Manly banking on Brookvale rebuild

Manly will have a new 23,000-seat stadium within 10 years and training facilities to rival those on offer in the English Premier League if club management get their way.

At the Sea Eagles NRL season launch, chairman Scott Penn unveiled Manly’s ambitious plans for the badly out-of-date Brookvale Oval.

“We need a new stadium at Brookvale Oval, not a modified one, a new one,” Penn said on Thursday night.

“No is not an option and we are working closely with Warringah Council and the state government to find a solution.

“Clearly we have to go through a community consolation process, because we are in a residential area. But we are very confident we have the plan that will get this across the line.

“We are sick of talking about it, we want action, we want to make it happen.

“Most importantly we are working on a plan that doesn’t cost taxpayers a cent.”

New Manly CEO Joe Kelly is a former COO of Chelsea FC and has set his sights on transforming the club’s aging base at the NSW Institute of Sport.

“(It will be a) state-of-the-art centre of excellence at Narrabeen,” Kelly said.

“At a cost of between 15 and 20 million this will transform our training capabilities as well as our administration functions and will rival the best of class international sporting set ups as well as my old club Chelsea FC.

“We are targeting this to be operational for season 2018 and we are now well positioned in the pecking order of NRL clubs to make this a reality.

On plans for Brookie, Kelly said: “Talks on the redevelopment of Brookvale Oval have progressed from a concept to tangible reality.

“A 23,000 all-seat stadium with restaurants, bars, retail, community engagement areas and classrooms for use for local schools all year round will provide the residents of Warringah and the supporters of the Sea Eagles an iconic home and is no longer just a dream.”

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