NORTH MELBOURNE has won the go-ahead to proceed with the redevelopment of its Arden Street headquarters, despite a funding shortfall of $3 million.
But after receiving final approval from the Melbourne City Council this week for the $16 million project, the Kangaroos have unveiled a host of initiatives to make up the funding gap, including a large-scale fund-raising event similar to that held by Melbourne this year.
"We'll be asking our members to dig deeper than they've ever dug before to build this key landmark building for North Melbourne," club chief executive Eugene Arocca said. "It's a buck against the trend that our club is not only not moving interstate or across Melbourne but is laying roots in its heartland."
The club is also seeking a naming-rights sponsor for the new facility — meaning it is unlikely to be known as Arden Street — and has priced the sponsorship ambitiously at more than $1 million a year.
Paving stones — to cover an area outside the rebuilt home — will be sold to members and supporters who wish to permanently leave their name at the club in a move similar to Essendon's redevelopment of Windy Hill.
The club is also pursuing a range of partnerships for its quest to turn the new home into a community facility — a key part of its decision to spurn a move to the Gold Coast and remain in Melbourne.
An approach has been received from the Heart Foundation for a partnership that could involve North players promoting healthy living and the foundation itself and classroom facilities to be built at the ground used to teach local children about diet and exercise.
"We think that AFL footballers are the best role models to help promote a healthy lifestyle and send out messages to kids and adults about unhealthy lifestyles," Arocca said.
He said the club had been warned by the AFL to make sure that the redevelopment did not involve any unnecessary spending. Tenders opened yesterday for a builder to construct the new home. Construction is expected to begin in February and be completed by late 2009.
When Arocca joined the club in January, the redevelopment was costed at $11 million but the cost increased when the chief executive decided the planned facility was too small.
"When you look at what we've been able to do in terms of pushing it up to a $16 million development, making it bigger and giving it a stronger community focus, then getting approval from the council without objections, it's a real fillip for the club," he said.
Those signing up for a club membership next season will be given the option of committing a further $20 to the building fund. Arocca said a function was also being planned for next year at which well-off and influential supporters would be asked to contribute towards the centre.
Melbourne chairman Jim Stynes oversaw a similar function at extinction-threatened Melbourne last year that netted the Demons $2 million.
The club will seek deals with builders and contractors working on the redevelopment, swapping sponsorship and exposure for reduced costs. The Federal and State Governments have committed $9 million and the AFL $1.5 million. Melbourne City Council and former AFL commissioner Peter Scanlon's foundation are also big donors.
The facility will include a new football department base, separate changerooms for community groups using the oval, a council-operated public gym and indoor sports courts for public use. It will also include a large merchandise shop and the "learning centre".
The centre will be used for language classes for migrants in the area as well as "homework groups" for school children — an area that club research shows migrant communities in the area desperately require. Discussions are being held with Victoria Police about using the classroom for educational purposes and the club will also appoint a teacher to run the facility and programs.
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