Scott Pendlebury manager Jason Sourasis has been shut out of any involvement in the A-League soccer team Western United
The radical change of the project was revealed at the meeting held between the project partners and Wyndham council last night.
Western United and the project were hit financially after an $8 million bill from the Australian Taxation Office for unpaid debts.
Both the club and the project holding company have so far avoided going into formal liquidation due to debts as those involved try to offer a solution to resolve the financial difficulties.
The club headed by Sourasis has been put into “hibernation” and will not be able to compete in the A League this year as it struggles to stay afloat.
Western United announced in September that project partner Johnson Control had agreed to pay the tax debt as a way for the project and the club to move forward.
Sourasis is also being personally sued by the ATO over unpaid tax debts. However, most of this debt arises from the penalty notice given to the manager due to unpaid taxes by the club or project group.
Two sources told this imprint that Sourasis’ involvement in the club will officially end once the tax debt issue is resolved.
He remains a director of both the club and the project, but the project will undergo a restructuring that will remove him from his de facto managerial role.
Mark Rossiter, Wyndham council’s corporate services manager, said the council-owned land earmarked for the stadium under state planning controls posed no risk to taxpayers.
“Council remains deeply committed to this unique initiative, which has the potential to unlock extraordinary levels of public value,” he said. “Wyndham City is currently considering feasible solutions for the site that will benefit the community.”
In August the council commissioned an independent review of the development agreement for the project and how it was managed. Once the review is complete, council officers will make recommendations and recommendations to the council, Rossiter said.
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