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A brand-new multipurpose stadium in Hobart brings Tasmania way more positives than negatives, despite the not-so-civil war erupting in the state.
Those against the stadium are trying their hardest to prevent it, bemoaning that the state government should be spending its money on more housing much-needed investments in the healthcare system.
Doomsayers on the ‘No Stadium’ bandwagon have already put forward a bunch of negatives, from no one going to support the team to the stadium not being able to attract big events to the state to make it worthwhile.
Some politicians have insisted that the majority of Tasmanians are against the stadium, but that doesn’t stack up; the ‘Yes Team Yes Stadium’ Facebook group has attracted 17,334 members, and many stickers branding the same message have been flying out of shops and the offices of local MPs offices.
In this author’s opinion, it has become clear that the majority of Tasmanians are keen on both an AFL team and a new stadium, and the minority are against one or both.
The latter would be the best thing for Tasmania in the long run; not only for the AFL team that we have been so desperate for and deserving of for decades, but also for the return off the biggest and best events to the state in the years to come.
It will provide another chance for Tasmania to put itself back on the map and become a must-visit part of the country, alongside the usual destinations of Sydney and Melbourne.
Unfortunately, Blundstone Arena can’t be the stadium we need, and cannot be made into a world-class venue capable of achieving this; which means we have to get the Macquarie Point facility up and running and built without further outrage.
The positives will outweigh any negatives that people try and float about, too.
Most notably of these positives is this: while Tasmania has a rich sporting history, it has seen many of the state’s best athletes, especially for Australian Rules, head to the mainland, with many young footballers jetting off the national draft or even state leagues, to improve their chances of cracking the big time, and never looking back.
The new stadium and team will bring to life some of these athletes’ lifelong dreams of playing sport on the main stage, while keeping them in the state they grew up in.
Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium has seen cricket, pro wrestling, musical concerts and many other major events over the years. There is no reason the new Tasmanian stadium wouldn’t fare similarly once completed.
Sure, Marvel Stadium has had its issues, with its surface coming under scrutiny due to regular injuries in the AFL, and issues during A-League games as well.
University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
But on the other hand, it has become a massive attraction for major events – the same events that Tasmania could expect to attract once their new stadium is up and running.
Tasmania has previously hosted pre-season NRL games, as well as various A-League fixtures both in Hobart and Launceston. Marvel Stadium has also hosted a major pro-wrestling event from the WWE in 2002, and the Perth-based Optus Stadium was the host of the WWE Elimination Chamber only last week.
These stadiums have helped bring tourist dollars to their states to significantly boost their economies – why can’t Tasmania get a piece of that action for themselves?
Some of the biggest events in the world have left Tasmania off their maps for years – this could be the island nation’s time to pounce, showcasing itself as a prime hosting venue for international acts, thereby bringing in money, tourists and exposure as well.
This money could then go back into housing, as well as all the other alternatives those against the new stadium have put forward.
The entire island needs to get behind the project as Macquarie Point slowly but inevitably becomes a reality.
The stadium will bring a positive outcome for all of Tasmanians. It’s time we realised it.
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