@shapmar said:
Couldn't view that for some reason, but thanks… Powers of google lead me to this.. Gotta say, pretty disappointed, but hardly surprised.
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&sourc ... y-MLJyxMgA
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_Posted using RoarFEED 2012_
This is basically the response by the club to the article you're referring to. Fairly strongly worded, and I'm surprised nothing has been done in regard to the false accusations of illegal activity by the club and Benny Elias.
Also, as mentioned by Yoss, the new application has been put in and the club is much more prominent it seems. Having a look at the initial stuff put out, the club has actually increased in size (in square meters terms), while the whole thing is about 20% smaller. Sounds like a good result for the Leagues Club if that is approved.
"Balmain Leagues Club Redevelopment Update
There has been much publicity these past few months surrounding the redevelopment of Balmain Leagues Club (TIGERS Balmain).
On behalf of all the members of Tigers Football Club and Leagues Club, I would like to respond to a highly inaccurate and misleading article in the Sydney Morning Herald - How Benny Elias put the bite on the
Tigers (June 30,2012).
The Tigers recognise Ben Elias as one of its greatest players, and now one of its greatest supporters, and one who personally took steps to ensure we would return to Balmain at a time when a global crisis was upon us and the financial world was close to complete collapse.
The financial support that Rozelle Village Pty Ltd has given to the Tigers is also critical to our survival. We know that the new home of the Tigers, the Rozelle Village development, will be a pathway to our growing membership and greater financial stability.
It is unfortunate the SMH has been provided with inaccurate and out of context information, which in turn has not been fully investigated by the paper.
To clarify just some of the inaccuracies:
- The club did not sell the property in contravention of the Registered Clubs Act. The unequivocal statement to the contrary which is contained in the article represents a serious defamation of those involved in the process.
- The property on Victoria Road at Rozelle was not sold by virtue of a document entitled “Heads of Agreement” nor was it sold by virtue of any decision of the Board. Any suggestion that it was sold by this process (without reference to members) is equally defamatory of those involved.
- The decision to sell the property on Victoria Road at Rozelle was made by the members of the Club, not by the Board or by any member of it. The membership voted almost unanimously in favour of the proposal. They took the view, correctly, that the proposal represented by far the best way forward for the Club because to follow any other path would have meant that there was a strong likelihood that:-
* The site would have been sold at or below the debt level
* There would have been little if any surplus funds for the Club
* There was unlikely to have been a commitment from a purchaser to relocate the Club back to the site as part of the redevelopment (the club would not have had control of that)
* There would not have been any finance facility to assist the club in refurbishing interim sites or assist the club in working capital.The context of the time was within twelve months of the global financial crisis occurring.
- Ironically, whilst at the same time as accusing the Club and its directors of failing to comply with the relevant legislative provisions, the article makes reference to the very meeting at which the membership made the decision to sell the property (almost unanimously). The author of the article is apparently ignorant of the significance of the meeting.
- Ben Elias disclosed his interest in the project to the Board and took a leave of absence from the Board prior to any negotiations regarding the project taking place between the Club and any entities associated with him. From the time of his leave of absence, he did not attend any Board meetings and did not participate in any business of the club. He resigned from the Board many months before the membership made the decision to sell the property.
- Alex Lankry, who was quoted in the SMH as agreeing to finance the development, actually owes the Club (through entities which he controls) many tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid legal costs relating to costs orders made against him in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
- Mark Wallis, quoted in the SMH article as being 'shouted down' at a members’ meeting, was permitted to speak at the meeting. Nobody grabbed the microphone from him. He has made no secret of the fact that, as a local resident, he opposes the development. In an article where accusations of conflict of interest are made in quite a cavalier fashion against others, one might speculate that his interests are more personal than they are related to the future of the Tigers.
In real terms, but for the deal struck between Rozelle Village and Balmain Leagues Club (including sale, redevelopment and loan agreements), it is highly likely that the club may have been forced to
either massively down size or possibly fold.
Over 9,000 people (not 7,000 as the article again incorrectly reports) have submitted their written support for the development to the Department of Planning. One man at a football game could not have made this happen as inferred by the SMH. Not even Ben Elias. This development is a good thing for the area, and a lifeline to a Club determined to regain it's financial strength.
Kevin Rooney
President"
