HAC's plan to ring the changes

[nqboy]

http://smh.com.au/news/league/in-the-midst-of-strife-they-are-in-debt-holmes-a-court-to-bail-out-leagues-club/2006/03/30/1143441276429.html

NEW Rabbitohs owner Peter Holmes a Court has put forward plans for the debt-ridden South Sydney Leagues Club that includes constructing a hall of fame and the return of matches at a redeveloped Redfern Oval to mark the centenary of the game's founding in 1908.

Having last night had his ban on entering the licensed premises lifted, Holmes a Court is willing to take over the leagues club's debts and provide a $10 million loan to renovate the property.

If his offer is accepted, the millionaire businessman envisages the ground floor becoming the Rabbitohs' club house, with a bar, restaurant, small number of poker machines, merchandise outlet and a hall of fame, and the other three floors being used for commercial operations.

With Sydney City Council prepared to construct a $19m training facility across the road from the leagues club at Redfern Oval, Holmes a Court said he expected the oldest club in the NRL to be able to celebrate the 100th year of its existence by again playing at its spiritual home ground.

"That's the dream," he said. "It will have a capacity of 8000 to 10,000 and we would want to play pre-season or exhibition matches there in the centenary year of league. We also have a vision of constructing a hall of fame and I reckon the leagues club is the logical place for it so we'll be continuing to try and get the directors of the leagues club to allow us to progress that. I've just got hold of a set of floor plans for the facility so I will now be able to put together a proposal for the remaining floors but I am prepared to take over the debt they've got - the leagues club has got a debt of about $5m - and provide a loan for the cost of the work on top of that."

With the board of the leagues club last night returning his membership badge after last week suspending him for allegedly trespassing when he took a Nine News crew on a tour of the empty office space in the building, Holmes a Court now hopes to repair the fractured relationship between the leagues club and the football club.

It's interesting that his membership badge was returned around the same time as this proposal is mooted, it smacks of a tentative smoking of the peace pipe and the prospect of progress for the Bunnies. But, with all the egos, factions and agendas out that way, it's as fragile as their team's defence.

 

[ucantseeme]

Peter HAC seems to have some good idea's about how to turn Souths around but I doubt the old geezers who have been hindering him all along will change their tune. You get the feeling some of them want Souths to go bust so they can say i told you so.

I hope HAC's plans go ahead, but i think he is gonna have to wait for certain people to die of old age first.

 

[bartman]

Scheduling pre-season matches for Redfern Oval in 2007/8 is easy, I sense the old coots and Piggins rolling over and waking up to some common sense on this one. Get behind the new guys and support them for the whole club's interest instead of white ant them for personal glory.

 

[Twizzle]

his ideas should be popular with the bunnies fans

its OK to say it, its another thing to make it all happen

 

[Seano]

PHaC is full of good ideas, and the funny thing is that they are the obvious answers!

Any Souths fan could tell you that the leagues club is a waste of space at the moment, but if he can get his way then the footy team might actually get something from them (shock horror)

 

[OVP]

If he wants to increase patronage to the Leagues Club, he should also look at a cheap shuttle bus service from Telstra Stadium to the Leagues Club for something like $2 or $3 to ferry back ALL Souths fans after matches. Thats part of the problem, even Aussie Stadium is a fair hike to the Redfern Leagues club, but not as far as Telstra. If this happened regularly for home games, at least the Leagues club could start looking at even making a small profit. Perhaps even convert the empty second floor of the club to a venue where live bands or raves can occur. Setup a few bars in there, charge an entry fee and make it dark, very dark and it will attract all the hip cats who live around Surry Hills, even possibly Newtown. They'd make a killing that way ... but old fuddy duddies never do this, thats why we need more young entrepreneurs in the club scene these days.

But still most Souths fans believe the property should be sold off, and make the Juniors their base. Interesting times ahead for the Bunnies. HaC is a breath of fresh air for the club, and i wish them well.

 

[QldRabbit]

If he wants to increase patronage to the Leagues Club, he should also look at a cheap shuttle bus service from Telstra Stadium to the Leagues Club for something like $2 or $3 to ferry back ALL Souths fans after matches. Thats part of the problem, even Aussie Stadium is a fair hike to the Redfern Leagues club, but not as far as Telstra. If this happened regularly for home games, at least the Leagues club could start looking at even making a small profit. Perhaps even convert the empty second floor of the club to a venue where live bands or raves can occur. Setup a few bars in there, charge an entry fee and make it dark, very dark and it will attract all the hip cats who live around Surry Hills, even possibly Newtown. They'd make a killing that way ... but old fuddy duddies never do this, thats why we need more young entrepreneurs in the club scene these days.

But still most Souths fans believe the property should be sold off, and make the Juniors their base. Interesting times ahead for the Bunnies. HaC is a breath of fresh air for the club, and i wish them well.

Careful OVP, your sounding more like a Bunnies fan every day. See back at the Hutch, when it's back online.

 

[OVP]

Careful OVP, your sounding more like a Bunnies fan every day. See back at the Hutch, when it's back online.

Ive been banned twice this week ... dont think i'll be posting much there anymore. Wade's playing silly buggers so f**k it.

I might cause carnage on The Prude instead. SingingSatts is a good target ... ;-)