The primary focus of Australian Football League side Carlton's master plan for Princes Park is not "restoring it as a home-and-away venue, rather it's what the precinct as a whole should look like," according to Jon Pierik of THE AGE. Carlton is "open to the ground now known as Ikon Park again being an official AFL venue -- a move supporters showed they wanted" when almost 19,000 attended the NAB Challenge clash on Sunday in which the Bombers prevailed by 10 goals. However, "early indications are there appears more chance the ground will become an elite training venue and even a community hub," with Carlton's women's team hosting matches there if it is successful in gaining a license for the new women's league. The master plan is being run by Carlton President Mark LoGiudice and CEO Stephen Trigg and will be completed this year. In terms of it again being a "fully fledged AFL venue," the message from the Blues on Monday was "never say never." Trigg said the club was "open" to reactivating the ground "but he would not speculate on what an upgrade would cost." Industry speculation was that it would cost more than A$100M ($71M). The "charm of suburban football was felt by all at the ground on Sunday" but the facilities under the stands, such as the toilets and food areas, need "significant work." While the lack of public transport outside of trams along Royal Parade has "historically been an issue, that could change if the state government's plans for a new multi-billion-dollar underground rail line," with a stop in Parkville, are realized (THE AGE, 2/29).
