$350 million sports hub heading to regional Victoria
Developers of a sophisticated, first of its kind sports hub worth $350 million hope to lure some of the best teams and athletes on the planet into regional Victoria. Here’s where the world class facility will be built.
Victoria
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A $350 million sports hub aimed at the world’s biggest stars will be built in regional Victoria in a boost to the state economy.
More than 1000 jobs will be created by construction of a 220ha sport, health and tourism precinct on the Surf Coast with world class training, education, sports science and medical facilities.
The State Government will on Thursday announce approval of the Cape Otway Road Australia development (CORA) at Modewarre, south west of Geelong.
The first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, the project includes elite training facilities for codes such as soccer, basketball, AFL, cricket, swimming, tennis, rugby and a wellness centre.
Teams from the likes of the English Premier League, NBA, Olympic and international squads will be targeted to train and stay at the precinct, with four and five-star lodges and a 128-room hotel.
A retail village, restaurants, childcare, organic farm, art gallery, sculpture park, farmer’s market, micro brewery and cellar door have also been approved for the site.
CORA co-founder Daryl Pelchen said the privately funded “game changer’’ would lure some of the best teams and athletes on the planet, with 350,000 visitors expected in its first year.
“It will help Victoria attract stronger major events more frequently for less money,’’ he said.
The precinct will boast MCG and GMHBA Stadium size and standard ovals, in and outdoor tennis courts, turf cricket pitches, an Olympic sized pool and eight lane running track.
It will also feature FIFA standard soccer pitches, a gym, hydrotherapy pool and a state-of-the-art virtual reality training studio.
Mr Pelchen said the facility would “play to Victoria’s strengths’’.
“We’re really good in that sport and major event space, we’re really good in terms of medicine and education, we’re great in terms of agriculture and tourism and hospitality and innovation,’’ he said.
“We’ve simply joined the dots.’’
Planning Minister Richard Wynne said additional conditions had been included to strengthen protection of existing wetlands, native vegetation and known habitat of the Growling Grass Frog.
“We’ve listened to the community during the assessment process to ensure the final development is one that sits well in the landscape and builds on what we all love about the Surf Coast,’’ he said.
It is expected Aussie teams such as the Geelong and surfers competing in the Rip Curl Pro will use the hub, along with cashed up foreign squads who book it out for weeks.
Global sporting giants such as the EPL, NBA, NFL, Indian Premier League, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Arsenal were consulted during the planning stage.
It will be open to the public when not being used by professionals.
Construction, by Multiplex, will start next year with the precinct expected to open in 2024.
Original plans for a wave pool and residential subdivision were scrapped.
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