Controversial Adelaide Oval Hotel could lure India Test series
The controversial Adelaide Oval Hotel could clear the way for an entire Test series to be played in the city as SA’s success battling coronavirus gets attention on the subcontinent.
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Adelaide Oval’s new hotel could be the catalyst to secure the entire Test series against India in a move that would open up trade, education and tourism opportunities.
Premier Steven Marshall says the state’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and having a luxury hotel attached to a world-class cricket venue would boost SA’s chances of hosting the summer series.
“It would be an incredible opportunity to have the Indian cricket team base themselves here in Adelaide and an incredible opportunity to promote South Australia to the rest of the world,” Mr Marshall told the Sunday Mail.
“They would come in for their two weeks isolation, base themselves at the new hotel that will be the only stadium in Australia that has accommodation built into it.”
His comments come after Indian Cricket Board treasurer Arun Dhumal said the team would be open to playing the Test series in a “bio-secure” Adelaide Oval.
India is scheduled to play four Test matches and three one-day internationals in December and January on a tour reportedly worth $300 million in broadcast revenue for Cricket Australia.
Mr Marshall said hosting the series would be an amazing “kickstart” for the state as it continued its zero record of coronavirus cases.
“We should be very hopeful about really opening up our economy, both economically and socially, so long as we can maintain a good health performance,” he said.
“India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world it is the second largest population in the world and there is a huge opportunity for us there.”
Uncertainty around China has placed a greater imperative on SA to look for other trade opportunities. India is seen as a growing market for overseas students and global travel.
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As revealed by The Advertiser this week, a bio-safe Adelaide Oval could host multiple games. Crowds would be limited by social distancing, barring a savage, second COVID-19 wave.
The 138-room Oval Hotel is set to open in late September backed by a $42 million State Government loan to the Stadium Management Authority.
South Australian Cricket Association president Andrew Sinclair said the Test series could be the best shot at filling rooms in the new hotel that will open in challenging conditions caused by COVID-19.
“It could be a really good initiation for the hotel in an environment where it otherwise might not have had patrons,” he said.
The SMA will have to adjust hotel revenue projections after COVID-19, which may impact on loan repayments.
SACA and SANFL are loan guarantors. “Unfortunately, all this stuff has put its own hurdle in the way and financial modelling etc has to be recast,” Mr Sinclair said.
“None of it will be immediately great but in the longer term … I would hope it will be making decent money for cricket and football.”