility which will only be used 7-8 days a year for a sport while there's a facility right next door that can accommodate it. the showground in its current guise already accommodates its other uses - Easter Show and the odd musical festival - satisfactorily. the other 340-odd days in the year, a Sydney-sider doesnt go anywhere near it. but then there's a lack of important infrastructure that the city requires and will rely upon to function adequately on a daily basis and nothing is ever done to address it.....no further than consultants lining their pockets that is.

The code of football he supports is irrelevant. Rees is a muppet.

Thanks for your comments Vlad... didnt know you were a reader of this site.

As someone else has mentioned, your maths appears a bit faulty.... suggest you get that new $30 calculator ordered on your next stationery form...

$45 mil can be spend on much more worthwhile things in this state....

You might have to play in that big cavernous stadium 500m away after all....

If its good enough for Souths, its good enough for the new pissant AFL team....

Hey... these 2 blokes are alright

 

[NorthShoreEel]

Hate to break the news to you everyone (but, you wont read about it in the Daily Liberal, oops, I mean Daily Telegraph). Rees has already come out publicly this morning (on 2MMM) and stated that there is no way known that the government is going to pitch the money in, and that the government is committed to helping develop junior sport in these areas, not spending money on helping out cashed up organisations like the AFL.

Moral to the story: DO NOT READ the Daily Telegraph, or DO NOT BELIEVE anything that you read in the Daily Liberal/Telegraph when it comes to anything, other than maybe the horoscopes (which is the most likely article in this trash talking rag, that will come true).

So, dont waste your time contacting anyone.:lol:

 

[Dragonwest]

IF the fumblefest is forced to play at ANZ what will happen with scheduling clashes? Remembering the AFL lock there fixtures in well before the start of the season! Will South, Dogs n Parra be forced to schedule around the ping pongers?

 

[Bastard Squad]

They'll probably play the GWS games at midnight so the live coverage isn't out-rated by a documentory on famous patagonian tree-frogs on SBS.

Edit: Come to think of it, Channel 31 has a good chance of out rating Channel 10 when GWS play just by broadcasting a test patern.

 

[Iafeta]

Hate to break the news to you everyone (but, you wont read about it in the Daily Liberal, oops, I mean Daily Telegraph). Rees has already come out publicly this morning (on 2MMM) and stated that there is no way known that the government is going to pitch the money in, and that the government is committed to helping develop junior sport in these areas, not spending money on helping out cashed up organisations like the AFL.

Moral to the story: DO NOT READ the Daily Telegraph, or DO NOT BELIEVE anything that you read in the Daily Liberal/Telegraph when it comes to anything, other than maybe the horoscopes (which is the most likely article in this trash talking rag, that will come true).

So, dont waste your time contacting anyone.:lol:

Exactly. I can't believe how many people have been hooked by such an inaccurate piece of tabloid journalism.

The only thing he did state was that the Bulldogs mentioned they would transfer their games to a new multi purpose venue. It sounded to me that would be the only way the government would get involved is if both the Bulldogs and GWS were based there.

 

[E.T.D]

Thanks for your comments Vlad... didnt know you were a reader of this site.

As someone else has mentioned, your maths appears a bit faulty.... suggest you get that new $30 calculator ordered on your next stationery form...

$45 mil can be spend on much more worthwhile things in this state....

You might have to play in that big cavernous stadium 500m away after all....

If its good enough for Souths, its good enough for the new pissant AFL team....

Apologises for my mathematical error. I'm happy to be corrected and the calculator operator copped a fair hiding. My head still hurts.

Getting a co-tenant for GWS to share the burden would make the investment in the Sydney Showgrounds more palatable in the eyes of Sydneysiders.

It'd be funny seeing Sheedy and Greenberg hand in hand going to Rees asking for the dollars to upgrade the Showgrounds.

A refurbished stadium might appeal to some teams that currently play at ANZ Stadium and they could possibly make more dollars there.

As far as games at ANZ Stadium are concerned, I'd anticipate only 5 or 6 AFL games played their yearly, but the AFL would have first call on the stadium.

 

[Flapper]

I highly doubt the NSW Govt would fund two retractable seat stadiums within a foot and a half of each other.

There probably will be no funding towards a revamp now as people seem to be blowing up deluxe. But knowing Rees he may very well sign his own death certificate anyway.

 

[El Diablo]

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/rees-dampens-gws-stadium-funding-hopes-20091124-jfo4.html

Rees dampens GWS stadium funding hopes
November 24, 2009 - 5:29PM

AAP

NSW Premier Nathan Rees has all but ruled out pouring $45 million of taxpayer money into a stadium for the new Greater Western Sydney AFL side.

Mr Rees said the AFL has been asking the state government for months to contribute the funding to improve the Sydney Showground at Olympic Park.

But no money has been committed to any upgrade and the premier indicated it was unlikely to be forthcoming any time soon.

"I'd rather put the money into schools and hospitals quite frankly," Mr Rees told reporters.

"That's what I've said publicly. That's what I've said to the AFL."

 

[Quidgybo]

But then the Queensland government said pretty much exactly the same thing before committing to the Carrara upgrade. And they even had the AFL by the contractual balls. That said, while League, Union and Soccer are getting $260m spent on them for a purpose built stadium in Victoria I can't really get too high and mighty about the AFL wanting $60m or so in NSW. As Phil Gould has (for once) correctly pointed out, rather then sitting around crying foul and wringing our hands about what the AFL might or might not be able to do, all we need to do is concentrate on making sure our own house is in the best shape possible. We can't control what the AFL does but we can control what we do.

Leigh

 

[Flapper]

That said, while League, Union and Soccer are getting $260m spent on them for a purpose built stadium in Victoria I can't really get too high and mighty about the AFL wanting $60m or so in NSW.

Why do people keep bringing this up as some form of comparison? In Victoria there wasn't a rectangular stadium worthy of national or international sport, so the Vics built one. There was a need for it. There's a perfectly good oval stadium IN THE SAME COMPLEX as the Showground called ANZ Stadium. But they don't want to use it because they might look bad on TV. There is no need for it. Is this meant to be a sporting club or a vanity project? If it's going to look bad, they should think twice about doing it.

 

[El Diablo]

But then the Queensland government said pretty much exactly the same thing before committing to the Carrara upgrade. And they even had the AFL by the contractual balls. That said, while League, Union and Soccer are getting $260m spent on them for a purpose built stadium in Victoria I can't really get too high and mighty about the AFL wanting $60m or so in NSW. As Phil Gould has (for once) correctly pointed out, rather then sitting around crying foul and wringing our hands about what the AFL might or might not be able to do, all we need to do is concentrate on making sure our own house is in the best shape possible. We can't control what the AFL does but we can control what we do.

Leigh

big difference

the Vic stadium will be used by 3 codes all year and there is no decent rectangular stadium in Melbourne

there is a wonderful stadium next door to where the greedy AFL want money spent. it's called ANZ stadium and will host 1/4 of their games anyway. they will also only play 8 games a year at this new ground

 

[Noa]

No doubt those on the AFL side of the argument will point to the Victorian government spending $267 million on a new stadium for the Storm.

The difference is that Melbourne has never had a purpose-built rectangular stadium, and it will be home to three codes - RL, RU & soccer. Sydney already has Homebush (ANZ and the Showground) and the SCG for AFL.

Some relevant quotes from an article in the Herald Sun today...

PLus big ticket items like SOO, Soccer internationals and Union international will see the stadium pay for itself inventually through tourism.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

Bligh took the bait many months ago.
http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=63184
The AFL is playing tit for tat
http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=348909&page=3

 

[TimmyB]

I resent the AFL ground as a rugby league fan, but even more fundamentally as a resident of New South Wales. It would be a shameful waste of funds.

Anyway, here's the email I wrote to my local member. Feel free to copy and paste to anyone who isn't Jonathon O'Dea.

Hi Jonathon,

I'd like to express my concern regarding the mooted development of the Sydney Showground in the Olympic precinct.

As you are no doubt aware, the AFL are aggressively lobbying the New South Wales government to spend $45 million on developing the ground for use by the new AFL team. This request comes despite the presence of an 80 000 seat stadium not 500 metres away.

Whilst Mr Rees has suggested redevelopment is unlikely, I find it incredibly concerning that he hasn't unequivocally dismissed the request.

Much of the infrastructure in the state is in a parlous condition. With hospital and education in dire need of attention, to spend $45 million on a superfluous stadium would be an abasement.

I would greatly appreciate it if you consider my concerns (and no doubt those of many others in the electorate).

Kind Regards
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