Adelaide Crows one step closer to Thebarton Oval home after receiving a lease from West Torrens Council

The Crows move to Thebarton is getting closer to becoming a reality. Despite plenty of controversy, the deputy mayor can see similarities to the Eiffel Tower and Mt Rushmore. Here’s why.

Adelaide Football Club has taken a huge step towards making Thebarton Oval its new home after receiving a lease from West Torrens Council.

At a special general meeting on Tuesday night, elected members voted 11-2 to grant the Crows a 42-year lease to establish a $100m training and administrative base in the precinct.

The State Assessment Commission Panel will now determine if the project will go ahead.

West Torrens’ decision came 16 months after Adelaide settled on Thebarton as its preferred site.

It also followed significant community backlash over a perceived loss of open green space, reduced public access, increased traffic and lack of transparency.

Adelaide’s move to Thebarton is one step closer to reality. Picture: City Collective

Crows chairman John Olsen thanked the council for its support, saying the club could now proceed to a development application.

“Once complete, our new training and administration headquarters will be the leading facility of its kind in the country and securing the long-term lease is another crucial step forward,” Mr Olsen said.

“Importantly, it will also be a place where our supporters can come together and there will be new and improved green space and amenities for community use.”

Mayor Michael Coxon said the council was excited to reach this point after almost two years of deliberation and many changes to the Crows’ original proposal.

“We believe it will inevitably be the jewel in the crown for West Torrens,” Coxon told this masthead.

The Crows have been exploring moves away from their West Lakes home since 2013.

They had potential shifts to North Adelaide and Brompton Gasworks scuttled, before choosing Thebarton as their preferred new base in August last year.

West Torrens will contribute $11.26m to the Crows for the project, which is expected to provide $45m in community benefit.

Elected West Torrens council members voted 11-2 to grant the Crows a 42-year. Picture: Matt Loxton

Adelaide’s AFLW side will play homes games at Thebarton and the club will train there, as well as have a portion of Kings Reserve as a secondary oval.

The Crows hope to be in their new base by 2025.

Tuesday night’s meeting began with a deputation from Nicki Dantalis, a member of the 5031 Community Facilities and Greenspaces Action Group, who raised several concerns, including that the council was rushing to make an $11.26m “gift”.

Deputy mayor Jassmine Wood said the project would have significant benefit for the area.

“Plenty of iconic monuments, not only here but across the world, such as Mount Rushmore, Times Square, the Eiffel Tower – were absolutely controversial and not wanted at first, but look at them now,” Cr Wood said.

“We will like this in the end.”

Hilton Ward councillor Sam Whiting voted no, in part because of the results of the four-week community consultation.

Of the 428 responses from the West Torrens district, 51.8 per cent did not support the masterplan as it stood, while 43.4 per cent were in favour.

“I really want to see this proposal get up,” Cr Whiting told the meeting.

“But it’s not quite the value for money that it should be.”

Last week Planning Minister Nick Champion appointed the State Assessment Commission Panel to decide on the project because of its economic importance and South Australia-wide interest.

Aside from the State Assessment Commission Panel’s decision, Thebarton’s existing lease holder, the SANFL, returning to Football Park is the other key hurdle for the Crows.

Charles Sturt Council has deferred a decision on the SANFL’s move back to West Lakes until February.