GREAT SPORTS ARENA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 8, 2 October 1937, Page 18

GREAT SPORTS ARENA

sydney's ambitious move , a "madison square garden " work has been begun Only a super-optimist would have prophesied a year ago that Sydney, in the summer months of 1937, would be sporting a "Madison Square Garden," with one of the most up-to-date cycle tracks and general sports arenas in the world. Yet, plans have been prepared, and work has begun. Can Sydney, with its one r.nd a quarter millions population, maintain such a structure? Those closely associated with modern sports promotion, reply "Yes!" All branches of sport will "Be catered for in this building, but- it is being primarily erected for cycling. Cycle racing has been in the doldrums in Australia for almost 20 years, despite spasmodic attempts by professional promoters and Herculean .efforts by the various State Leagues to foster the game and restore its former glory and public popularity. Tlien, in Jutte, like a bolt from the blue, came an application from a sports and theatrical promoter of world renown, Mr. Rufe Naylor, to the League of N.S.W. Wheelmen, for a seven years' franchise for a new board saucer track which he proposed to construct. The League Council, ever eager to support a proposition designed to give its members racing for good prize money, examined every angle of the proposition, and granted the franchise, subject to certain protective clauses in the proposed agreement. £1700 Raised At Charity Carnivals. Came a period of comparative quiet on the cycle front— enlivened only by races principally cn grass tracks promoted by Mr. Rufe Naylor in conjunction with the Sporting Broadcasters' Association, at Sunday afternoon charity carnivals. Seven of these. carnivals were held.^and charitable institutions benefited to the tune of £1700. It appears as if Mr. Naylor was testing the public reactipn to cycling and atBletic sport, and, at the same time, trying himself out as a sports organiser after a 27 years" absence from promotion. At three metings at Sydney Sports Ground 55,000 people paid for admission; ladcombe and Wentworth each attracted over 10,000 spectators. The interest evinced in the cycle races convinced the promoter that the public was ripe for another boom in a

sport which— 20 to 30 years ago— captured the imagination to such an extent that 40,000 people attended Sydney Cricket Ground on big occasions. Sydney daily papers announced recently that Redfern Municipal Council had granted Mr. Naylor a 20 years' lease of Redfern Oval for a board saucer track. Everything looked bright for an early start, but the sanctxon of the Minister for Lands to the Ipase was not forthcoming. An attempt to purchase a large block of ground from Sydney Municipal Council was also turned down. Fears were entertained that eyclists' hopes might, after all, be dashed to the ground, when suddenly Mr'. Naylor announced the purchase . by his company, Sports. Arena Ltd., registered with a capital of £50,000, of a site situated almost in the centre of the city.

Over Two Acres! The area of the ground is over two acres; it is situated 700 yards from Central Railwry Station, 100 yards from Elizabeth Street tram line, 50 yards from Cleveland Street tram line, and 250 yards from Crown Street tram line. Seating will be provided around the arena for 12,000: people. In the centre of the ground, which will be recessed about 3ft. below ordinary ground level, there will ce seating for 6000 more, giving total aecommodation for 18,000 spectators, 'ho will have an intimate close-Up view of all evCnts. And, best news of all for sportsmeh, is the fact that the whole arena will be under cover, .so that events will be run regardless of weather conditions. The ground is an island block with streets on four sides. Entrance and exit will be effected by gates on each corner, and on the northern^ end of the ground admitting to the dearerpriced seats. Entrance ^fropi the street will take the spectators right into the higher levels, without any climbing, to their booked seats. Sydney 's new sports arena wxll bear eomparison with Madison . Square Garden, New Yoik, which, by the w&y , has a cycle track of only 10 laps to the ,mile, and will be probably superior to the Velodroities of Paris, Copenhagen, Brussels, and Berlin. Cycle racing will be the major attraction, and negotiations are proceeding for the xnvxtatxon of half-a-dozen foreign chaippions. All classes will be ' catered for, and the promoter is very kcen to diseover an Australian motorpaced rider who can hold his own with the best in thc world.— Sydney Referee. -