Australian Football League side Geelong "will be saved a third consecutive financial loss by wealthy patrons as the Cats’ stadium rebuild hits its bottom line," according to Jon Ralph of the HERALD SUN. Geelong President Colin Carter said that "a trio of financial challenges brought about by the latest stadium regeneration meant the Cats would effectively announce a loss" for the '16 season. Just seven Simonds Stadium home games, a reduced capacity at the ground and the warehousing of poker machines "have all cost the club." A "massive fundraising drive from sponsors and loyal fans" has hauled in more than A$10M ($7.68M) and "will help clear debt from previous stand redevelopments" and pay the Cats’ A$5M ($3.84M) share of stage four. The stage four redevelopment "will see the newest construction named The Brownlow Stand and increase capacity to 36,000." Carter: "The accounting will show we are (in the positive) because of the success of our fundraising program but the underlying position is still affected by the big hole in the ground. We won’t get (to a profit) but we are on the path to get there" (HERALD SUN, 11/3).
