BELVEDERE Oval in Seaford has been confirmed as St Kilda Football Club's preferred site for an
$11 million training centre, with the deal hinging on Frankston Council's approval.
It is understood Frankston councillors are being asked to increase the city's original cash offer from $2 to $3.8 million.
The football club says it wants more money in place of a block of land in Plowman Place, adjacent to Frankston Park. St Kilda is understood to have put two options to the council when the costs of moving from Moorabbin to Frankston Park blew out by more than $5 million.
One was to forego the land in Plowman Place in return for
$1.8 million, the other was that the council inject a total of $5 million for the deal to proceed at Frankston Park.
Mayor Alistair Wardle remains opposed to giving more money to St Kilda, particularly because the council will have to pay for the maintenance of a proposed third playing field at Seaford.
"Why would you pay more money for the second-choice site given we will be stuck with the ongoing costs of maintaining another oval?" Cr Wardle asked.
Giving money to St Kilda could become an election issue in November with at least two other councillors joining with sporting clubs and residents upset that ratepayers' money is going to an AFL club instead of local sporting bodies.
Asked to confirm the details of the new deal, the council's corporate manager Mark Brady said: "We are in advanced negotiations with St Kilda and we have listed the matter for council's consideration at its meeting of September 1. No further information or comment can be provided until council has considered the report and made a decision."
The council's economic development unit estimates the deal will inject $42.5 million into Frankston's economy each year of the 50-year life of the agreement.
On Friday, Sports Minister James Merlino agreed to transfer the State Government's $3.45 million from Frankston Park to Belvedere Oval.
Frankston MP Alistair Harkness urged the council to support the deal.
"The St Kilda Football Club moving to Belvedere Oval will be a boon for the wider Frankston area and will provide numerous benefits for residents, health providers, educational institutions - for the whole region," Mr Harkness said.
"The Belvedere project will transform the oval into a state-of-the-art sporting facility for elite athletes, as well as providing important community benefits for local people.
"The Government and the Saints have both made the commitment to Belvedere Oval and it is now time for Frankston Council to step up and make good on its agreement to sign off on this important project.
"I call on Frankston Council to help deliver this project for the community as set out in the proposed heads of agreement for the Belvedere project."
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