A MCG redevelopment doesn’t get any bigger, but for Stuart Fox it’s a journey worth embracing
JAY CLARK, Herald Sun
an hour ago
THE calls to Hawthorn president Richard Garvey and premiership coach Alastair Clarkson were difficult.
Three days out from Christmas last year,
then-Hawthorn chief executive Stuart Fox was busy planning for the season ahead and helping to design the club’s new Dingley headquarters when he was approached about the vacant Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive role.
Together, the trio had helped weave one of the most admired and successful club cultures in Australian sport, securing three straight flags, record memberships and bumper profits.
But for Fox, here was the chance to lead the MCC and oversee the next redevelopment of the MCG.
Fox had already helped rebuild Geelong’s fortress and recently inspired the vision for the Hawks’ new $50 million training and administration facility, making him one of the most sought-after sporting administrators in the country.
But the MCG is Australia’s sporting mecca. And as he walked the inside concourse of the stadium almost exactly one year ago, Fox made the tough call to leave the Hawks.
“I called ‘Clarko’ and Richard Garvey to tell them and it was not easy,” Fox said.
“It was actually quite emotional to leave Hawthorn after such a wonderful run of success.
“The club had been so supportive of me through three presidents so it was a really tough resignation and telling people over the phone and internet was not ideal, because people had gone on their Christmas break.
“But I had been in clubland for 17 years. I felt like I knew the business of running a footy club really well, but an exciting new job with new challenges presented.
“And I have always loved stadiums and developed a real passion for stadiums.
“It’s inspiring when you see the bricks and mortar rise up from the ground and we know the MCG has to keep up with the times … and there will certainly be some exciting projects in due course.
“So I knew it was going to provide stimulation and I quickly got very excited about that.”
The challenges of running and maintaining the 10th biggest stadium in the world bob up on a daily basis.
There’s the effort required to preserve a world-class playing surface, the conversations about security and customer experience, key stakeholder relations and contracts, and the upkeep of facilities to serve a sellout crowd.
Fox was also drawn to the opportunity to run the MCC, one of the biggest sporting clubs in the world with 13 different sporting sections, 120,000 members and another 230,000 on the waiting list.
In September, the three biggest AFL finals each attracted more than 94,000 fans to the MCG, with 100,021 attending Richmond’s stunning Grand Final triumph over Adelaide.
Another capacity crowd is expected for Tuesday’s Boxing Day Test and Fox said the stadium would be humming again.
But he also has one eye firmly on the future and the next wave of stadium upgrades.
Already, significant planning has gone into a new audio system, LED lighting and technological improvements, a new MCG app, a national sports museum refresh, and increased security inside the stadium and throughout Yarra Park.
But one of the most significant projects is the MCG precinct master plan.
How should the MCG look and link with the rest of the surrounding sporting facilities in 10-plus years?
The master plan is going to focus, in particular,
on the link between Richmond train station and the ground.
Would football fans benefit from a new pathway direct from the transport hub to the venue, paving way for a safer route to the ground?
“All options will be explored and considered as part of the precinct master plan,” Fox said.
The study will also look at improvements to existing structures such as the Great Southern Stand, which was built in 1991-92.
“It’s important to have a long-term vision as assets age and new designs and technology evolve around the world,” Fox said.
“There is always a huge shopping list and none of it ever comes cheap, so being able to plan that out carefully over a number of years given the cost of everything is really, really important.
“And longer term we would love one day to link the MCG to the greater precinct with Melbourne Olympic Park and link that across the railway lines.
“And that won’t be a cheap project, but it will be something we want to keep on the agenda with the government and that’s another key piece of infrastructure we will explore.”
Fox said it was also critical to preserve the ground’s rich character and tradition.
“The stadium is magnificent, it is iconic, and once you work here you really understand why people use the terminology ‘The People’s Ground’,” he said. “The community has a high sense of ownership and it is such a spiritual place and it is a magnificent asset.
“But that isn’t to say we don’t need to keep looking forward with a really competitive landscape in Australia and globally in stadium developments.”
Security is among the top items on the agenda and Fox said the MCC was constantly being updated on global trends and options available to keep patrons safe.
The ground trialled an external perimeter dubbed the “steel ring”, pushed the no-vehicle buffer zone further away from the ground and introduced 100 per cent “wanding” on top of bag checks.
“There has been a lot of change, and it’s important we continue to evolve and be flexible with our security needs, even things like having perimeters around the park to push back car parking,” Fox said.
“The community is very accepting and we are trying to manage as best we can the speed which you enter the stadium, but it won’t come at a cost to our security measures.”
jay.clark@news.com.au
WHY THE GRAND OLD LADY NEEDS A FACELIFT
* The MCG has not been renovated since the rebuild of the MCC Members’ Stand was completed in early 2006.
* Adelaide Oval, GMHBA Stadium in Geelong and the new Perth Stadium have set new standards for patrons. The MCG needs to keep pace.
* Etihad Stadium is likely to be refurbished in the coming years, increasing the competition between venues.
* More AFL and BBL matches are drawing crowds in excess of 80,000. Richmond’s three finals this year each surpassed 94,000. The demands of bigger drawing events needs to be catered for.
