All great sporting careers start with grassroots participation. For future footy stars, that could very well be with the Western United Football Club. This week the club started construction with groundbreaking on site of their new home ground, Wyndham Stadium.
The Regional Football Facility at Wyndham Stadium will host world-class amenities, setting the foundation for aspiring athletes dreaming of their shot at the big dance. The pavilion will host a range of professional-grade training facilities, including a gymnasium with event & social function spaces as well as staff facilities, change rooms, kiosks, first aid and public restrooms.
Western Melbourne Group and Wyndham City Council commemorated the beginning of construction with a soil-turning event at the 60-hectare site this week, celebrating the impact this milestone will have on the city of Wyndham.
“This is a proud moment for everyone at Western Melbourne Group and Wyndham City Council.” Western Melbourne Group Chairman Jason Sourasis said. “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 new stadium development is forecast to provide 835 jobs during the construction phase, and 125 permanent roles once it is fully operational. The stadium will bring enormous economic benefit to the region, the Tarneit community and future residents of Verdant Hill who will be well-placed only 10 mins away from the stadium.
“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, this project will provide jobs and create a fantastic new community asset.” Cr Peter Maynard says about the development.
The football facility is in the first stage of the broader Wyndham City Stadium precinct, and is expected to reach completion by May 2023. It will consist of three full-sized pitches and will include capacity for 5,000 spectators. Two main pitches and a training turf pitch will be occupied by Western United A-Leagues teams throughout the year, while the third, synthetic turf field will be occupied by the Club’s academy and available for community engagement activities.
The Wyndham Stadium will eventually host 15,000 spectators as well as a mixed-use precinct including residential, commercial and community facilities.