Inner-city Adelaide stadium recommended in state sport blueprint

Riverside stadium plans are still on the agenda in a new sports blueprint that’s also about to reveal another target for Crows HQ.

An artist's impression of an Adelaide Arena at the proposed location. Source: The Advertiser

An inner-city stadium is being thrust back onto the agenda as the centrepiece of a 20-year State Government blueprint for sports facilities.

A redevelopment of Thebarton Oval, being eyed by the Adelaide Crows as a new club headquarters, also is recommended in the long-awaited State Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Plan 2020-40 to be released today.

The city stadium recommendation will refocus attention on a long-term plan for a 30,000-seat arena as part of a major commercial redevelopment over Adelaide’s railyards – a proposal before the State Government.

While the document does not give specific stadium details or costings, the Sunday Mail has been told the latest version of the proposal would retain the 30,000 capacity and the takeover of Entertainment Centre events, while soccer would now be excluded.

That means it would not need a pitch that elevates to become a roof for indoor events, helping bring the cost down from $1.3bn to $700m.

Sports minister Corey Wingard. Picture: David Mariuz

There is speculation the proposal would include a new flagship laboratory for SA Pathology and administration for the relocated Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

The sport blueprint, to be released today by Sport Minister Corey Wingard, pinpoints the current and long-term needs for major, state-level, regional and local sports and recreation facilities without delivering business plans or costings.

Released five days after the State Budget, the report positions the inner-city stadium as a potential major project to be announced ahead of the 2022 state election.

A centrally located, inner-city stadium is recommended to be able to “host any combination of court sport, field sport, convention and entertainment events” and to “enhance SA’s ability to attract and retain international events, conventions and concerts”.

Adelaide Oval’s $535m upgrade, the report says, demonstrates the benefit of putting a major sports facility in an entertainment precinct – improving the matchday experience and generating significant economic benefits for nearby businesses.

“Apart from Adelaide Oval and Memorial Drive, Adelaide has no other major sporting facilities that are accessible by public transport or next to the central business district, which are key requirements and considerations for the next multipurpose facility,” the report says.

Mr Wingard said the 20-year road map, produced by the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing, identified more than 230 upgrades.

“The comprehensive work that went into the plan started long before we were thrown into a global health crisis but delivering on key projects outlined within it will help us navigate out of the troubling times we find ourselves in,” he said.

Mr Wingard revealed a further $5m would be invested in the $24 million State Centre for Football – a soccer complex at Gepps Cross – adding to $19m allocated in 2018 by the former Labor government.

The State Centre of Football, which will get an extra $5m funding. Picture: Supplied.

A $44 million Memorial Drive upgrade, including four new grandstands to increase seating capacity to 6000, was identified in the sports plan and announced in last Tuesday’s State Budget. A $45 million Hindmarsh Stadium upgrade also was revealed.

This effectively jettisoned any plan for a multipurpose, roofed stadium in the Memorial Drive precinct.

But the railyards stadium proposal, backed by the Adelaide Venue Management Corporation (AVMC), remains a long-term option – though at the reduced scale and cost by removing soccer. The sale of the AVMC-run Entertainment Centre would help offset the cost.

The Sunday Mail has been told the revised $700m proposal would likely involve a public-private partnership (PPP), similar to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, under which the government would pay a multimillion-dollar annual fee to a developer before taking ownership after 20 years.

It is understood Treasurer Rob Lucas opposed the earlier $1.3bn version, but he has previously expressed interest in PPP ventures.

The latest proposal involves a major commercial precinct, likely to include a hotel, medical research centres, outlet shops and short-stay accommodation servicing the nearby Royal Adelaide Hospital and SAHMRI. The cost could be defrayed by selling the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, which the AVMC operates.

Premier Steven Marshall in April announced SA Pathology, which has been rated highly for coronavirus testing during the pandemic, would develop a business case for a flagship 14,000 sqm laboratory near the RAH.

There is speculation the relocated WCH would involve medical services connected to the RAH and administration co-located with the new SA Pathology building.