Build it and they will come. The New South Wales government thinks this to be true – so much, in fact, that they are spending a minimum of $2.3 billion of public money in achieving their aim.
The NSW government feel that having three elite stadiums – Homebush, Parramatta and the Sydney Football Stadium – will enhance the economy of the state. However, even blind Freddy can see this is foolish.
Before you howl in protest and scream that rugby league needs purpose-built stadiums, know that I do not disagree with you. Having purpose-built stadiums that can be home to three major sports makes sense. I am, like you, tired of seeing AFL ovals pop up around New South Wales and Queensland with no-one playing on them.
I am just saying the locations, the size of the stadiums and at that cost is wrong.
Think of it like this: the government is knocking down the Stadium Australia at Homebush, which is only 20 years into its lifecycle, and replacing it with one of almost equal capacity. At the same time, they are knocking down the SFS in the eastern suburbs that rarely, if ever, sells out and replacing it with a stadium of equal size.
Further to this, Parramatta Stadium is also under construction and will hold 30,000 people, but this venue is within half an hour of Homebush. All of this will cost at least $2.3 billion.
The NSW government thinking is entirely wrong. The SFS does not need to be a 45,000-seat stadium. When was the last time it sold out? Even if we take into account population growth, a 30,000-seat stadium at most is all that is required here.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
To have an elite stadium in the heart of Sydney makes sense and reconfiguring Stadium Australia to make it a genuine rectangular field is a good idea, but why spend $200 to $300 million on a 30,000-seat stadium half an hour away? Wouldn’t it just make sense to have that team play out of the Stadium Australia?
Maybe I am just blinded by the waste of money.
Don’t get me wrong – the new Parramatta Stadium will be a great place to watch footy, be it football, rugby league or rugby union. Maybe the smaller stadiums are what Sydney should be going for. A stadium of roughly 25,000 seats in the east, the south, the far west and on the northern beaches along with the Stadium Australia may have been money better spent.
Another way to go could have been to spend the money on rectangular grounds all over country New South Wales. This option would at least provide more people with quality playing surfaces to play their junior and senior rugby league, rugby union or football.
Naturally, I could list all the social services, transport and community bodies that are crying out for money as well, but that list would be too long for this post.
All I am trying to say is that $2.3 billion could have been better spent, and despite this deal providing rugby league fans with world-class stadiums, we should call this spending decision for what it truly is: madness.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
ANZ needs to be made rectangular, no argument from me.For major events and the 3 rectangular codes' majors also in addition to club fixtures. The SFS just needed refurbishing to "safety" standards and better cover.Rebuilding the SFS is a complete waste off money IMO.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
No I'm not using Brazil as a positive example. If you read my comment I simply pointed out that your estimation of 40k grossly undervalues the numbers that flock to the FIFA World Cup. Also thought I'd be quick to point out that IBISworld, a global research firm, claimed that a World Cup would be worth over 35 billion dollars to the Australian economy. So unless we plan on dismantling all of western Sydney and rebuilding from scratch I'd say the Australian taxpayers would get their money's worth out of it even if it were closer to 20.
Whites
Guest
AAMI Park and the Western Sydney Stadium are the same size and pretty much cost the same when accounting for inflation from 8-10 years ago.
Cam
Guest
Above the rail lines next to central?
elvis
Guest
i hope you aren't using Brazil as a positive example, it cost them 15 billion to hold the world cup, most of which was never recouped. Even with 600,000 tourists lol. Why is it everyone who advocates wasting public money can't do simple sums....
RandyM
Guest
Sydney actually has the least amount of urban sprawl of all the capitals. It's one reason why the house prices are so high, cause their is a lack of houses being built.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
40,000? Over 600,000 went to Brazil for the World Cup. A far more dangerous part of the world. Regardless it's not like the stadiums are being built for one event or for one sport. The Football, League and Rugby codes will all be occupying these stadia in one way or another, plus concerts, plus events.
elvis
Guest
The Broncos had bigger crowds playing out of QE2 which has crap facilities.
elvis
Guest
So if 40,000 fans come for a world cup in 15 years time, you think they are all going to spend $60,000 each to make up 2.5 billion? Pure fantasy, except the public swallow rubbish like this from our pollies as most of them are incapable of doing simple sums.
Tom G
Guest
yes mate and it is Melbourne not Sydney so what is your point?
Nat
Roar Guru
Sells out quite often outside of Origin. Cowboys games, dbl headers and most big matches comes close. THEN we have the Union and Soccer finals and internationals. Concerts, Boxing... Govts don't build stadiums for one single purpose. So yes, the first line was correct. You just assumed he meant for every single occasion which is ridiculous.
Cam
Guest
But once the School is built the teachers move in, the construction workers have to find somewhere else to work? At the end of the day, building a road, school, hospital, stadium, skyscraper are all the same, the end purpose doesn't matter to the people employed in the construction of the asset.
Cam
Guest
What if SFS was built above the rail lines next to central? Would cost a lot, but it is in the city and has transport options?
Cam
Guest
Still better than the Vic Government to pay a billion dollars to not build a freeway. I personally don't think 2 billion is that much in the larger picture. What do you want it spend on? Health? that department could have a Trillion dollars, still wouldn't be enough.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
That implying the fence wasn't a massive waste of money in the first place. Nearly a million dollars in 1907. Insane idea.
AR
Guest
Yep. This is similar territory...if the government was ripping up the old fence and replacing it with a newer shinier fence.
The real SC
Roar Rookie
A $2.3 billion project will see the ANZ Stadium and Alllianz Stadium will be closed for demolition after the culmination of the 2018 NRL Grand Final. This money is worth more than double the amount of the construction of the new Perth Stadium in Burswood. How much money does NSW premier Mike Baird want to spend? I know that there's going to be massive disruptions for a lot of NRL, A-League and soccer matches. Some NRL games might have to be played at the SCG, Blacktown or even the Spotless Stadium (if Sydney Swans and GWS Giants are not playing at home). If worse, they may as well play in other venues such as in Hobart, Launceston, nib Stadium and Adelaide. Sydney FC and WSW would be likely to be played at SCG and Parramatta and Spotless Stadium at home respectively. ANZ Stadium decided that they want to build a permanent rectangular stadium with a reduced capacity crowd. A typical Origin and NRLGF would hold about 80000 at the ANZ. In 2023, the capacity would suddenly diminish from 83500 to 75000. How could a stadium get reconfigured with a slightly reduced capacity? Does it need to have some kind of retractable roof all over it? In 2019, there will be no Origin Series being played at the ANZ Stadium. They will have Origin in Perth Stadium and Suncorp Stadium. SCG would be used for the 2019 Origin Series with NSW as their home game against QLD. Where are the Rugby Union Tests? 2019 - Perth Stadium will host the Bledisloe Cup. Australia and NZ will travel to Japan in the 2019 RWC. The ARU needs to determine which grounds are suitable to host Wallabies matches. International Concerts - Where are the concerts in Sydney venues are going to be held?
Arto
Guest
Whilst I agree with your view that $2.3B is way too much money, I think you could have researched your rant a bit more. Allianz Stadium sells out when there's a Sydney Derby (A-League) & also has plenty of concerts during the year. So that's 4-5 times a year it's around current capacity. That's why they are planning to make it a dual-capacity stadium which can expand for big events, but is otherwise smaller than today's present build. The real problem is doing a complete rebuild of Stadium Australia - why this has to be such a big makeover & why so soon after it was built is what I can't understand!
Your kidding
Guest
Perth Stadium a white elephant?! We'll soon find out. But I don't think you are right. Things are a bit different over in Perth. Everyone always talks about Melbourne but Perth might be about to shock everyone now they can fit more people in.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Spruce, agreed with your point that Sydney should seek to have THE premier rectangular ground in the country. Right now it's in Brisbane as it has been ever since 2003