Adelaide Crows Thebarton Oval headquarters: Premier Peter Malinauskas reveals $15m funds in ‘critical last step’

The Adelaide Crows are hailing an end to their decade-long quest for a new home after a crucial state funding package.

The Adelaide Crows are declaring an end to their decade-long quest for a new home after a “critical last step” of securing state government money for Thebarton Oval.

Revealing the $15m funding in an exclusive Sunday Mail interview, Premier Peter Malinauskas declared: “It’s time to get this done. It’s time to build this thing.”

The $100m Thebarton Oval redevelopment will include world-class training and administration headquarters, two ovals and hospitality spaces.

The $15m state funding matches an earlier federal allocation and is pitched as creating a permanent home ground for the Crows’ hugely successful AFLW side and opening up the Oval to the community.

The precinct will be open to the public outside designated match and training times. The Crows will post public opening times on their website as part of the funding deal.

New Crows Facility artist impression. Supplied: City Collective

The state government will plough another $10m into the Oval precinct, particularly open and green space and recreational facilities, including bike paths.

Adelaide Football Club chairman John Olsen told the Sunday Mail: “This decision and support from the government is the critical last step for us now to be able to proceed to deliver this project.”

Mr Olsen said the redevelopment proposal would now be taken to a Master Plan Advisory Group, then West Torrens Council, before more consultation and then through the state planning process.

The Crows started exploring a move away from their West Lakes home in 2013, meeting with Adelaide City Council officials to discuss “potential training bases” in the parklands.

At least four sites later were scuttled, including the Adelaide Aquatic Centre in 2020 and Brompton Gasworks in 2022, before plans for the former SANFL ground at Thebarton Oval was unveiled in August last year.

Adelaide Football Club chairman John Olsen told the Sunday Mail the decision was the “critical last step” to deliver the project. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Premier Peter Malinauskas said the $15m funding was important to show support for one of the state’s two AFL clubs. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE/Emma Brasier

But nearby residents protested against a loss of open space at Kings Reserve, adjacent Thebarton Oval, forcing the Crows to compromise in April on plans for a MCG-sized training ground and replace that with a Marvel Stadium-sized ground from 2031, when land is available at the eastern edge after the nearby South Rd tunnels are completed.

Mr Malinauskas told the Sunday Mail the $15m funding was important to show support for one of the state’s two AFL clubs, saying the government would work with the Crows’ cross-town rival Port Adelaide on “any opportunities that may present themselves in the future”.

“This is very much a commitment to the Crows … The Adelaide footy club deserves a permanent home. The AFLW side is the most successful footy team in the country,” he said.

An aerial artist impression of the proposed new Adelaide Crows headquarters at Thebarton. Picture: City Collective

“It’s been a long time since a non-Victorian team has won an AFL premiership – too long in our view – and our AFL clubs need to be able to compete with the best. (These) facilities do provide that opportunity for both men and women.”

Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis, whose West Torrens electorate includes Thebarton Oval, said the Crows were “investing $100m into the western suburbs, into a community asset”.

“It’ll be great to have the Oval back. My daughters live down the road and my eldest daughter is turning 13 next month and she’s never set foot inside Thebarton Oval,” he said.

“I grew up in the area and Thebarton Oval used to be a key part of growing up in the area.

“Now it’s just surrounded by a fence and what the Crows are going to do is bring down those fences.”

New Crows Facility artist impression. Supplied: City Collective

New Crows Facility artist impression. Supplied: City Collective

Resident spokeswoman Emma Dawes, of the 5031 CF&GS Action Group, said Mr Koutsantonis’s intervention had helped ensure previous plans for Kings Reserve were not cast aside but could coexist with a football hub.

Dr Dawes said the funding was “a significant step forwards towards a precinct that can service the needs of the Crows, and continue to meet those of the inner-west community”.

The western end of Kings Reserve, which includes community barbecues and trees, will not be part of the Crows redevelopment, from which there will be no net tree loss across the Oval precinct.

The state government committed in October last year to build direct entry and exit access from an upgraded South Rd to the Crows’ Thebarton Oval headquarters in bid to ease traffic and parking concerns.