SANFL receives council backing for Football Park return

Just one vote split the Charles Sturt Council decision on whether the SANFL should return to Football Park.

SANFL has received the green light from Charles Sturt Council to return to Football Park after a narrow vote on Tuesday night.

Elected members voted 6-5 in favour of granting the league a 42-year non-exclusive license to use the former AAMI Stadium site for its state junior, First Nations and multicultural programs.

SANFL chief executive Darren Chandler told The Advertiser the league was “delighted” by council’s decision.

“It’s really, really exciting to be able to build our talent facility down there, which is going to give the best young male and female players the opportunity to train in a high performance environment, where they may get the opportunity to fill their dreams and one day play at AFL level or AFLW level,” he said.

The league’s $27m move includes plans for a new $22.6m administration and training centre on private land adjoining the Mosaic Hotel on Turner Drive at West Lakes.

With SANFL on track to move to Football Park, the Adelaide Crows will be able pursue their plan of moving out and relocating to Thebarton Oval, where the league is currently.

Earlier, the State Commission Assessment Panel gave the Crows the go ahead for their $100 million plan that will see the development of a new training and administration base as well as a new home ground for their AFLW side at Thebarton Oval.

SANFL’s South Adelaide v Adelaide. Picture: Cory Sutton

Speaking in favour of licensing Football Park to SANFL on Tuesday, Cr Tom Scheffler said this would be an opportunity to have a paid-for world class facility.

“I love the fact that there’s going to be an organisation there … they are going to have young people coming through, they’re going to have role models supporting them, giving them opportunities,” he said.

But Cr Katriona Kinsella said she was unable to support the motion because SANFL’s proposal would commit a “strategically important” open space “to be an AFL oval 100 per cent of the time” for the next 40-odd years.

“Apart from oval maintenance SANFL have offered, I feel, not much else to the local community in tying up the use of this open space as solely to be an AFL oval,” she said.

Tuesday’s pivotal meeting drew a crowd to the council chambers, with SANFL representatives, local residents and even the state treasurer lining up to have a say ahead of the vote.

Speaking as the Member for Lee on Tuesday, Stephen Mullighan told councillors that there was strong support for the proposition, which would have “substantial community benefits”.

“This is also going to see a significant improvement to the oval and its surrounds,” he said.

“This is also going to see an organisation separate to council being responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of this oval to a standard that’s not just suitable for sport and recreation outcomes, but also for community access”.

The proposal received overwhelming backing during the consultation process but a group of around 200 residents have urged council against licensing Football Park to SANFL.

Several addressed elected members of Tuesday, including Peter Rackham, who said the move would deprive residents and their families of usable open space in the West Development.

Some also accused the SANFL of using tactics to skew the results of the community consultation.

Asked about concerns raised by residents, Mr Chandler said “there will be plenty of access for the community to utilise the oval”.