After nearly 90 years at Windy Hill, Essendon Football Club has today officially relocated its training and administration base to the new High Performance Centre at Melbourne Airport.
Essendon Chairman Paul Little said it was an exciting day for the club.
"Today is a historic day for the Essendon Football Club as we embark on a new era," Little said.
"The new High Performance Centre is a world class venue that will provide our players, coaches and staff with the best possible facilities every day they go to work."
"Only a few years ago, this development was nothing more than an ambitious pipe dream. Now to see the club's bold vision for the future become a reality is something all Essendon supporters can be extremely proud of."
The general public will be able to visit the High Performance Centre later this week with the new Bomber Café and Bomber Shop HQ officially open for business from November 1.
As part of the Bombers’ move, the facility will also be the new Victorian headquarters of the Australian Paralympic Committee.
Australian Paralympic Committee chief executive officer Jason Hellwig said it was an exciting partnership for both organisations.
“It’s a really great partnership and something that we are very proud to be a part of,” Hellwig said.
“Building a facility of this size is a challenging undertaking and the results are going to last for a very long time.”
“It’s a credit to the Board and management of Essendon to get this project done and we are all very excited about working closely together in the future.”
The Flight Plan fundraising campaign has helped raise 70% of the $26.7million total project cost of the High Performance Centre and Little said the club was extremely grateful for the enormous generosity.
“The commitment of our members to support the club and this exciting project has been phenomenal,” Little said.
“On behalf of the Board, players, coaches and administration at the Club, I’d like to thank our generous members who have dug deep and helped fund the facility.”
“It’s important for our members and supporters to know the Club planned for this level of debt in its projected financial forecasting.”
“But the reality is we now need more help from our members and supporters to reduce this debt as quickly as possible,” Little said.
This world class facility will allow members and supporters to create their own personal connection to the players, with fittings, equipment and spaces available for specific sponsorship opportunities.
“We are in the process of implementing a range of fundraising strategies including selling individual player lockers, auditorium seat sponsorship, meeting rooms naming rights and gym equipment fundraising.”
More details about the official opening of the High Performance Centre will be communicated to media in the coming weeks.
Please be aware Essendon Football Club will have new contact details moving forward.
NEW CONTACT DETAILS
From Monday 28 October, our street address will be:
275 Melrose Drive, Melbourne Airport VIC 3045
PO Box 17, Essendon VIC 3040
Telephone 03 8340 2000 Facsimile 03 8340 2001
Email generalenquiries@essendonfc.com.au
Please note the mailing address will remain unchanged:
Essendon Football Club PO Box 17 Essendon, Victoria 3040
