Accor Stadium needs upgrade to compete with Melbourne and Perth for Rugby World Cup final
Sydney could lose hosting rights for yet another multi-billion dollar event to Melbourne or Perth - sitting “firmly in third place” according to insiders. Here’s why.
NSW
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Sydney looks set to lose the hosting rights to the 2027 Rugby World Cup final and the lion’s share of a $5 billion economic boost because Accor Stadium needs to be upgraded.
“We have been to all three venues – Melbourne, Perth and Sydney – and right now Sydney is firmly in third place. The facilities have not really changed since the World Cup in 2003,” a rugby insider said.
The 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan was the most successful ever and generated $5 billion in economic benefit, the lion’s share of which will go to the city hosting the final.
It is understood improving facilities and adding a new retractable roof would not only improve the stadium’s chances of taking the final from the Melbourne Cricket Ground but also help steal other events from Marvel Stadium, which has a retractable roof.
“Accor Stadium needs a roof,” chairman of the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue Christopher Brown said.
“If we want to live up to our promise and potential as a global entertainment capital then we have to put a lid on the big house,” he said. “Promoters are asking for more and more and we need to be in the fight.”
Rival Marvel Stadium in Melbourne’s Docklands was named the Global Venue of the Year at TheStadiumBusiness Awards in 2019, ending US dominance of the award that included previous winners Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
In that year the retractable roof in Melbourne allowed two million fans to enjoy 55 uninterrupted events including AFL, A-League and Big Bash cricket and concerts by Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.
Each concert alone is estimated to be worth up to $7 million to the host city with major sporting matches such as the NRL grand final bringing in around $17 million in economic benefit.
Mr Brown said the $250 million cost of a retractable roof and upgraded seating would be quickly paid off as visitors attending events stayed in hotels, ate in restaurants and booked local attractions.
“If we want to host the Rugby World Cup and get the big concerts and soccer at the highest level then we need to put a roof on Accor stadium and finish the job we started,” Mr Brown said.
His call echoes that of promoters and sporting figures who called for the NSW Government to fund a roof on the stadium after witnessing sellout crowds at title fight between George Kambosos and Devin Haney in front of more than 40,000 fans at the start of the month.
After the fight boxing great Jeff Fenech said “I flew there and flew back and the plane was full, hotels through the whole city were full, it was massive, it was amazing for the economy of Melbourne.”
And promoter Michael Chugg said: “Melbourne has the best entertainment precinct in the world and Sydney is really lacking.
“It is not hard to get anyone to play in Sydney, I did Elton in 2019 before Covid but you just have to risk it might rain.”
The NSW Government has said it will invest in a business case to look at the economic benefit of putting a retractable roof on Accor Stadium.
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