The $19.6 million Lavington Sports Ground redevelopment has been officially opened with talks still underway with national sporting bodies for the venue's first major event after the upgrade.
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Another AFL pre-season match is looming as the first big event post the revamp after COVID-19 crushed plans to christen it with a Big Bash League cricket fixture.
The remaining fixtures, including Wagga, were part of existing deals and couldn't go ahead in 2020 due to COVID.
"We've had chats with the NRL and we are on their radar," he said.
"We are active in that space and whether that is the NRL, soccer, cricket, we are working really hard to attract major events.
"We've done it before, they know we can do it and with this facility now it needs to start paying for itself.
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"Under writing games comes at a considerable cost and we've learnt in the past you need a balance of stakeholders and partnerships.
"We will be going to the Deputy Premier (John Barilaro) based on what has been done in Dubbo.
"We haven't nailed down an event because of the timing, but you would hope in the March-April window we maybe able to snaffle an AFL pre-season game."
The redevelopment is already in contention for a national honour after the revelation it was the NSW-ACT nomination in the AFL Ken Gannon Community Football Facilities Awards.
The federal and state governments were significant funding partners and were represented at the opening by Farrer MP Sussan Ley and member for Albury Justin Clancy.
"Ratepayers having invested $12 million, the state government and Commonwealth chipping in for the rest, that really does underscore where our hearts and minds lie for the future of this facility," she said.
Mr Clancy also welcomed the facility's opening.
"I want to recognise the people who continually do a great job in bringing events to Albury," he said.
Lavington Football-Netball Club president Mark Sanson recounted his first experience at the venue for an Essendon-Carlton pre-season game in 1995.
"The crowd was enormous, the hill was packed, there was a traffic jam on both entry roads," he said.
"I'm sure there were 20,000 people here that night and I remember thinking, wow, what a unique place.
"Fast forward 25 years and Lavington, whilst still being a good facility, was in need of a facelift and what a transformation we've witnessed."