WA tourism CEO backs Macquarie Point stadium
The head of Western Australia’s tourism peak body has urged Tasmanians to look at the benefit Optus Stadium has brought to WA as debate rages on the construction of a multipurpose stadium in Hobart.
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“You are going to love it”
That’s the message from the head of Western Australia’s tourism peak body who has seen first-hand the impact Optus Stadium has had for the city of Perth.
Evan Hall, the CEO of the Tourism Council of Western Australia, visited the state on Wednesday to meet with tourism industry and state government stakeholders alongside tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Luke Martin.
As debate rages over a proposed new stadium at Macquarie Point, Hall offered an inside perspective on the benefits a new multipurpose stadium would bring to Tasmania.
“Perth’s stadium has been an economic game changer for the state. It’s not just diversified the tourism industry, it’s diversified the whole economy. To have infrastructure like a stadium bringing in visitors throughout the year has really changed the nature of Perth as a city,” Hall said.
“We’ve seen that the most rapid growth of tourism has been from the investment of the stadium.”
Perth’s multipurpose stadium was constructed in 2017 with a capacity of around 62,000 at a cost of $1.6 - $1.8 billion.
For context, the construction of Hobart’s stadium has been estimated at a cost of $750m and a capacity of around 27,000.
While both Fremantle and West Coast play their home AFL fixtures at the stadium, it has also been home to international and domestic cricket, soccer and rugby clashes, along with a number of major concerts and entertainment events.
With many detractors questioning the need for a stadium to be built, Hall urged those against the proposal to look beyond just its central purpose.
“There is a difference between having a stadium and then having one right in the heart of the city that is going to enliven the city,” he said.
“It’s going to activate the pubs, and you already have the hotel infrastructure there and it’s going to take it from just a local experience to a world class experience for all the events you can bring to town.
He said a roofed stadium would bring events that previously wouldn’t have come to the state.
“You have to think beyond the AFL. It can’t become just an AFL stadium. It can’t just be designed for their needs it has to be designed for the events that Tasmania wants.”
While Hall said a stadium was a great source of revenue for state government to invest in hospitals and housing, Labor leader Rebecca White has hit out at Premier Jeremy Rockliff following another of his Liberal colleagues publicly opposing the stadium with Senator Claire Chandler the latest to oppose its development.
“Senator Chandler has hit out at your plan to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars for something that is absolutely not a priority. She has also claimed that the AFL has been briefing mainland journalists about taking you and, therefore, the Tasmanian taxpayer, for a ride. She has hit out at their bullying tactics, calling them outrageous and disrespectful. The AFL clearly sees you as a pushover. Your federal colleagues clearly think you are pushover too. Why will you not stand up for Tasmania?,” White said in parliament.
Why a WA CEO could hold the key to our stadium
THE head of Western Australian tourism’s peak body will talk up the transformative impact of Perth’s newest stadium during a visit to Hobart this week.
As debate rages about a proposed new stadium at Macquarie Point, tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Luke Martin has invited his WA counterpart Evan Hall to share his experiences around the $900m Optus Stadium project.
Mr Hall will brief tourism industry and state government stakeholders on Thursday.
Mr Martin said he hoped discussion around a Hobart AFL stadium could move beyond the current for-and-against arguments.
“The reason we want to bring him down is this debate has already become, in a very Tasmanian way, very polarised around yay or nay. We aren’t talking about if it was to happen, what are the things to get right?”,” he said.
“We are not the only state that’s done this. A bunch of cities have done this, let’s learn from the examples and what’s actually been achieved.”
Mr Martin said with input from stakeholders the Perth stadium had been able to maximise gains for local tourism and the wider economy.
This has included quarantining seats for interstate football fans at AFL matches.
“(Mr Hall) championed the stadium development initially and also, not just to get a stadium built, but significant concessions in the way it’s managed for tourism,” Mr Martin said.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government’s $750m stadium proposal has prompted widespread community backlash, as well as opposition from Labor, the Greens and federal MPs including a Liberal Senator.
However Mr Martin said there was a need for level-headed discussion on the benefits of a new stadium.
“We need something in the 2020s to do for Hobart what Mona did in the 2010s. We think the stadium could be it,” he said.
Originally published as WA tourism CEO backs Macquarie Point stadium
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