Saints Relocate to Frankston
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St Kilda Football Club has today signed a Heads of Agreement with Frankston City Council to establish a new $10.25m elite training facility and administration centre at Frankston Park in time for the 2010 AFL Season.
St Kilda Football Club CEO Archie Fraser announced “In conjunction with its consultants, the Club have undertaken an extensive examination of all options including remaining at Linen House Oval or relocating to sites such as Casey Fields, Port Melbourne or Frankston Park.”
A rigorous process over many months has considered what is best for the football team with the Club taking into account both capital requirements and on-going costs and has culminated in the Club partnering with Frankston City Council.
Fraser added, “Our players can now expect a world class set-up to prepare for and recover from the modern day demands of AFL games.
A key factor in the Club’s partnership with the Frankston City Council is the development of a significant community program which is aimed at further extending the Club’s reach into the community.
A Community Partnership Program will be established that will see the Club and Frankston City Council work together on multiple strategies, including supporting business development and tourism initiatives, establishing a player ambassador program for the city as well as being involved in programs to address graffiti management and social concerns such as drug and alcohol issues.
St Kilda FC President Greg Westaway said “I am delighted to join with Frankston City Council, the Victorian Government and the AFL in announcing this important development for the Club. We stated publicly that one of Footy Firsts’ key objectives was ensuring that our players had the best facilities to train in and this is a significant step to ensuring our entire Club has the resources, the facilities and the equipment to allow them to concentrate on winning football games.”
Frankston City Mayor Glenn Aitken described the announcement as an enormous coup for the City. “We have a very strongly connected community, and people from so many different backgrounds, who choose to live in a place that they love,” he said.
"And it is fantastic that the Saints want to become a part of our community. I know there will be many opportunities for the Club to connect with our community."
Cr Aitken said St Kilda was attracted to Frankston because of the vision for the City, and the role the Club can play, in making Frankston a thriving regional capital on the bay. “Frankston is in a strong position to strengthen its place as one of the most outstanding regional centres on Port Phillip Bay,” he said.
Also present at today’s launch was AFL’s Chief Broadcasting & Commercial Officer Gillon McLachlan who said the AFL backed the Club's move to Frankston and confirmed the AFL funding announced last year would be used to support the new development.
"We support St Kilda's decision to move to Frankston and planned development of first-class facilities for its players and football department and Club administration," Mr McLachlan added.
"The decision, which means the Club obtains freehold title to the facility ,is a win for both the St Kilda Football Club and the wider Frankston, Mornington Peninsula and surrounding communities which will significantly benefit from the use of the facilities and the expansion of St Kilda's community activities."
The Project will be funded by a four way partnership between the Club, Frankston City Council, State Government and AFL.
The Saints had been in discussions with the City of Kingston for the past six years and those talks broke down in the middle of 2007. The Club will retain a presence at Linen House Oval including its Social Club for the foreseeable future. The Saints will continue to comply with the existing lease and ensure that all its obligations are met.
Download St Kilda - Frankston Park Fact Sheet (68KB PDF)
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