Western United Stadium funding secured
The Western Melbourne Group (WMG) has announced major project partners for its $2 billion development at Tarneit, incorporating a 15,000-seat stadium for Western United FC.
New York Stock Exchange listed technology firm, Johnson Controls, will provide a $50 million debt facility to fund the project, while YourLand Developments have signed on to build the stadium and the surrounding suburb billed as Australia’s first to be focused on sport and recreation.
The rest of the funding for the $2 billion project will come from a public-private partnership with Wyndham council and an array of private investors.
The A-League club intends to host matches at its purpose-built stadium by the 2026/27 season, while it hopes to play matches at its new training base by the end of the current campaign.
The Wyndham Regional Football Facility features an 800-seat grandstand, while a temporary 2,000-seat grandstand will be built to boost capacity.
Residential and commercial developments and recreation focused wetlands also form part of the development on a 62.5 hectare site between Leaks Road and Ison Road in Tarneit.
The development will incorporate four distinct precincts including: High Performance Sports Precinct, Stadium Precinct, Residential Precinct; Commercial and Mixed-Use Precinct – scheduled for phased completion over the coming 10 years.
Western United chairman Jason Sourasis said the stadium will be a game changer for the club and the broader soccer community.
“This is truly the most exciting project in Melbourne’s sporting landscape and will create only the second A-League broadcast compliant, rectangular stadium in the state,” Mr Sourasis said.
The 15,000-seat Wyndham City Stadium formed part of Western United’s initial bid, first unveiled in June 2018 and scheduled to open in time for the 2021/22 season – a timeline the club has since said was unrealistic, while Covid and the state of the building industry caused further delays.
Updated renders show the stadium as a three-sided venue (initial renders had grandstands wrapping around all four sides), with the proposed stadium modelled on PayPal Park in San Jose, California.
Western United has predominantly played home games at AAMI Park in recent years, with matches also at Mars Stadium (Ballarat) and UTAS Stadium (Launceston). Matches have also been played at GMHBA Stadium (Geelong), Whitten Oval (Footscray), North Hobart Oval and Morshead Park (Ballarat).
