AAMI Stadium owner Commercial and General wants to give seats to local sports clubs

THOUSANDS of people have sat in them while cheering on their team — and now the new owner of AAMI Stadium wants to give away the ground’s seats.

SPORTS clubs will get to use seats from AAMI stadium once it is demolished as part of a new $1 billion housing development.

Project director Chris Menz, from developer Commercial and General, said work to demolish the grandstands would likely start in late 2016, subject to talks with the SANFL.

“We are currently in discussion with the SANFL about donating stadium seating and elements of the lighting towers to sporting clubs and groups who may benefit, including local football clubs,” he said.

He said the company wanted to recycle as much of the stadium as possible, including breaking up its concrete and using it to build roads in the new 1600-home estate.

Mr Menz said the demolition would start on the bottom grandstand tiers and be done in stages over 12-months.

Commercial and General plan to present its masterplan for the estate to local sporting clubs, councillors, residents and business groups in late April.

Stage one of the ten-year project will start later this year, subject to approval.

Adelaide will play Port Adelaide in a pre-season match at the stadium this Saturday.

The oval’s playing surface passed an AFL inspection this week, despite its turf’s patchy condition following a One Direction concert on February 17.

The derby will close the three-game pre-season for both the Crows and Power.

The game will have an extra edge as new Adelaide coach Phil Walsh faces his boss from last season, Ken Hinkley.

Football Park was built in 1973 and hosted SANFL and AFL games until the move to Adelaide Oval in 2014.

The Crows have a lease for the AAMI Stadium playing surface until 2048 and will continue to use the oval as a training venue.