Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park’s $2b revamp plan at risk
A $2 billion plan to turn the Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park into an arts and entertainment precinct and create 17,000 jobs could be lost. Find out why.
NSW
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A $2 billion investment to turn the Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park into an arts and entertainment precinct and create 17,000 jobs could be lost because of a late night amendment to new laws by an independent MP and the Greens.
The current leaseholder of the Entertainment Quarter has put forward a proposal to revamp the precinct next to the Sydney Cricket Ground with new buildings aimed at the entertainment industry, cafes, restaurants, a low rise hotel and a hectare of new parkland.
“The Entertainment Quarter is a site of immense social, economic and cultural potential for Sydney,” Entertainment Quarter joint chief executive Sam Romaniuk said.
“Very few cities in the world have world class stadiums, exceptional heritage parkland and a mixed-use entertainment precinct co-located within an inner-urban location – this is a part of Sydney that deserves to be locally loved and globally renowned.”
The proposal would return the old show ring into a badly needed grass oval for local sporting teams, create a live performance hub for Sydney and pump $800 million into the state economy every year.
But amendments to the new Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Bill could stymie the investment after the Greens and an independent MP insisted the length of leases be halved from 99 to 50 years.
Independent MP Alex Greenwich told the parliament: “Leases of 99 years are essentially freehold ownership and should never be permitted on public recreation land.”
Mr Romaniuk said shorter leases “would not allow anyone to do anything meaningful in the precinct” because there was insufficient time to get a return on the money invested.
The existing lease has 24-years to run with no prospect of meaningful investment.
The amendments could still be reversed. A select committee chaired by Shooters and Fishers leader Robert Borsak will hear submissions on the bill on Thursday before making its recommendations.
Infrastructure minister Rob Stokes encouraged “all interested stakeholders” to have “their say”.
Revamping the site has popular public support. A Taverner Research Group survey commissioned by The Entertainment Quarter last year found seven out of 10 locals and people in Greater Sydney supported the redevelopment of the site.
Those findings were echoed by Committee for Sydney deputy chief executive Ehssan Veiszadeh who said: “Despite its proximity to excellent sporting venues, light rail and stunning parklands, EQ hasn’t yet lived up to its potential.
“It’s time for a rethink for this precinct, so that it can finally be transformed into a thriving and fun precinct.”
He was backed by Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou who said: “For over twenty five years this prized district on the edge of the city has languished as an unfinished project that promised so much but hasn’t delivered.
“We now have the chance to capitalise on a golden opportunity to create an iconic entertainment and creative industries hub that will bring thousands of jobs and attract visitors from around Australia and the world.”
The return of the oval also won the endorsement of local sporting clubs vying for space at Moore Park. Leone Doyle, manager of the Maroubra Saints junior AFL under 12s girls team, said: “Our biggest issue is green space.
“Returning the Showring to an oval will not only create desperately needed playing space for us and all other codes of community sport but will rejuvenate this tired and under-utilised part of the city,” she said.
NIMBYS STUCK IN PARK ON VITAL PLAN
COMMENT
The Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park is the missing piece in Sydney’s urban jigsaw puzzle.
Who has not gone there only to leave with that faint sense of disappointment, the sense that it could be so good but somehow just falls short.
Now we have a $2 billion proposal to revamp the joint, put in new buildings, a low rise hotel and turn it into a music and entertainment hub to top Melbourne’s much lauded sporting precinct.
But unfortunately independent MP Alex Greenwich has added an amendment to the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Bill that halves leases and makes meaningful investment completely unrealistic.
The Parklands bill is good legislation protecting all of Sydney’s valuable parkland and breathing new life into sprawling green space and decaying heritage buildings at Callan Park in the inner west.
However, what works everywhere else does not do the job for the Entertainment Quarter, which needs a major cash injection to help it live up to the enormous promise of its sensational location.
And the irony is that the proposal actually creates one hectare of new parkland plus beautiful, tree-lined boulevards and a badly needed oval for local sporting teams.
This is a great proposal for everyone. The risk that it may be scuppered goes to the heart of the disjointed way we build and plan in this city, allowing a few vocal NIMBYs to drown out the will of the sensible majority of Sydneysiders.
Our parklands are for everyone and must be protected. The Entertainment Quarter is not a park but it is an opportunity to create something wonderful. Robert Borsak and his select committee members need to weigh the facts carefully.
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