Demons set to move to Casey

By Kelly Yates
MELBOURNE Football Club will be officially making Casey Fields its home after Casey councillors voted this week to execute the agreement with the AFL club to relocate to Cranbourne East.
The deal was sealed at Tuesday night’s council meeting despite Lynette Keleher being absent from the meeting and councillors Wayne Smith and Lorraine Wreford unable to vote due to a conflict of interest.
An additional clause was added to the agreement after further discussions with the MFC and Casey Scorpions, stating that both teams will work co-operatively with council and where reasonable, possible and feasible with Casey-based clubs in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League (MPNFL).
Four Oaks Ward councillor Karen Baxter, who voted against the deal, said the money would be better spent else where in the municipality.
“The costs involved could cover six new toilet blocks in the municipality,” she said.
Crs Simon Curtis, Daniel Mulino, Kevin Bradford, Amanda Stapeldon, Shar Balmes, Sam Aziz and Geoff Ablett voted to endorse the agreement.
Casey mayor Geoff Ablett told the News he was excited that an agreement had now been executed between the City of Casey and the MFC.
“It’s a historic moment in the history of our city as it’s an extremely rare occurrence for a council to partner with an AFL team,” he said.
Cr Ablett said a commitment by the MFC had been made to deliver a comprehensive Community Partnership program for the next 30 years.
“The club’s presence in Casey will not only provide a boost to local football clubs through the presence of elite footballers who will act as community role models, but the broader Casey community, including children, young people and the football-loving public, will also benefit from the identification with an elite AFL club, thereby building increased community pride,” he said.
Cr Bradford foreshadowed a further motion at the meeting that on the first anniversary, or at the earliest possible time, the contract between the City of Casey and the MFC be reconsidered to include that the MFC be required to pay all fees in accordance with the fee schedule for entry into Casey RACE and Casey ARC for its players and administration staff.
He added that this cost to the MFC be offset with the deletion of the clause in the current contract, allowing Casey to hold a table of 10 guests at MFC’s Chairman’s Lunch on five occasions during each playing season.
Cr Bradford said the fee paid by the MFC to utilise the facilities should be allocated to a community charity at the discretion of the council.
The further motion was also carried and council will now enter into discussions with the MFC.