Rival developers threaten Adelaide Crows’ planned headquarters at Brompton Gasworks

The Adelaide Crows’ quest for a new club headquarters is under threat of being derailed by stiff competition for the Brompton Gasworks site.

The Adelaide Crows’ quest for a new headquarters is again at risk of being thwarted, this time by rival bids for the inner-west Brompton Gasworks, where the AFL club is proposing a housing/commercial development.

Three rival bids will be lodged for the 5.81ha site, which the Crows and Melbourne-based developer Pelligra want to transform into the club’s new home as part of the redevelopment.

Four property developers, including the Crows’ consortium, have been short-listed from ten interested firms by State Government land agency Renewal SA for a formal request for proposal process to deliver a combination of housing, retail, commercial and recreational spaces.

The Crows last year abandoned plans for a training and administrative facility at the aquatic centre in North Adelaide, following resistance from Adelaide City Council.

Heritage structures at the former Brompton gasworks site, including the Retort House, its chimney and the bluestone wall on Chief St.

Adelaide Football Club chairman John Olsen said Brompton and Thebarton sites were being assessed for a new administration, high performance and community facility, which would be an elite training base for Adelaide’s men’s and women’s players and coaches, as well as a destination for Crows members and fans.

“We have a board-appointed working committee, comprising both internal and external expertise, leading this project and we are also continuing to assess and finalise due diligence on Thebarton Oval, as well as the Brompton site,” Mr Olsen said.

Adelaide Football Club chairman John Olsen. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The Sunday Mail in May revealed the Crows were zeroing in on the Brompton site, ahead of Thebarton, in the Pelligra joint venture. The federal government has granted the Crows $15 million to relocate their headquarters from West Lakes.

But it is understood the Crows’ bid is predicted to realise up to $25m less profit than rivals, because the club administration and oval complex reduces the amount of more lucrative housing.

Cleaning up land contaminated during the gasworks’ operation from 1863 to 2000 is predicted to cost up to $60m.

The boundaries of the former Brompton gasworks site. Map supplied by Renewal SA.

Renewal SA chief executive Chris Menz confirmed four “local and interstate” developers had been short-listed but declined to release details, citing a confidential bidding process.

“After a highly competitive registration of interest process for the remediation and redevelopment of the former Gasworks site at Bowden – in which a significant number of a high-calibre submissions were received – Renewal SA is pleased to have short-listed four developers for this city-defining project,” he said.

The other firms are understood to include Adelaide-based Commercial & General, which ironically is redeveloping the Crows’ West Lakes headquarters in a $1bn, 1300-home project. The other two are thought to be Melbourne-based MAB Corporation and the Sydney-based Macquarie Group.

The short-listed proponents will have six weeks from the October 19 opening of the request for proposal process to submit their plans. This will include their vision, draft master plan, firm financial offer, detailed remediation strategy and construction program.

Renewal SA is “targeting” to select a preferred proponent by December 31 for the site, which is bordered by Chief St, Second St, Drayton St and the northwestern suburban train line.

Originally published as Rival developers threaten Adelaide Crows’ planned headquarters at Brompton Gasworks