KOGARAH OVAL - VERY CRITICAL MEETING

All Dragons supporters are encouraged to attend a very important meeting at Kogarah Council’s chambers on Monday, the 9th of September.*

Kogarah Council will consider whether a State Government grant application will proceed that will enable the necessary improvements to Jubilee Oval for 2003.

R2K Secretary John Ormsby has encouraged all supporters to attend :

“The very future of rugby league in the St.George district is at stake here. If the Dragons are to play home games at Kogarah Jubilee next year, we need a successful resolution to this meeting.”

While it is believed the application has a good chance of passing Council, R2K has heard that a couple of Councillors are wavering in their support for the grant application.

Ormsby added, “I’ve heard that Councillors Katris and Gainsford were rather negative at the last meeting. So it’s essential that supporters get to this meeting to support Mayor Jim Taylor and remind these other Councillors that we want the Dragons to return to Kogarah in 2003 and beyond.”

The grant application for Kogarah is under the terms of the Regional Sports Facility Program and it’s part of the criteria that applicants must guarantee a matching amount in order to be considered for funding.

While Kogarah Council needs to endorse the submission of the grant application, it is also essential that the St.George Leagues Club underwrite a significant portion of the matching amount if the Dragons are to play at Kogarah next year.

It is hoped that the St.George Leagues Club will be willing to ensure the future of the Dragons’ joint venture in both regions by underwriting the grant application.

The total assets of the St.George Leagues Club now exceed $40 million and the Club is debt free. 

Dragons’ CEO Peter Doust has also confirmed the financial strength of St.George-Illawarra through his comments in the Sun-Herald (1/9/02). Doust stated, “I believe we would have won a premiership by now if there was no limit on spending.” According to the Sun-Herald, Doust confirmed that the Dragons have the financial backing to spend “at least as much as any team on players if there was no salary cap.”

R2K encourages supporters to wear their St.George-Illawarra jerseys to the vital Kogarah Council meeting.

* The Kogarah Council meeting begins at 7:00 pm on Monday, the 9th of September. The Kogarah Council chambers are located at 2 Belgrave St Kogarah. Additional information about the meeting can be obtained by calling Kogarah Council on (02) 9330 9400 or Lachlan McLean from R2K on 04040 16027.

Related articles:
01/09/02, Council bid for club guarantee
03/09/02, St George councils seek manager

For information on home ground issues and the search for a St George home ground - click here

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