NSW budget 2020: Kogarah’s Jubilee Oval upgrade gets $3m kick-start

Despite the $3 million in planning funding in the NSW budget, there is no money allocated for putting shovels in the ground.

A business plan will be developed to determine whether revamping Kogarah’s Jubilee Oval into a revitalised suburban stadium stacks up.

The business plan – which was allocated $3 million in funding in Tuesday’s budget – is expected to be completed in 2022.

There was $1m allocated for this financial year, with the rest to come in next year’s budget.

However, there is no money allocated for Jubilee Oval beyond the money for a business case to ensure the costs stack up.

A business plan will be developed to determine whether revamping Kogarah’s Jubilee Oval into a revitalised suburban stadium stacks up. Picture: Brett Costello

That’s despite a previous push from Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V’landys for the budget to include plans to rebuild up to four ‘boutique’ local stadiums.

The NRL’s call for three or four new local grounds with a 18-20,000 seat capacity came after the government abandoned its $800m plan to redevelop ANZ stadium.

The Daily Telegraph first revealed the budget would include planning funding to examine a new oval at Kogarah earlier this month.

At the time, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet backed a plan to spend more money on local grounds, telling 2GB that the government wanted to “move away from those big stadiums and try and ensure that local communities over time have great community facilities”.

“The NRL has raised with us a focus on Brookvale, Liverpool and Penrith,” Mr Perrottet told 2GB.

Despite the $3 million in planning funding for a new Kogarah Oval in the budget, there is no money allocated for putting shovels in the ground.

Upgrading the stadium at Kogarah has been estimated at about $200m. Picture: Brett Costello

The cost of upgrading the stadium at Kogarah has been put at approximately $200m, according to council plans.

Last night the Treasurer told The Daily Telegraph the planning money was an “important first step”.

“We are committed to looking at improving suburban stadium infrastructure if the business case stacks up,” he said.

Dragons Chief Executive Ryan Webb hoped that the business case would prove a new stadium is warranted, but said the club has not yet had any discussions about a revamp.

Jubilee Oval at Kogarah. Picture: Brett Costello

“We’re happy to be part of any discussion and any planning about upgrading Jubilee Stadium, we will play there for many years to come,” he said.

But the plans received mixed reaction when first revealed by The Daily Telegraph.

Earlier this month, Attorney-General and Cronulla MP Mark Speakman warned: “I’d oppose spending as much as $200 million of taxpayers’ money if the business case had to be propped up by moving the Sharks out of the Shire to Kogarah”.

The budget also includes $100 million over two years to invest in new and existing local facilities, to support grassroots clubs across the state.