The Greater Western Sydney Giants have today announced an $800 million ‘Manuka Green’ proposal to upgrade Canberra’s Manuka Oval and the surrounding precinct.
The proposed upgrade, which has been submitted to the ACT Government, includes 4750 new seats to replace existing temporary seating and standing areas, roofing to cover 80 per cent of seats, and new hospitality, media and change room facilities.
The plan also includes upgrades to the surrounding area, including additional car parking, the construction of a new 4-star hotel, preservation of existing heritage features and a multi-million dollar landscape upgrade.
“For over 100 years, Manuka Oval has been a proud home for cricket and Australian Football in Canberra,” Giants Chairman Tony Shepherd said.
“But the oval’s potential is limited by not meeting standards for international cricket or AFL. The proposed upgrades will mean that Canberra can attract more elite sporting events. They will also significantly improve the player and visitor experience.”
The Giants will play against Geelong, Port Adelaide and Richmond at Manuka Oval this season, as well as a pre-season match against the Western Bulldogs.
“Canberra is part of the Giants’ DNA and this proposal further cements our commitment to the Canberra community and indeed our long-term future in the ACT,” Mr Shepherd said.
“Importantly, this proposal strives to generate substantial long-term economic benefits for the ACT, sees the oval remain in community ownership and the development will come at no cost to the ACT taxpayer.”
Opportunities for local residents to provide feedback on the proposal will be announced in the coming days, and an online public feedback forum will also be created.
Should the proposal go ahead, a competition will be held to decide the design of the redevelopment.
kebab connossieur
Guest
Dunno, they seem to be getting as good attendances as the NRL and nationwide tv ratings better than NRL.
Mexicano
Guest
You mean 'MOOT' as in being irrelevant not 'mute' as in to muffle sound.
Mexicano
Guest
The Brits spread soccer and to a lesser extent rugby due to it having colonies all over the world and their loyal colonists played the imperial games. Victorian had a lot of people from outside the Empire so they went their own way. Particularly the Irish who hated the English.
anon
Guest
There should be a Royal Commission into this if it goes ahead. Put up 5,000 bleacher seats. Don't waste public money when we have record deficits.
clipper
Guest
I always like to find the reality of the situation before jumping in. Don't think many read the article - just saw GWS and pounced on their keyboards with the usual rhetoric.
AR
Guest
josh, the AFL hopes it can one day be no. 2 on Western Sydney. That was the stated aim from the beginning. Google it. I realise the AFL bogeyman keeps you up every night, but I can assure you that your night terrors are not justified. If Perth and Brisbane can accommodate 4 codes, so can W.Syd. Quite easily in fact.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
It's not really something you want to advertise!
Johnty
Guest
They should move to Canberra permanently. Not gaining any traction what so ever in Sydney.
josh
Guest
The problem AR is that football isn't looking to try crush the other sports into oblivion, the AFL wants to muscle into Western Sydney then muscle the other codes out. Co-existence just isn't in the vocabulary.
Vocans
Guest
How about the Manuka Honeys? I'm sure they could design suitably bee-like guernseys. They could arrange capital for a fast train from western Sydney to Canberra! I can see even more in the pipeline - it's all happening - the AFL leads Australia out of the post-boom jitters!
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
As Usual the AFL will put in $2M and the government will pay the rest of the $800M . The AFL does not need government handouts. Yes, but they have to change their name to the Greater South West Sydney and Canberra Giants, the "GSWSAC Giants".
Agent11
Guest
Fair enough but its still all "ifs and buts". Growing up in Canberra in the 80s and 90s League was the golden child simply due to the fact Canberra had a very high profile team in the NSWRL with players like Laurie Daley, Brad Clyde, Ricky Stuart, Glenn Lazarus and others all from the canberra/riverina region. Rugby wasn't professional then although the canberra kookaburras were popular and canberra has a very good record of producing wallabies. AFL had a strong local comp but no team in the VFL and soccer was extremely popular for participation but the NSL wasn't a high profile comp like the NSWRL.
Republican
Guest
Union had been played in the district as early as late 1800's while Goulburn hosted the British Lions during this era. Post war League become more the dominant code in the region over Union and formed an official comp here in 1932. Union formed their equivalent in 1938. All these codes had a profile in the region early 1900's including Australian Footy which had the support of playing #'s to form their own Territory League before either Rugby Code. The Soccer equivalent from what I can ascertain was smaller and more of an ex pat Brit instigated comp - is that correct Norad?
Republican
Guest
Union had been played in the district as early as late 1800's while Goulburn hosted the British Lions during this era. Post war League become more the dominant code in the region over Union and formed an official comp here in 1932. Union formed their equivalent in 1938. All these codes had a profile in the region early 1900's including Australian Footy which had the support of playing #'s to form their own Territory League before either Rugby Code. The Soccer equivalent from what I can ascertain was smaller and more of an ex pat Brit instigated comp - is that correct Norad?
Republican
Guest
There were unofficial Australian Footy comps taking place between a handful of sides around 1910 which included a Duntroon side, while the 1st officially formed league was 1924.
Republican
Guest
...ah so your of the rooond ball persuasion Norad. No Canberra side represented in the National Soccer League today however. Recall the 'Arrows' or something like that............ This is mentioned in the book I have referenced while I believe Australian Football had already established a league here or around the same time as Soccer had. Ra ra was also being played in and around Duntroon I believe. So historically speaking, should the Wanderers be replaced by Canberra in the national league?
Republican
Guest
....history is not simply a mute point surely Norad.
Norad
Guest
Except AFL didn't do that did it, so it is a irrelevant and mute point.
Norad
Guest
It was football not the indigenous code that ACT's loyalty belongs. http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/144007/20160118-0749/saintsandheathens.wordpress.com/states/brumbies-rugby/index.html > the first code to firmly establish an organised club competition in the ACT, as well as to regularly play in Canberra itself, was soccer football under the “Canberra British Football Association” in 1914. Both Australian rules and rugby league established permanent club competitions in Canberra/ACT in the mid-1920s.
Republican
Guest
PS Agent11 They would 'dominate' the footy culture here, not necessarily wipe out competing codes. Ours is a small and therefore tight market that both League & Union have been fortunate enough to assume a carte blanche of. Had Australian Footy been established here in the professional context, it is moot as to whether Union or League would have ever risen to the status those of your persuasion articulate as your established right of passage and which they now struggle to maintain.