FOOTBALL
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South Coast's long-held dream of creating a home of football in the Illawarra is a step closer to being realised, with a federal government funding pledge towards a $7.5 million development of the West Dapto site.
The Mercury understands current MPs Stephen Jones and Sharon Bird will make the announcement at Cleveland Road on Thursday, as part of Labor's re-election pitch.
The move comes after years of campaigning - led most recently by Football South Coast chief executive Ann-Marie Balliana - for a suitable venue to support the massive 12,000 registered participants in the Illawarra.
"Basically there is a need for a home of football in the area," Balliana said when speaking to the Mercury last month.
"We have put in a submission as part of the restart infrastructure project, but we have also been talking to all levels of government - local, state and federal.
"We have spoken to federal members a few times about our plight and what we need to do and we are just hoping that now our government representatives see the need.
"I know that they know that there is a need out there, to do something to help us out with it all."
The funding for the West Dapto project ends years of heartache in the football community, most notably from the failed Lysaghts Oval development now owned by Collegians Rugby League Club.
It is also the first step in a strategic plan to establish an A-League club in the region.
"It means that we would go out to West Dapto and fill an immediate need right now; to be able to give our elite teams a home," Balliana said last month.
"That is probably the very first priority that we have and then we could just build on there.
"It also means we can look at things like synthetic pitches out there and fill a whole other need as well."
Football South Coast intends to eventually house all of their football operations out of the West Dapto venue, with a variety of football fields, futsal courts, undercover seating and an administration and academy building all hoped to be a part of the site.
The government's pledge will bring them closer to their $14 million target for the project, but further funding will be needed for Football South Coast to reach their elusive goal.
An application for an $8 million share of the $100 million Port Kembla lease money - called Restarting NSW Illawarra Infrastructure Fund - has been tabled, with a response expected today.
If the bid is successful, Football South Coast will join 22 shortlisted projects, which will be reviewed before a final announcement on funding is expected at the end of September.
"We have put an extraordinary amount of work into that application," Balliana said.
"We are really getting the community to have their say as well, so we are extremely keen to find out what the outcome will be.
"If we are shortlisted then that is another good step in the right direction for us."