An eight-storey hotel could replace a senior citizens centre at Kardinia Park

A multi-level hotel and a new home for Geelong’s AFLW team could be built at Kardinia Park under a temporarily suspended masterplan for the site.

A masterplan for Kardinia Park has been put on ice until after the October local government elections. Picture: Alan Barber

A multistorey hotel has been discussed to replace the Kardinia Senior Citizens Club under a paused blueprint for Geelong’s premier sporting precinct.

The Cats’ AFLW team could also play games at a new boutique stadium seating up to 8000 people at a revamped Kardinia Park cricket oval, a meeting regarding the site’s future heard back in late May.

However, the City of Greater Geelong remained tight-lipped when asked if a hotel was part of its overall discussions.

The council’s masterplan for the site has been put on ice until after the October elections, fearing the public release of draft plans could become a political football.

However, on May 29 Kardinia Park tenants met with consultant Urbis to discuss ideas thrown up at an earlier workshop.

One proposal was a six to eight-storey hotel with food and beverage opportunities where the senior citizens centre is currently located at the southern end of the site.

Several sources have confirmed with this masthead a hotel was discussed during previous meetings as a potential option.

A multistorey hotel has been discussed as an option for Kardinia Park. Picture: Alan Barber

When contacted by this masthead, the centre said it was not aware of such plans.

A Latrobe Tce gateway, a mixed-use precinct, double basement underground parking, a high quality playground, facilities which host smaller scale events on other ovals and the potential loss of netball courts were also discussed.

The plan also proposed facilities which supported umpires, swimmers, cricketers, footballers and netballers and other public gathering spaces.

However, some of the park is underused and sometimes dysfunctional, one meeting heard.

Anthony Costa Oval’s odd shape was also mentioned with a realignment proposed.

The existing cricket oval could also be reshaped for spectator and ticketed events with a capacity of 5000-8000 people, including AFLW and VFL matches.

A realignment of Anthony Costa Oval has also been proposed as part of the masterplan. Picture: Mark Wilson

However one tenant, the Geelong Football Umpires League (GFUL), which has been based at the site since 1960, has shared concerns over its future after spending a lot of money on its current building.

Geelong Cricket Club currently shares the GFUL building during summer.

The meetings looked at what the site could look like over the next 20 years with a projected 40 per cent increase in Geelong’s population in less than two decades.

It also sought to forecast the short and medium term pressures facing the precinct, while also considering what the future could look like for the Kardinia Aquatic Centre.

The council’s executive director of placemaking Tennille Bradley said it had received “excellent feedback from stakeholders during the masterplan engagement process”.

“We want to factor all feedback in prior to moving to a public stage of consultation,” Ms Bradley said.

“We remain fully committed to the project and council looks forward to resuming in the near future.”

Urbis director Nat Anson said all questions regarding the masterplan should be directed to the council.

Originally published as An eight-storey hotel could replace a senior citizens centre at Kardinia Park