Every heart beats true! Melbourne Football Club cheer squad committeeman and Hampton Park resident Gary Anderton can’t wait for the Demons to start kicking goals at Casey Fields.
By Callan Date and Glen Atwell
THE grand old flag of the Melbourne Football Club will soon fly in the City of Casey.
A landmark $1 million deal made on Tuesday night put an end to months of speculation about the AFL club’s presence at Casey Fields in Cranbourne.
The Demons’ have committed to a 30-year involvement with the area which will initially cost Casey $1.39 million.
But the originally planned land transfer will not be part of the deal.
Casey chief executive Mike Tyler said MFC made the decision not to pursue the land as part of the deal.
The Demons change of heart came just days after former MFC chief executive Paul McNamee was sacked.
Mr Tyler said the decision to substitute a land transfer with $500,000 of surplus funds was not a significant change.
And residents can expect to see Demons players kicking footballs in Casey by October.
“Melbourne players will be in Cranbourne when pre-season training begins,” Mr Tyler said.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $2.24 million.
The money will go towards a major extension of the pavilion at Casey Fields which the Demons football department will work from until early 2010. Councillors voted seven to three in favour of the deal going ahead.
Crs Kevin Bradford, Rob Wilson and Paul Richardson voiced their disapproval of the deal.
The agreement is all but assured with the State Government only having to approve the reallocation of $350,000 originally intended for works on the outer side of the main oval.
Mr Tyler said the pavilion extension and ground revamp would be completed by the middle of next year.
Melbourne will base its football department at Casey Fields until April 2010, when the new Melbourne Rectangular Stadium at Olympic Park opens.
After relocating into their new city home, the Demons will train at Casey Fields for eight weeks in preparation for the 2011 AFL season.
Fortnightly community training sessions will also give Casey residents access to Melbourne players.
Other community benefits include Demons players visiting schools and football clubs in the local area and the promotion of the City of Casey in all MFC operations.
Casey mayor Janet Halsall said she was disappointed two councillors had used a rescission motion, which was lodged only hours after the deal was done, to block progress.
“I personally believe the rescission motion will not affect the outcome of the agreement. It will only delay it by two weeks,” she said.
