AAMI Stadium redevelopment: ’We stayed up all night for a slice of Football Park’
A YOUNG Adelaide couple has camped out overnight to secure a slice of the billion-dollar Football Park housing development — to buy a home that won’t be built until next year.
ARTY Fitzgerald was never going to miss the chance to land to her dream spot inside the new $1 billion Football Park housing development.
Ms Fitzgerald and fiance Kevin Kovacs camped outside AAMI Stadium the night before sales started for the first 144 homes at the WEST estate.
“We were third in line, out of about 20, which was lucky because we were very particular about the piece of land that we wanted to purchase,” Ms Fitzergald, 23, said.
“We did not end up signing until 11am (the next day).
“But we stayed up until midnight eating nibbles with the people there and you could already tell there was going to be a great sense of community.”
The first-home buyers settled on a $435,000, three-bedroom terrace apartment to be built next year on Max Basheer Reserve.
It was one of 50 home, land and apartment packages the project’s developers, Commercial & General, have sold since sales started on October 17.
Ms Fitzgerald — who rents a property in Wynn Vale with Mr Kovacs — said the couple were excited to move to the western suburbs.
“We like the idea of living near the beach and also quite close to the city,” she said.
“For Kevin, in particular, he grew up in Port Adelaide and has lots of friends around the West Lakes area.”
WEST Project director Chris Menz said he was “very pleased” with the public’s interest in the development.
“We are speaking to a variety of demographics,” Mr Menz said.
“Some products are appealing to downsizers and retirees who have lived in West Lakes for 30 years and are seeking a new home in the area they love.
“Other offerings are attracting first-home buyers eager to get a foot in the door within this enviable suburb at an affordable price”.
Mr Menz said his sales team was receiving 100 new inquiries about the development every week.
He said apartment, home and land packages next to the estate’s central park were still available, starting from $345,000.
The redevelopment of the former home of SA football is expected to start early next year.
As many as 1600 homes will be built in eight-to-ten stages during the next decade.
The estate will include a retail precinct at the northwest corner of the 23.5ha site, parks and walking trails.
Commercial & General expects the project to create about 850 jobs during construction and a further 250-300 jobs once complete.