Support grows for Brookvale Oval to be transformed into boutique stadium
The NSW Government is being urged to redirect some of the $810 million from the cancelled ANZ Stadium revamp to rebuild the Sea Eagles’ NRL home ground.
Manly
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Support is building for the NSW Government to fund the transformation of Brookvale Oval into a state-of-the art boutique stadium.
The Sea Eagles and Northern Beaches Council today welcomed news that the NRL will campaign for money to be spent on suburban grounds after the Government dropped its $810 million plan to rebuild ANZ Stadium.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys is now lobbying for some of the money to be redirected to at least three new 18-20,000-seat boutique stadiums at Brookvale, Campbelltown and Kogarah.
The Government said it wants to use the $810 million to pay for COVID-19 job creation programs, but it has been reported that the NRL could pressure the government into handing over some funds by holding discussions about moving the grand final interstate.
It was also suggested in reports that Brookvale could also become the home base for premier northern beaches’ rugby union teams — the Manly Marlins and the Warringah Rats.
Sea Eagles general manager Steve Humphreys said the redevelopment of Brookvale Oval, which is owned by the Council, was a worthy project and he would be pushing hard for its support.
Planning authorities are already examining a $33 million plan, released last year, to build a new undercover 3500-seat grandstand and a Centre of Excellence at Brookvale.
The bulk of that money is coming from the federal and NSW governments.
Mr Humphreys told The Daily Telegraph that a decision to drop the ANZ rebuild “presents a good opportunity to redirect at least some of that investment into a few selected suburban venues in Sydney”.
“The government is looking to create jobs and stimulate the economy, and directing some money into selected venues would do that, not just in the short term but the longer term.
“Embedding stadiums in certain key areas across Sydney will create multipurpose venues that the broader community can enjoy for decades to come,” Mr Humphreys said.
Council CEO Ray Brownlee said today it would welcome investment by the NSW Government into upgrading Brookvale Oval.
“This is a community facility that the people of the northern beaches highly value and improving it for the community, sports users and the Sea Eagles would highly benefit the region.”
Manly Marlins general manager Rob Gallagher said while having a first-class football stadium on the northern beaches would be great, he could not see the rugby club moving from Manly Oval, its ‘spiritual home”.
“It comes down to the whole economics of it all,” Mr Gallagher said. “If you put the Sea Eagles, the Marlins and the Rats in there, it would be a pretty congested timetable and hard to juggle.
“I can't image Manly would be keen on leaving Manly Oval any time soon.”
Warringah Rats general manager Guy Fraser-Hills said a move to Brookvale would result in a loss of atmosphere at games as well as an increase in council hiring fees.
“We’re on a beautiful purpose-built rugby ground, we’ve been here for 50 years, and it’s a great place to watch rugby,” Mr Fraser-Hills said.
“And Brookvale’s not in our district. All of a sudden we’d have to take people out of our district to support our game.
“Like Manly, we are a club which is built on crowd support, The fans are vital for the survival of our clubs.”