Adelaide City Council staff and councillors open to Adelaide Crows setting up new parklands headquarters

A bid by the Adelaide Crows to build a new headquarters in the North Adelaide parklands could get the support of the Adelaide City Council, if the footy powerhouse takes on a particular site.

The Adelaide Crows are looking to move their headquarters from West Lakes closer to the Adelaide Ova. .

• Crows consider Footy Park to Parklands move

A bid by the Adelaide Crows to build a new headquarters in the North Adelaide parklands could get the support of the Adelaide City Council, if the footy powerhouse takes on a particular site.

While the Crows said there had not been a formal application or approach, city councillors were last night confidentially briefed on the situation.

It came in the wake of The Advertiser yesterday revealing The Crows are considering shifting from their long-term West Lakes home to a location closer to Adelaide Oval — with the 1.6ha council Nursery site at War Memorial Drive’s eastern end among sites earmarked for a new multistorey headquarters, with associated offices, gym, indoor training facilities and clubrooms.

Other potential sites include the Adelaide Aquatic Centre and a redeveloped Memorial Drive tennis complex.

The Advertiser understands that, from the council’s perspective, the former is the preferred option, especially since the council loses significant money each year on the ailing centre.

Councillor Anne Moran said it would be a wise decision, especially if the council could keep the facility open to the public in some way.

“What we are going to have to face is that the Aquatic Centre is reaching the end of its life,” she said.

The Advertiser understands that senior member of council administration share Cr Moran’s view about a preferred location — with the Nursery site considered off the table.

Adelaide Crows training at Football Park during the demolition of the grandstands. Picture: Simon Cross

If the Aquatic Centre site was chosen, the Crows would have the pick of four nearby ovals.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said no concrete proposal had been brought to the council or herself.

Deputy Lord Mayor Houssam Abiad said if the Crows wanted to move to the city, the council should help them find a suitable location.

“They deserve to be in town, they have Adelaide in their name,” he said.

“It will be a community facility, they will pay rates.

“The message her is that they are welcome.”

In a statement the Crows reiterate it had a long-term lease at West Lakes.

“However, as we have stated many times in recent years, we consider it good and standard business practice to keep an eye on the future and gather information accordingly,” it said.

But the revelations have again raised concerns among councillors about their ability to protect the parklands, following on from the Adelaide Oval hotel announcement and the decision to locate the new Women’s and Children's Hospital on parklands.

Cr Robert Simms said the parklands “shouldn’t be commercialised in this way”.

“I’m sick to death of private enterprise trying to sink their teeth into our parklands,” he said.