Sydney Entertainment Quarter redevelopment stalled by NSW bureaucrats

A $2 billion investment that would give Sydney a world class sports and entertainment hub in Moore Park has been stalled by government bureaucrats.

A $2 billion investment that would give Sydney a world class sports and entertainment hub in Moore Park has been stalled by government bureaucrats.

It is almost 10 months since the Greater Sydney Parklands Act was passed to allow for an open tender process to begin the redevelopment of the Entertainment Quarter into a world class sporting, cultural and entertainment precinct.

But since then nothing has happened.

“The Entertainment Quarter is willing to participate in any new process, but unfortunately the Government has done nothing to restart negotiations,” Chairman of The Entertainment Quarter Max Moore-Wilton said.

“Sydney deserves better.

“This is a missed opportunity to provide significant benefits for Sydney’s cultural life, to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities and build upon the city’s reputation as a highly liveable and global city.”

The Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park is the missing piece in what could be Australia's premier sporting precinct - but it still languishes under exploited because bureaucrats refuse to budge. Picture: Daily Telegraph / Monique Harmer

The current lease on The Entertainment Quarter has 22 years left to run but any major investment would require the certainty of a much longer lease.

However negotiations to surrender the current lease and begin an open tender for a new one remain stalled.

The investors behind the company holding the lease, who include entrepreneurs Gerry Harvey, John Singleton and Mark Carnegie, are keen to leave Sydney with a lasting legacy.

“The Entertainment Quarter’s transformation is a vital part of Sydney’s growth as we strive post-Covid to compete on the world stage for creative exports, major events and inward investment,” Mr Moore-Wilton said.

Businesses are almost universally behind the move to revamp the Entertainment Quarter with initial plans including a low rise hotel, cafes, restaurants, a hectare of new parkland and new buildings aimed at the entertainment industry.

Entertainment Quarter Moore Park development proposal by Carsingha. Supplied

Committee for Sydney deputy chief executive Ehssan Veiszadeh said a revamped Entertainment Quarter was the missing ingredient after the $800 million rebuild of next door Allianz Stadium.

“Government has done the hard part already by building a world class stadium and a light rail connection, right next to some of the most beautiful parklands in the country,” he said.

“It should finish the job by fixing EQ and bringing it into the 21st century. We need to show we’re serious about Sydney being a global city.”

Ehssan Veiszadeh Picture: Sam Mooy.

Paul Nicolaou, chief executive of Business Sydney, said: “There is no reason why Sydney can’t outshine Melbourne when it comes to sport and entertainment precincts.

“As the State Government pours billions into supporting the Moore Park precinct, now is the time to complete the final piece of the puzzle.”

“Entertainment Quarter’s rejuvenation would elevate Sydney’s reputation as a world-class city, attract new investment, generate jobs and boost liveability for all Sydneysiders,” he said.

A spokesman for Greater Sydney Parklands confirmed an open tender process was required to change the existing lease, which runs up until 2046.

Beyond that he said: “No decision has been made regarding the future of the site.”