Geelong Cats respond to calls to be permanently based at new CORA facility
Developers of a $350 million sports city at Modewarre want the Geelong Football Club to use the facility as its permanent training base. Here’s what the Cats had to say.
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Developers of a $350 million sports city at Modewarre looking to attract the world’s best teams also want the Geelong Football Club to use the facility as its permanent training base.
Co-founder of the Cape Otway Road Australia development, Daryl Pelchan said “ideally” the Cats’ AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW teams would use the 220ha facility, the first of its type in the Southern Hemisphere, as a training base when it opened in 2024.
Construction of the facility spread across 220ha is due to start late next year, and builder Multiplex will commit to sourcing 75 per cent, of materials and the 1000-people workforce needed, from across the G21 region, Mr Pelchan said.
A $20 million detailed design process spearheaded by architect Peter Williams is due to begin shortly after the project was ticked off by Victorian Planning Minister on Thursday.
Geelong Football Club chief executive Brian Cook said the club needed more details about the specifics of what is proposed at the facility before considering setting up a training base there.
Mr Cook said CORA becoming the Cats’ permanent training base was a “long way off.”
“Whether we have a partnership in the future we don't know yet; there’s been no agreements.
“At the moment we are pretty happy with our training facility a Deakin Waurn Ponds and the (GMHBA) stadium. We need to consider where we need to be in 20 years time.
“For us (the project) has potential but it is far too early to commit to anything.
“We’ve been assisting the CORA group for some time with their concept. It is great for the region there’s no doubt about that.”
Mr Pelchan said the facility — that includes MCG and GMHBA-sized sports fields, a 128-room hotel, 61 lodges, a wellness centre, a retail village, an art gallery, sculpture park, childcare centre, microbrewery and a sewage treatment plant — would be mostly opened to the public.
He said concerns from five neighbouring households on Connie Lane, who live near the project site, meant the street would not be used as a access point to the facility for any purpose.
Environment concerns have also be factored into the project with more than 100ha of the 220ha dedicated to conservation, Mr Pelchan said.
In approving the project the Planning Minister has also including conditions to protect wetlands around Lake Modewarre, native vegetation and known Growling Grass Frog habitat.
Locals have voiced concerns the 350,000 visitors expected at the facility each year will result in too much traffic through nearby Moriac.
The facility is expected to include elite training facilities for soccer, basketball, AFL, cricket, swimming, tennis and rugby.
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Originally published as Geelong Cats respond to calls to be permanently based at new CORA facility