Lang Walker, executive chairman of Walker Corporation, has thrown his financial support behind the United for Macarthur A-League bid.
A week before Football Federation Australia culls the 11 bids down to a shortlist, Mr Walker, who is the United for Macarthur bid’s business ambassador, has elevated his involvement by now committing to take a shareholding.
The United for Macarthur bid is based on a co-operative, community-based model, playing in Campbelltown representing South West Sydney, communities in the Camden and Wollondilly areas as well as reaching parts of the Southern Highlands region to compete in the A League.
Mr Walker and Walker Corporation say they are fully committed to taking a leading role in the bid to deliver a top level football team to the South West Sydney region.
The South West region will be the fastest growing Sydney corridor over the next five to 15 years with government projecting the population to exceed over one million people.
“We are very active in the Macarthur and the South West community, providing high quality housing and infrastructure to the region, and I am honoured to have been invited to participate in what I believe is a very compelling proposal,” Mr Walker said in a media release issued today.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Sydney’s south west is growing rapidly and has the facilities in place, with the centrepiece being Campbelltown Sports Stadium, to quickly become a force in the A-League,” he added.[/social_quote]
While the bid carries the name “Macarthur” the reality is that the true catchment area for the A League submission extends well beyond the Macarthur region. The bid is framed to be a true community-based model embracing football fans and associations across the whole of South West Sydney.
Mr Walker strongly believes the football-rich south west region is deserving of an A-League franchise and would like to see all football entities in this region come together to achieve this goal.
This may include other South West Sydney clubs and business leaders who are invested in the process.
“The best opportunity to be one of the two teams awarded a new licence for the expanded A League is for the whole region to work together towards that goal,” he said.
If successful, Walker Constructions will become a strategic partner of the A-League team, and also have substantial input in the upgrade of the stadium, other local sporting facilities and football clubs in the region.
The “United for Macarthur” bid is aligned to the State Governments Corridor Strategy, which will see Leumeah transformed into a regionally significant sporting and entertainment precinct.
Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr George Brticevic, said he was proud to have Mr Walker on board with a project that promises to offer so much to the Macarthur region.
“We are delighted to see Lang and his team join as shareholders in the Macarthur United Football Co-operative,’’ he said.
“This co-operative is now driving the bid for the establishment of a new A-League Team for our region. This opportunity would provide a significant boost to the Macarthur region and beyond,” he said.
“Mr Walker’s increased commitment is compelling evidence of the strong chance we have in winning the bid, and an endorsement of our unique community-based model.’’
If the system is fair MacArthur should get up. How pleased I am to have been part of the council that made the decision to build the stadium and other facilities at Leumeah and as a foundation director of the Leagues Club