TonyK
CibbuanoAFL praises Victorian Government
July 25th 2008 01:50
THE AFL has praised the Victorian State Government for intervening in a planning wrangle that threatened to bankrupt the Western Bulldogs.
The dispute was over the City of Maribyrnong's refusal to issue a permit for the Victorian University to establish an education and training centre for 140 students and 45 teachers at the redeveloped Whitten Oval.
The government's decision to override the council and grant the relevant permit freed-up $6-million in funding which allowed the redevelopment to go ahead.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the Bulldogs were on the verge of financial ruin.
"They were on the brink," Demetriou said.
"They've got a $6-million hole which was being put in jeopardy as part of their redevelopment - couldn’t make any headway with local government which was terribly frustrating."
"That jeopardised that project and that would have tipped them over the edge and if not for the intervention of the State Government which we congratulate and commend, we would be talking about some real tragic things at the Western Bulldogs."
"They would have been almost bordering on insolvent."
Meanwhile Demetriou said on 3AW that he was in contact with Channel Seven as late as Thursday in an attempt to have Friday night's Hawthorn-Geelong blockbuster at the MCG televised live.
But he said the network refused to change its programming schedule and that 'Better Homes and Gardens' was locked-in for the 7.30 timeslot.
"In the original agreement that we struck up with Nine and Foxtel that Seven and Ten matched, it was provided in that agreement that all Friday night football would be live, but that was varied at Seven's request because they wanted to show it at 8.30 and have a lead-in program," Demetriou said.
"We thought (a live telecast) would be a good idea this week given that it's a sell-out."
"We've tried, but we haven’t been successful."
The dispute was over the City of Maribyrnong's refusal to issue a permit for the Victorian University to establish an education and training centre for 140 students and 45 teachers at the redeveloped Whitten Oval.
The government's decision to override the council and grant the relevant permit freed-up $6-million in funding which allowed the redevelopment to go ahead.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the Bulldogs were on the verge of financial ruin.
"They were on the brink," Demetriou said.
"They've got a $6-million hole which was being put in jeopardy as part of their redevelopment - couldn’t make any headway with local government which was terribly frustrating."
"That jeopardised that project and that would have tipped them over the edge and if not for the intervention of the State Government which we congratulate and commend, we would be talking about some real tragic things at the Western Bulldogs."
"They would have been almost bordering on insolvent."
Meanwhile Demetriou said on 3AW that he was in contact with Channel Seven as late as Thursday in an attempt to have Friday night's Hawthorn-Geelong blockbuster at the MCG televised live.
But he said the network refused to change its programming schedule and that 'Better Homes and Gardens' was locked-in for the 7.30 timeslot.
"In the original agreement that we struck up with Nine and Foxtel that Seven and Ten matched, it was provided in that agreement that all Friday night football would be live, but that was varied at Seven's request because they wanted to show it at 8.30 and have a lead-in program," Demetriou said.
"We thought (a live telecast) would be a good idea this week given that it's a sell-out."
"We've tried, but we haven’t been successful."
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