AusLeisure

The latest change in the NSW Government’s plans for Sydney’s major stadia has seen NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian abandon the proposal to knock down and rebuild ANZ Stadium.

Backing down on the $2 billion-plus plan to demolish both of Sydney's main sporting stadiums, Premier Berejiklian will go ahead with its proposal to rebuild the 30-year old Allianz Stadium at Moore Park while the former Olympic Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park will instead be refurbished and transformed into a rectangular stadium.

The compromise plan, agreed at a NSW cabinet meeting this morning, marks a U-turn on the previously announced $2.5 billion stadiums policy that had generated massive public and political opposition.

A Sydney Morning Herald/ReachTEL poll last week found almost 60% of voters opposed the stadiums policy with more than 53% of voters also feeling that the NSW Government was spending too much on major sporting infrastructure.

Announcing the change of plan, Premier Berejiklian stated “the (NSW) Government will be proceeding with a refurbishment option, which ensures we get a world class venue at a half a billion dollars less.

"It means we can do all those things we want to do ... and having a better experience for our fans, at half a billion dollar less than what it would have cost us, if we had done the full knockdown and rebuild.”

Rather than knock down and rebuild the ANZ Stadium it will now be refurbished into a rectangular shape more suited to football and rugby league.

Commenting on the plan to demolish and rebuild the smaller Allianz Stadium, Premier Berejiklian added "Allianz's business case is straightforward and unequivocal.

"The only real option for that stadium is a knockdown and rebuild at a cost of around $730 million. And that is what the government is proceeding with."

The change of plan comes just weeks after NSW Opposition leader Luke Foley toured the state in a big red bus emblazoned with the slogan "schools and hospitals before stadiums".

The decision is a massive win for the influential Sydney Cricket and Sportsground Trust which has ceaselessly lobbyed for Allianz Stadium to be rebuilt.

The Trust was undeterred by the April 2016 decision to rebuild ANZ Stadium, simply redoubling its efforts to secure its preferred outcome.

Image: Artist's impression of the proposed rebuild at Allianz Stadium.

16th March 2018 - NSW OPPOSITION LEADER RULES OUT KNOCKING DOWN SYDNEY’S ALLIANZ AND ANZ STADIUMS

15th March 2018 - SYDNEY STADIA REDEVELOPMENT CRUCIAL FOR AUSTRALIA’S RUGBY WORLD CUP BIDS

13th March 2018 - BUSINESS GROUPS BACK SYDNEY STADIUM REBUILDS AS KEY TO ATTRACTING MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS 

24th November 2017 - NSW GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS MASSIVE REBUILDING PLANS FOR ALLIANZ AND ANZ STADIUMS 

23rd November 2017 - NSW GOVERNMENT TO SPEND MORE THAN $2 BILLION ON ALLIANZ AND ANZ STADIUM REBUILDS

31st August 2017 - VENUES NSW SEEKS OPERATOR FOR NEW WESTERN SYDNEY STADIUM 

25th August 2017 - SYDNEY STADIUM DEVELOPMENTS TO BE FAST TRACKED BY NSW GOVERNMENT

23rd August 2017 - SYDNEY’S ALLIANZ STADIUM PREPARES FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL SPECTACULAR

21st July 2017 - NSW GOVERNMENT RELEASES ‘COMMERCIALITY FRAMEWORK’ FOR STADIA

19th July 2017 - POLLSTAR MID-YEAR RANKINGS SHOW AUSTRALIA’S OUTDOOR VENUES ECLIPSING INDOOR ARENAS 

23rd June 2017 - ANZ STADIUM REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT HIT BY RISING COSTS

21st June 2017 - RECORD NSW FUNDING COMMITMENT TO SPORT AND RECREATION

19th May 2017 - MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS DRIVING MILLIONS OF VISITS TO SYDNEY 

8th May 2017 - NEW VENUES NSW BOARD ANNOUNCED TO OVERSEE MAJOR VENUES

7th December 2016 - ANZ STADIUM ROLLS OUT MASSIVE 2017 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

16th June 2016 - NSW GOVERNMENT BUYS BACK ANZ STADIUM 

14th April 2016 - SYDNEY’S STADIUM DEBATE OVER AS NSW GOVERNMENT COMMITS $1.6 BILLION TO REFURBISHMENTS

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.