Football in Victoria’s west has received a significant boost with construction beginning on a new Regional Football Facility in Tarneit.
Western Melbourne Group and Wyndham City Council marked the beginning of construction on the jointly funded project with a groundbreaking ceremony on the 60 hectare site.
The football facility will be the home of Western United FC and will comprise of three full sized pitches – one with a 5,000 spectator capacity – and a two-storey building.
The pavilion will include a range of training and gym facilities, function and media spaces as well as change rooms, staff facilities, kiosks, public toilets and a first aid room.
Western Melbourne Group Chairman Jason Sourasis said: “This is a proud moment for everyone at Western Melbourne Group and Wyndham City Council.
“The Regional Training Facility will help grow the game of football in the West by providing much needed football specific infrastructure as well as provide Western United Football Club with a permanent home in the West.
“The impact that this facility and the broader precinct will have on not only the local Wyndham community, but the whole of the West of Melbourne, will be enormous and we are so proud to have marked the beginning of construction today.
“We hope that every boy and girl in the West will one day dream of wearing the green and black whilst playing for Western United Football Club in Australia’s national competitions. That footballing journey begins right here in the heart of the West in Wyndham.
“This facility is just the beginning of what we are building. It will be a source of aspiration and ambition for anyone wanting to play football at a professional level – this is the home for all footballers of the West.”
Cr Peter Maynard said: “This is an important milestone for this landmark project in Wyndham.”
“When complete, this state-of-the-art sports facility will not only service Wyndham residents and those living in the West but will also have state-wide significance.”
“Large projects such as this are significant for a city like Wyndham. As we continue our Covid recovery, we’re working hard to ensure our local economy bounces back and this project will provide jobs and create a fantastic new community asset.”
According to an economic impact assessment, the Wyndham Stadium development will provide 835 jobs during the construction phase and 125 ongoing permanent roles once it is fully operational.
Both the main and training turf pitches will be occupied by Western United A-Leagues teams throughout the year while the third, synthetic turf field, will be utilised by the Club’s academy and community engagement activities.
The proposed development will be completed by May 2023.
The Regional Football Facility is the first stage of the broader Wyndham City Stadium precinct that will also deliver a purpose-built 15,000 capacity football stadium and mixed-use precinct including residential, commercial and community facilities.
