WACA nearing completion
The WACA Ground, WA's premier cricket venue since its 1893 opening, has undergone a significant transformation over the winter in a bid to make it "the best cricket ground in Australia".
The overhaul is the most significant development at the ground since the 1988 opening of the large Lillee-Marsh stand at the southern end of the ground.
The redevelopment features extensive use of grassed banks and shady trees at the western and eastern ends of the ground, elements that the Western Australian Cricket Association hopes will make the ground a family friendly venue ideally suited to watching cricket.
Players will also benefit from a new, self-contained and secure pavilion which meets tight new International Cricket Council standards for player safety.
WACA members will be moved from the northern side of the ground to the southern side, meaning their new enclosure will incorporate the Lillee-Marsh stand.
The historic but uncomfortable Farley and Players stands on the northern side of the ground were demolished to make way for a new grassed podium, raised five metres from the ground to offer patrons an improved view of the arena.
The podium has been designed so that temporary seating can be erected for matches that will draw large crowds.
The ground will hold 22,500 people, but temporary seating will bring capacity up to 27,000 people if required.
WACA general manager of business development Darren Beazley said this flexibility had been a key aim of the project.
"The whole theme has been flexibility to expand or contract to the size of the crowd and that's been the single common thread through what we've been trying to do," he said.
"If we were looking at games outside of cricket like rugby and so forth, we have the option of brining in temporary seating at each grass bank and that would increase the capacity again."
Mr Beazley said in the short term the WACA hoped the redevelopment would attract more games of cricket like Australia 'A' fixtures and women's internationals.
But longer term plans revolve around securing a tenant for the ground in winter.
AFL night matches were held at the WACA Ground between 1987 and 2000, but the construction of lights at Subiaco Oval meant this agreement was not renewed.
This fact, as well as the demise of the Perth Reds rugby league team in 1997, means the WACA has been empty outside the cricket season.
"Longer term we are looking for a winter tenant," Mr Beazley said.
"Whether that's rugby or whether that's soccer, the ground has been developed so that it will suit rectangular games."
"One of the key elements is that we've increased the rake of the seating by 15 degrees and that has the effect of bringing people closer to the action and creating more of an amphitheatre."
"A criticism of some football grounds where you try to play rectangular games is that people are too far way from the action."
"The executive and management decided they would deliberately design the ground to overcome that."
Mr Beazley said the project had not received any government money.
The WACA would cover the cost through its own efforts and revenue streams.
The project's official handover date of November 15 means the redevelopment will be finished in time for the start of the Third Ashes Test on November 29.
