By Charlene Macaulay
A Football Federation Australia (FFA) delegation has been taken on a tour of Wyndham as a decision about the location of two new A-League soccer teams draws nearer.
Wyndham deals, investment and major projects director Kate Roffey, said FFA chief executive David Gallop, other FFA personnel and representatives from Deloitte were taken on a tour of key sites in Wyndham on November 12 to see the area’s population growth first-hand.
“I think it’s clear to say they now see the potential we offer as a genuine new destination for an A-League team,” Ms Roffey said.
“We’re giving them an opportunity to tap into a massive potential fan base, with no direct competition from other A-League clubs.
“They were also genuinely impressed with the innovative value capture model being used by the Western Melbourne Group and Wyndham City to fund … an elite sport precinct that includes a state-of-the-art 15,000-seat stadium without requiring any state or federal government funding.”
The Western Melbourne Group’s bid to set up a club in Tarneit as part of an expansion of the A-League is one of six remaining bids on the table, with a decision expected next month.
Wyndham council has worked with the Western Melbourne Group on the bid, which also has the support of Brimbank, Maribyrnong and Melton councils.
If the bid is successful, a multi-million dollar 15,000-seat stadium – dubbed Wyndham Stadium – will be built on Wyndham council-owned land at 1160 Sayers Road to host the new team.
In a statement last month, Mr Gallop said: “We need to continue our consultation with those bid teams to ensure that they adequately address these areas to ensure their future sustainability, which includes securing stadia, catchment area and financial capital.”
