Moore Park: Mike Baird wants new stadium built on existing Allianz Stadium site

PREMIER Mike Baird has shot down his Sports Minister Stuart Ayres and the SCG Trust’s bid for a new stadium on Centennial Parklands.

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PREMIER Mike Baird has shot down his Sports Minister Stuart Ayres and the SCG Trust’s bid for a new stadium on Centennial Parklands.

Mr Baird confirmed yesterday he still wanted a new $1 billion stadium at Moore Park but on the existing Allianz Stadium site, meaning its existing tenants — the NSW Waratahs, Sydney

Roosters and Sydney FC — would have to move out for three years for it to be demolished and rebuilt.

The Premier is understood to have called Mr Ayres as soon as he returned from Israel on Sunday to ask him what was going on with the stadium situation.

Artist’s impression of the proposed $250m plan to transform the out-of-date Allianz stadium.

Eight of nine Sydney NRL clubs last week resolved on a “five-point plan” which would bury any new stadium at Moore Park.

Mr Ayres had been continuing behind the scenes to back the SCG Trust’s proposal to build a stadium on Centennial Parklands despite last year’s cabinet decision that construction had to happen on existing SCG land.

The Daily Telegraph has been told the government’s priority is completion of the new Parramatta stadium by 2019. After that, whether ANZ Stadium gets refurbished or Moore Park rebuilt first would be up to the “content” the government can secure from the codes playing at the grounds.

This differs from Mr Ayres’ position, which had been for Moore Park to be first cab off the rank.

NSW Premier Mike Baird addresses the media yesterday. Picture: Jonathan Ng

When asked at a press conference yesterday if he would rule out building on the Centennial Park site, Mr Baird said : “Yes, that’s the cabinet position. I can’t be clearer on that.”

He said demolition and reconstruction on SCG land was an inconvenience for the clubs but that “in the long term they end up with a fantastic stadium, great for them, great for the city and great for the fans”.

Mr Baird was asked what he would do if the SCG Trust came back to him and said it wanted the new stadium on the Centennial and Moore parklands, which would allow the teams to continue to play at the Sydney Football Stadium until it was complete.

NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres.

“If that’s what they did say, I’d say ‘go back and do it on the existing land’,” he replied.

Mr Baird’s comments are a slapdown for Mr Ayres, who has wanted the SCG Trust proposal to get up.

Mr Baird claimed that the government was close to a deal on content with the rugby league, soccer and rugby union codes to provide enough games to Sydney’s three key stadiums.

Originally, the government had been aiming to secure 65 of 108 rugby league games a year at the three stadiums but Mr Ayres has fallen short by 10 games to do that.

SCG Trust chair Tony Shepherd said last night: “At least we have got (the promise of) a new stadium on the existing site.”