November 4, 2026 — 9:02pm

Melbourne Football Club will consider alternative venues for its long-awaited new administration and training base after putting its detailed plans for a Caulfield Racecourse base on hold until after the Victorian election.

In a letter to members, Melbourne president Steven Smith said the Demons had chosen to “pause discussions” with the government until after the November 28 election, and that while Caulfield had been the club’s main focus, they had “in parallel, identified a number of potential alternate sites for our TAF (training and administration facility).”

An artist’s impression of what Melbourne were hoping to build at Caulfield.

Smith told members the club was nearing an agreement with the government over the Caulfield site, but Environment Minister Jaclyn Symes had requested, as a final step, that the Demons make a submission “that demonstrates the public interest in progressing the project.”

Smith said the club was confident about participating in the process, given…