Fans will be charged a levy to attend games at Brookvale Oval

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Manly fans will be charged a levy on tickets to attend games at Brookvale Oval

ANGRY Manly fans have been slugged with a ticket price increase to watch matches at the worst suburban ground in Sydney – Brookvale Oval.

Warringah Council has introduced a contentious ‘’infrastructure levy’’ which will bump-up the cost of admission by $1 for each fan at Manly’s 10 home games this year.

The Daily Telegraph has obtained a council report revealing the base rent for the dilapidated Pittwater Rd ground has been bumped-up by $25,000.

Manly’s five-year lease at Brookvale Oval expired in November last year.

The Sea Eagles have requested a lease extension of just one year, allowing the club to hold further talks about the ground’s future with the NRL and State Government.

A council report states: ‘’The terms proposed for the new lease generally reflects the existing lease terms with the two key amendments being a $25,000 increase in base rental and a $1 “infrastructure levy” including GST for every general admission ticket sold at the 10 Brookvale Oval games in season 2014. ‘’

Council claims the ground’s upkeep is expensive, costing ratepayers about $200,000 a year.

Manly fans though contacted by The Daily Telegraph were filthy they should asked to pay more to sit on the Brookie hill.

‘’I wouldn’t mind paying an extra dollar as a levy if Warringah council actually did something to help improve Brookvale Oval,’’ said Manly fan Adam Johnson.

‘’There has been a whole lot of talk but at the end of the day it’s the same old tired ground with the same old tired facilities.

This sort of thing might finally rally the Manly fans to really put pressure on local politicians to do something…I hope so.’’

Manly outlaid nearly $350,000 to lease Brookvale last year.

“Firstly, council believes the best outcome for Sea Eagles, fans and Warringah ratepayers, is for Brookvale Oval to be put in a State Trust,’’ said Warringah mayor Michael Regan.

‘’The community understands that a small infrastructure levy is a positive step towards keeping the Sea Eagles at Brookie as we need to fund the shortfall in maintenance and renewal costs.

‘’The current situation is not tenable. This is why Warringah Council is asking neighbouring councils to chip in funds for this regional asset. We are keen to see the Sea Eagles stay at Brookie and so is our community and we continue to work with the Sea Eagles to see how we can achieve this.

‘’Even with this small increase in levy, Warringah’s rate payers are still financially supporting the Sea Eagles by a significant amount.”

Brookvale Oval is in desperate need of a revamp. The club has previously threatened to walk away and play matches at Allianz Stadium or at Gosford – but fan anger has stopped the move.

Sea Eagles chairman Scott Penn could not be contacted yesterday.

The State Government is reluctant to inject money due to its stadia strategy although the Federal Government has pledged $10 million to upgrade Brookvale Oval.

Some councillor cheekily claim council should be considered Manly’s ‘’major sponsor’’.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/

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Abbott picked the $10million figure on purpose, knowing that it alone isnt enough to get anything done and the NSW government was unlikely to come in either.

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******** Tax? Just kidding....