New Stand will Deliver

Skilled Stadium's redevelopment is expected to inject more than $190 million into the Geelong region over the next 10 years.

The staggering figure is just one of the findings from an independent study into the economic impact the Geelong Football Club and the stadium's $28 million upgrade will have on the local community.

According to the study by professional service firm KPMG, each of the Cats' seven or more home games a year will bring $1.2 million into the city and its surroundings.

Half of that amount will be spent outside the stadium in local businesses such as restaurants, taxis, hotels, petrol stations, shops and movie theatres.

The study also found the re-development would create a further 80 full-time jobs in Geelong as well as an extra 200 casual jobs on match days.

With 10 days until the official opening of the stadium's new three-tiered eastern stand, Geelong chief executive Brian Cook said there had been sections of the Geelong community against the redevelopment because they believe the stadium's face-lift would only benefit a select few.

But Cook said that perception could not be further from the truth.

''There have been some mutterings by certain sections of the community, and they are minority sections, that the City of Greater Geelong has spent all of its discretionary dollars in the sport and recreation portfolio in this area for no return,'' he said.

''The impact that Skilled Stadium will have on the town, the football club and all over the region will be phenomenal. Footy is saying to everyone all over Australia that Geelong, the town, the club and the greater community is now firmly planted in the 21st Century.''

In a letter to the Geelong Advertiser, Cook said the redeveloped stadium would give the club and the Geelong region national branding six months of the year on television.