Rugby League club Balmain said that "it is destined to fold if Leichhardt Council goes ahead with a proposed decision to rezone the site of the clubhouse in Rozelle," according to Adrian Proszenko of the CANBERRA TIMES. The club has a history spanning 107 years but the entity, one half of the National Rugby League side Wests Tigers joint venture, "is likely to be in voluntary administration within weeks." It was hoped the Victoria Road premises, owned by Rozelle Village, "would be developed to provide a much-needed revenue stream for Balmain," but the officials claim Leichhardt Mayor Rochelle Porteous' proposal to rezone the historic site has "effectively killed off any hope of the project -- and Balmain -- continuing into the future." Balmain Leagues Club won approval from Leichhardt Council to redevelop its Rozelle site in '08 following four years of discussions. Balmain claims it spent A$8M acquiring properties adjacent to the site in '05 and '06 on the advice of Leichhardt Council, in order to "secure the required zoning." In '09, the club sold the site for just A$1 in return for Rozelle Village taking over its A$23.5M debt. Balmain Chair Leslie Glen said, "Without the leagues club, we're done. It's really tough times. [Extinction] is the stark reality, that's what we're facing. We are in grave strife." Balmain was "already frozen out of the Wests Tigers because of its
inability to meet financial obligations to Wests Tigers." The NRL covered the shortfall on the "proviso the loan be paid back within two years or
Balmain would lose its shares in the joint venture" (CANBERRA TIMES, 3/9).
