Sporting legends back growing calls to put a roof on Accor Stadium at Homebush

Sydney has once again lost millions to Melbourne because it doesn’t have a single major stadium with a roof. Do you agree with calls to put a roof on Homebush’s Accor Stadium?

Australia’s biggest sporting and events voices are urging the government to put a roof over Accor Stadium after Sydney lost yet another big-ticket event to Melbourne.

Sydney boxer George Kambosos could have taken on American rival Devin Haney in his own hometown but NSW does not have a single major stadium that has a roof – a reality that continues to puzzle event operators.

Instead, the high-profile fight was played out at Marvel Stadium adding millions to Victoria’s coffers.

Boxing great Jeff Fenech said if Sydney wanted to overtake Melbourne as the greatest sporting city, it needed “facilities that make people feel comfortable and safe”.

“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,” he said.

Sporting legend Jeff Fenech is among those joining the push to roof the stadium. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

“If we want to take the mantle off Melbourne we need better facilities.”

Venues NSW boss Tony Shepherd said the Kambosos fight showed that Melbourne had the upper hand in the fight for live events.

“The Melbourne experience does show the advantages of an opening and closing roof for big events,” he said.

“Sydney does suffer a lot of rain, more than Melbourne.”

The proposal was first raised by Mr Shepherd last year but the government is yet to make any funding commitments.

Rugby legend Laurie Daley said the investment in a roof on the Homebush stadium – which would cost $120m – would “pay off”.

“It would be nice to attract all the sporting events over to Sydney. A stadium with the roof over its head adds to the attraction,” he said.

“It would pay off being able to attract events and knowing, regardless of the weather, that it would go ahead.”

Mr Daley said a roof would help Origin players in having conditions they can “trust”.

Events bosses described the roof over the Accor Stadium at Homebush as “long overdue”. Picture: Supplied

“In the middle of winter, if there is no breeze around, it can become quite slippery and dewy. It doesn’t allow for the open fast entertaining style of playing,” he said.

“In dry conditions … you can back your skills and you can trust the conditions.”

Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said Sydney needed the “best infrastructure” to compete with other cities.

“After Covid there is a yearning to get back to big major live events and we don’t want to reduce our options by having venues that aren’t meeting global standards,” he said.

“People want the live experience with friends and you can’t do that if it’s raining on you.”

Music event planning master Michael Chugg said the project was “long overdue”.

“Melbourne has the best entertainment precinct in the world and Sydney is really lacking,” he said.

“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.

“(But) if I was a boxing promoter and you want to be indoors, I know what stadium I would use and I know where I would go (Melbourne).”

The NSW government said it will it will fund a final business case that considers the addition of an operable roof over Accor Stadium.