Saints set sights on Seaford
17/09/2008 11:26 AM
St Kilda has formally abandoned plans to shift its training base from Moorabbin to Frankston because of cost blowouts and instead will set up at a new facility, still by the bay but closer to the city, in Seaford from 2010.
The proposed $11m training and administration development at Belvedere Park will include an MCG-sized oval, gymnasium, rehabilitation pool, meeting rooms, lecture theatre and an indoor sports hall.
St Kilda chief executive Archie Fraser said the move is part of a long-term plan to develop the club's membership base across the bayside area.
"While the process has taken longer than we had hoped, the club has a duty of care to its members and we sought advice on all available options," Fraser said.
"Belvedere Park not only provides us with a foundation upon which to build a state-of-the-art training facility, but it also allows us to create a sporting precinct for the entire community to use."
The project will be funded by the State Government ($3.45m), Frankston City Council ($3m), AFL ($2.55m) and the St Kilda Football Club ($1.43m, plus all additional costs).
The oval will be available as a training venue for the Dandenong Stingrays and a game day venue for local junior competitions.
A Heads of Agreement was signed on Tuesday, paving the way for St Kilda to start the moving process which is scheduled to be complete during the 2010 season.