LAUNCESTON City and its supporters will have 500,000 reasons to smile if the federal Labor party claim a majority at the election later this year.
The soccer club has been promised that a Labor government will invest $500,000 to help upgrade change rooms and club facilities at their Prospect Vale Park base.
The works will help fund the new changerooms, civil works including demolition works and car park accessibility.
The commitment will also help fund new clubrooms, an outdoor viewing area and the extension and refurbishment of the canteen.
Federal Lyons MP Brian Mitchell said the upgrades would be a significant boost to both the club and visiting teams.
"These upgrades under a Labor government mean players won't have to change in shipping containers, showers will be more private, and toilets and disability access will be improved," he said.
"Labor's investment will bring amenities in line with modern standards and community expectations."
The change rooms have been a critical concern for Launceston City's Prospect Vale Park which has a significant amount of use during the season.
On a full matchday weekend, the club has to coordinate around 200 players and officials combined through two change rooms and three showers, necessitating the need for the shipping containers.
"I'm glad the venue is getting a lot of use but not happy about the lack of support to help us build new changerooms. I feel we have been set up to fail," the club's senior president Danny Linger said last year.
"We are very happy and excited with the improvements the (Meander Valley) council has done over time and in particular the recent upgrade to the lower pitches, but extremely disappointed for them not to support the construction of new changerooms on council land instead preferring us to go it alone to build on our own privately-leased land."
The election promise comes on the back of a lighting upgrade completed in 2019 and extensive surface upgrades which were completed last year under funding from the federal government and Meander Valley Council.
"Labor wants to ensure everyone has the chance to enjoy the benefits of sport," Shadow Minister for Sport and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell said.
"Investments like this one will also help build local community legacies, so the benefits of major events in Australia like the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup continue to flow for decades to come."
