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The Western Australian Cricket Association has announced a $75 million proposal to transform the WACA Ground in East Perth into a venue that is not only an elite cricket ground, but also a hub for community events.
Key points:
- The redeveloped ground would have a public gym and cafe, and host concerts
- The ground would be reshaped so it could host football and other sports as well
- The WACA is chasing funding from federal and state governments for the project
It is the latest redevelopment plan to be released for the venue after more than a decade of trying, and comes a year after top-tier cricket games moved to the new Perth Stadium.
The plans include the building of a new indoor centre including a public gym, cafe and museum, as well as a public piazza on the north-west corner of the ground.
The piazza is being pitched as a suitable location to host markets, concerts and festivals such as the Perth Festival and Fringe Festival.
WACA CEO Christina Matthews told ABC Radio Perth the association was in talks with various levels of government in a bid to secure funding.
"We would hope to get a combined contribution from federal and state parliament of about $60 million," she said.
"We will put in $10 million that we will raise through a philanthropy project, and Cricket Australia has committed $4 million to it."
If the WACA is successful in securing the funding, sporting facilities at the site will also be upgraded with plans including new high-performance facilities to serve the wider cricket community.
A 10-lane indoor cricket facility would be among the additional features.
Bid to draw Aussie Rules back to WACA Ground
Ms Matthews said a reshaping of the actual ground would also be undertaken to allow Australian Rules football and other sports to be played there.
"We believe that the WAFL in particular, but also other football competitions, could benefit from having a 'match of the day' in the city, under lights, in an internationally recognised ground," she said.
"We would see it as a 'match of the day' venue, so their marquee match of the round [could] be played there, but we're also not against talking to any club if they do wish to relocate."
Ms Matthews said East Perth Football Club would be an obvious option if a WAFL team were to consider permanently setting up shop at the WACA.
She said the WACA was hopeful it could obtain federal funding commitments for the project ahead of the upcoming election.
Funding stalemate after announcement
Prime Minister Scott Morrison appeared to pour cold water on any federal funding, telling Perth radio station 6PR that funding for the ground was a State Government issue.
"I bought a cheque with $1.3 billion effectively with me because I'm honouring the GST bill," he said.
"It's up to the State Government how they spend that money but $1.3 billion I think gives them a lot more room to move than they had otherwise to do whatever they consider a priority.
"If they consider that a priority then good for them.
"It's a Western Australian State Government issue, not a Federal Government issue. They're assessing the issue at the moment, not the Commonwealth Government."
But WA Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray said it was appropriate the Federal Government funded the proposal.
"The State Government, through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, provided support to the WACA in its development of the proposal," he said.
"The WACA is aware that the State Government's difficult financial position will constrain its ability to provide a funding contribution to the proposal.
"The Federal Government's GST payment doesn't mean it can wash its hands of all funding responsibilities to Western Australia. The WACA redevelopment has nothing to do with GST.
"The Federal Government funded the most recent MCG redevelopment, they put no less than $100 million into a new stadium in Townsville, and just last month handed the Carlton Football Club $15 million. They should contribute to the WACA."
Topics: cricket, sport, australian-football-league, states-and-territories, government-and-politics, federal-government, perth-6000, east-perth-6004, wa
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