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Sydney clubs and codes unite to take on the NSW Government's stadiums plan

Artists impression of the refurbishment of Allianz Stadium. (Source: Supplied)
11th April, 2016
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The NRL’s Sydney Roosters, A-League’s Sydney FC and Super Rugby’s Waratahs have rallied together to send a strong message to the NSW government: tear down Allianz Stadium at our peril.

The three clubs were led to understand that the state government’s plan was to build a new rectangular stadium across the road from the Moore Park site, at the Centennial Parklands.

However on Monday Premier Mike Baird said his government’s plan was to tear down the stadium and rebuild on the present site, which would mean the clubs that call Allianz home would have to relocate all home games for four years.

In response, the three clubs released a joint statement, calling on the government to upgrade the Sydney Football Stadium in a fashion that would allow games to still be played at the ground during the renovation.

“We strongly oppose a new stadium on the existing site, as a forced relocation out of Allianz Stadium for four seasons will be disastrous for all three clubs, their respective members and fans,” read the joint statement.

“The damage that would be caused to the three clubs would extend well beyond the four-year construction period, as it would take many years to fully recover and would require major levels of compensation for impacted clubs.

“It is well-known in the sports industry that maintaining crowds is a worldwide challenge which would only be exacerbated if an Allianz Stadium shut down for a period of time were to occur. Research indicates that when teams are displaced from their established home ground, the impact is negative and of a long-term nature. Some clubs never recover.”

The Waratahs are particularly aggrieved by the situation, having recently signed a 16-year lease with the SCG Trust.

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“No one has ever spoken to us about a plan B. We haven’t even thought about where we might go,” Tahs chairman Roger Davis told Fairfax Media.

“We just signed a 16-year contract, and now you’re telling me for 25 per cent of that period we don’t know where we’re going to play. It’ll cost the government a lot in compensation. But how do you compensate for the end of a club or the destruction of a club?

“We wouldn’t have signed up for 16 years if we knew we would only be there for 12. We were assured by everyone that the existing stadium would continue, and we would have lived with the revamp while we were playing, but not a total pull down that casts us into the wilderness.”

Roosters boss Nick Politis was more succinct, telling Fairfax, “No way. We’d be crazy. It would put us back God knows how many years.”

The government’s Rebuilding the Major Stadia Network strategy was unveiled last September, with the following major aims:

More than $1 billion will be invested in the stadia network over the next decade to deliver:

A new rectangular stadium at Parramatta with 30,000 seats
A new rectangular stadium at Moore Park with 50,000 to 55,000 seats
The redevelopment of Stadium Australia which may include a retractable roof
A new indoor arena near the CBD
A new outer Western Sydney sporting venue
The completion of the SCG upgrade.

The implementation report said the rectangular stadium at Moore Park was priority number two (behind the Parramatta upgrade), with a three to five year timeframe. Specficially, the report said they would: “Construct Australia’s largest, dedicated world-class rectangular stadium near the Sydney CBD with a capacity of 55,000 to 60,000 seats to host Rugby League, Rugby Union, Football matches and concerts in the Moore Park precinct to replace the existing Sydney Football Stadium.”

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It’s clearly outlined – “replace the existing Sydney Football Stadium”. Not rebuild, nor supplement it with another stadium, replace.

Still, that was some eight months ago, and there have been extensive negotiations and re-drafting of plans since then.

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