THE region’s A-League bid team has revealed draft plans for a 15,000 to 20,000-capacity boutique rectangular stadium to host Victoria Patriots games.

The masterplan, designed by architecture company Populous, features a stadium based between Boundary Rd and Ghazeepore Rd at Armstrong Creek.

However, bid advisory board member Jo Plummer revealed to the Geelong Advertiser yesterday that multiple locations were under consideration for the region’s first premier soccer stadium.

The local consortium, which hopes to secure an A-League license when the competition expands, has not hidden its long-term ambition of playing out of a purpose-built stadium.

The plans are, without a doubt, the biggest statement of intent that the region’s consortium is serious about securing an A-League franchise.

“It would be really great for the region and for our bid to have a purpose-built rectangular stadium. That’s absolutely on the agenda,” Plummer said.

“In terms of its position, it needs to tick all the boxes. It needs to consider the greater western Victoria region so there are a number of options that we could look at.

“(But there are) a couple of stages. There is a stadium (Kardinia Park) in the region and we are in conversations with the Trust in that space.

“Going forward, one would think given the capacity we have at that stadium, there would always be a role for them to play.”

The potential sporting precinct also includes plans for multiple grass and synthetic soccer and hockey pitches, 18 tennis courts and parking.

Proximity to Melbourne, public transport and the amount of land available are three crucial factors the advisory board would have to weigh up before making any commitments to one location.

Plummer said investment needed to build the purpose built stadium would be “modest” and the consortium was not locked in to how it would look ascetically.

“There are a number of different solutions (in terms of how the stadium would look),” Plummer said.

media_camera The masterplan for the proposed Armstrong Creek sport precinct

“We want to make sure, first up, is that the designs meet the outcomes you are after. Those outcomes are that you have really good viewing space for spectators to be a part of the game and creates an incredible atmosphere.

“We are probably looking at somewhere around a 15,000-20,000 seater so whatever option, depending on its location, there would be a number of different ways we can achieve that (capacity).”

Victoria Patriots is the bid’s working title only with the team’s name and colours to be decided by the fans if FFA awards them a spot in the league.

Plummer was announced alongside Paul Sergeant and Maurice Bisetto on Victoria Patriots’ advisory board last month.

She said the trio had been working tirelessly to make sure the region’s bid was as strong as possible.

“We are lining up our strategic stakeholder engagement plan and really progressing our conversations and lining up the ducks,” Plummer said.

“We really want to make sure that the whole region has time to be engaged and exposed to the opportunity and to buy into that.

“Working with people in the first instance as early as possible is always going to lead to a better outcome.”

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