Ticketek chief warns superstars will bypass Adelaide unless the Riverbank Arena is built

Australia’s major event ticket agency chief warns Adelaide will keep being bypassed by major acts, like Billie Eilish, without a new Riverbank Arena.

Australia’s major event ticket agency chief is warning Adelaide will continue to be bypassed by major acts such as Billie Eilish unless the proposed $662m Riverbank Arena is built.

He argues the arena is essential unless Adelaide “is happy to no longer be part of the contemporary live entertainment touring scene”.

Ticketek Australia managing director Cameron Hoy added to event promoters Michael Chugg and the late Michael Gudinski’s endorsements of the arena – the centrepiece of Premier Steven Marshall’s re-election pitch – warning promoters could not make major acts viable at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Mr Hoy’s firm is the ticket promoter for the Australian leg of United States singer-songwriter Eilish’s world tour next September, that will include all mainland state capitals – except Adelaide.

“It’s nothing new, Adelaide is going to continue to be bypassed by major acts, such as Billie Eilish, until such time as it gets a larger arena,” said Mr Hoy, Ticketek’s Australian managing director.

“It’s sad. We’re seeing thousands of South Australians buying tickets to interstate gigs because promoters can’t make these acts commercially viable at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, due to its lack of capacity.

“The proposed new Adelaide Riverbank Arena is essential unless Adelaide is happy to no longer be part of the contemporary live entertainment touring scene.”

Mr Hoy is also the chief commercial officer and managing director of global ticketing for Ticketek’s parent firm TEG, a Sydney-based global live event, ticketing and technology company that operates in 40 countries.

Mr Marshall seized on Mr Hoy’s comments, declaring the Riverbank Arena would “attract world-class acts right here to our state”.

“It will inject even more life into the city – fill up bars, restaurants and hotels – creating local jobs and massively boosting our economy,” he said.

“I am unapologetically ambitious for our state. Adelaide is the most liveable city in the nation, and the third-most liveable in the world.

“We need a world-class venue to showcase major international artists and draw national events and conferences to our great state.”

The Advertiser in March revealed Mr Marshall’s plans for a 15,000-seat, multipurpose indoor arena for sport, entertainment and conventions, built between Adelaide’s railyards and the River Torrens – with major construction not starting until 2025.

The exterior design for the Marshall government’s Riverbank Arena.

The interior design for the Marshall government’s Riverbank Arena.

A business case released in August predicted the arena, when operational from 2028, would attract 825,000 visitors annually, create more than 4500 jobs during construction and add more than $1bn to the state economy.

Nine letters of support for the project were highlighted in the business case, from backers including Netball SA, Tennis SA and the Adelaide Convention Bureau – along with event promoters Mr Chugg and the late Mr Gudinski.

Labor in June vowed to scuttle the arena, which it has branded a “basketball stadium”, and divert at least $100m into country health.

But Treasurer Rob Lucas then pointed out that Labor would free up only $10m over the next two years by scrapping the arena – construction would not start until 2025.