A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers Chair Paul Lederer unveiled plans for the club to be based at a new A$30M ($20M) "state-of-the-art complex from next season," according to Tom Smithies of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH.
As Western Sydney prepares to host a derby for the last time before Pirtek Stadium is razed and rebuilt, Lederer detailed for the first time the plans to build "a world-class football club" based at a new complex in Rooty Hill.
The complex "will be built in seven stages on land leased at Blacktown International Sportspark, with the club headquarters and player facilities due to be built within the next six months, along with the first of 9.5 pitches and spectator facilities."
The precinct, "covering some eight hectares, will be home to all of the club’s teams, from Tony Popovic’s first-team squad to the W-League, youth teams and down the academy teams."
Lederer called it "the largest investment by any Australian sporting club," based on a tour of 13 European clubs he and CEO John Tsatsimas undertook last year.
Lederer said that the project will be funded by the owners, and though it may eventually include revenue-generating office blocks and a club, for now it is just "an investment" in the future of the game. Planning permission has been granted and the leveling of some land for pitches "has already been undertaken" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 1/13).
