Sydney stadiums plan at risk: Sports minister warns NRL clubs to support Moore Park venture

THE government will withdraw its $1b funding offer if clubs do not agree to play at least 65 of the 108 games a season at a revamped Allianz Stadium.

• SYDNEY SPORTS STADIA SET FOR MASSIVE UPGRADE

THE government’s $1.6 billion stadiums plan is in danger of collapse, with Sports Minister Stuart Ayres warning that $1 billion of funding will be dumped if NRL clubs refuse to accept his plan for a new stadium at Moore Park.

Mr Ayres on Tuesday night made a last-ditch pitch to NRL bosses Todd Greenberg and John Grant to get his 55,000-seat Moore Park stadium up after virtually all NRL clubs rejected the plans last Friday.

Last night the minister said: “If we aren’t able to reach a resolution, and I have said this to the NRL, the additional $1 billion the government has allocated ... is at risk.”

Artist’s impression of the proposed $250m plan to transform the out-of-date Allianz stadium.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 has been waiting for the NRL to get behind his new stadium plan, to prove to Premier Mike Baird that it is feasible. But eight of nine Sydney NRL clubs last week resolved on a “five-point plan” which would bury any new stadium at Moore Park.

Under the plan, according to informed sources, the clubs agreed to encourage the government to instead prioritise a $700 million rebuild of ANZ Stadium at Homebush — to become a rectangular stadium — and for that to be the first major project after Parramatta Stadium was built.

Stuart Ayres presented ultimatum last night.

Todd Greenberg, the new NRL CEO.

They also backed a $400 million refurbishment of Sydney Football Stadium which would not involve demolishing Rugby League Central, the Rugby League museum or the construction of a new stadium that Mr Ayres’ proposal entails. A multistorey carpark would also be constructed nearby.

And the clubs want $150 million remaining to be put into a pool to build up the suburban grounds, with a maximum of $25 million to go to each ground, to keep them hosting NRL matches.

“I’ll continue (talking) with the NRL over the course of this week to try to close the gap ­between where they are and the clubs,” Mr Ayres said.

Asked why he could not upgrade ANZ Stadium at Homebush, rather than build a new stadium, Mr Ayres said it would not work on its own.

He also said the answer for Sydney’s sporting future was not to plough more money into suburban sporting grounds.

The clubs have been asked to agree to playing 65 games at Allianz..

He sees Stage 3 redevelopment of the SCG and Allianz Stadium sporting precinct as the answer.

The clubs had been asked to consider the plan for 65 of 108 games to be played at Allianz or ANZ to justify the new stadium.

Mr Baird is also waiting to hear back from the NRL before making a final decision. At a meeting late last year, the Premier is understood to have told Mr Grant to come back to him with the NRL’s final stance and whether or not it was OK with the new Moore Park stadium or wanted more money put into Homebush.

The government is also understood to be seeking an assurance NRL grand finals would be played in Sydney for at least 25 years. A government source claimed the NRL was on board with Mr Ayres but NRL clubs were “holding Sydney to ransom”.

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Fans say clubs such as the Bulldogs, who play at Belmore, are being ‘held to ransom’. Picture: Phil Hillyard