Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne

Olympic Park Stadium is a former stadium that was located within the Melbourne sports precinct, hosting rectangular sports and athletics, until it was demolished in 2012. Melbourne's desire for a world-class rectangular stadium saw the construction of AAMI Park next door which sealed Olympic Park's fate. Olympic Park Oval is now located on the site of the old stadium. Olympic Park was originally built as a warm-up athletics track and soccer venue for the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and served as Melbourne's primary athletics venue until its closure. It was constructed on the site of one of the two grounds previously known as the Amateur Sports Grounds - next to where the old Motordrome once stood. At the same time, the Melbourne Olympic Velodrome and Olympic Park No. 2 (Eastern Sportsground) were also built. Following a $4.2m improvement in 1981 to coincide with the World Youth Championships (including an extension to the grandstand), Olympic Park received a $1m facelift for the 1985 Australia Games, the 10 year old athletics track re-laid in 1984. 26,900 in 1991 was the record crowd for a sports event, however Michael Jackson and Bon Jovi concerts in the late 1980's both attracted 40,000 people to the venue. With a capacity of 18,500, including seating for 11,000, it was also Melbourne's largest rectangular stadium, hosting football, rugby league and rugby union. The stadium was upgraded for the entry of Melbourne Storm into the NRL in 1998. The western grandstand was upgraded with new entertainment facilities, seating, corporate & club viewing rooms and a 90-metre-long graphic wall on the back of the stand. The spectator terraces were upgraded and the running track also resurfaced.