TonyK
CibbuanoDemetriou backs upgrade of AAMI Stadium
May 12th 2008 01:25
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has backed the redevelopment of AAMI Stadium and not the construction of a new venue.
Demetriou said a new stadium, which could cost about $1 billion, could not survive without AFL football and the AFL would not play there.
"We're certainly not supportive of a brand new stadium," he told ABC Radio.
"You certainly can't justify spending $1 billion of taxpayers' money on a new stadium.
"We've got a stadium that has served the game well. It does need some significant amount of money to be spent on it to bring it up to the standard we would like.
"(But) we've got no support for a new stadium and, in fact, I think I'm on the record as saying it couldn't possibly survive without football being played there and we wouldn't play there.
"We'd rather have a refurb at AAMI Stadium."
Demetriou conceded that the current AAMI Stadium was in urgent need of repair, but believed the idea of a new stadium was not financially viable.
"I don't think you can make the numbers stack up," he said.
"Our history shows that any investment in a stadium, especially the sort of magnitude you're talking about in South Australia, would be very, very difficult to get any return on the investment.
"I don't think that you can justify spending that sort of money if you're not going to get the return."
Demetriou said a new stadium, which could cost about $1 billion, could not survive without AFL football and the AFL would not play there.
"We're certainly not supportive of a brand new stadium," he told ABC Radio.
"You certainly can't justify spending $1 billion of taxpayers' money on a new stadium.
"We've got a stadium that has served the game well. It does need some significant amount of money to be spent on it to bring it up to the standard we would like.
"(But) we've got no support for a new stadium and, in fact, I think I'm on the record as saying it couldn't possibly survive without football being played there and we wouldn't play there.
"We'd rather have a refurb at AAMI Stadium."
Demetriou conceded that the current AAMI Stadium was in urgent need of repair, but believed the idea of a new stadium was not financially viable.
"I don't think you can make the numbers stack up," he said.
"Our history shows that any investment in a stadium, especially the sort of magnitude you're talking about in South Australia, would be very, very difficult to get any return on the investment.
"I don't think that you can justify spending that sort of money if you're not going to get the return."
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