Stand-in Redbacks captain Dan Christian hits out in Adelaide Oval's indoor nets. Picture: Ray Titus Source: The Advertiser
THE heat is on cricket officials to honour their own advice by enriching the state's sporting future.
South Australian Cricket Association president Ian McLachlan last October urged members to vote in favour of the proposed $535 million Adelaide Oval development.
"If you come to think about voting no then you have to think about what you are prepared to deny this city, this state and enormous benefits this city will derive from this arrangement," McLachlan said at last September's SACA annual meeting. However, the SACA member vote - originally scheduled last November - has failed to materialise. No date has been provided for the crucial vote necessary to allow SACA's constitution to be changed to permit a joint venture with the SANFL at Adelaide Oval.
Having downgraded to a 50 per cent lease at Adelaide Oval, it is understood SACA must also acquiesce to a time-share arrangement at the venue to seal a deal with football. Cricket may enjoy just five months control over a redeveloped 50,000-seat stadium, which must accommodate AFL fixtures from 2014.
The SANFL, which once opposed any move of AFL fixtures to Adelaide Oval, appears to covet the plan.
Infrastructure Minister Patrick Conlon's gold-plated pledge - revealed in The Advertiser last August - surely placated football.
The SANFL would be allowed to keep a Future Fund "fortune" from the sale of its West Lakes property, eventually have trams connected to service the land development and still benefit from a 50 per cent lease at Adelaide Oval.
Now, SACA's commitment to the $535 million reunion will be tested. Adelaide City Council will meet on Tuesday to determine its position in relation to the Adelaide Oval upgrade and will require a rock-solid proposal from the $10 million taxpayer-funded SMA to consider soon after.
SACA chief executive John Harnden told The Advertiser cricket and football are "getting pretty close" to a binding agreement and members vote on the proposal.
"In the relatively near future we are going to be able to say when we think it will be and from that point there is a timeline to provide information to members," said Harnden.
Stakeholders including SACA members and new lord mayor Stephen Yarwood will appreciate concrete evidence of progress in negotiations.
"The current Council-endorsed position is that we support in principle the redevelopment and football coming to Adelaide," said Yarwood.
"It is very difficult because we don't know what is being put on the table."
McLachlan's words last September now carry extra significance.
"We need to think further than our own needs before we dismiss a plan to expand this ground," he said.
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