Sydney stadiums: Western Sydney bigger winner in chase for field dreams
IT WAS the best backflip at an Olympic venue since Matthew Mitcham won gold from the 10m diving platform in Beijing. ANZ Stadium versus Moore Park in the battle for billions. The home of the 2000 Sydney Games won gold.
IT WAS the best backflip at an Olympic venue since Matthew Mitcham won gold from the 10-metre diving platform in Beijing.
Seven months after making a huge splash by announcing Allianz Stadium would be rebuilt, Sports Minister Stuart Ayres and Premier Mike Baird shuffled out to Olympic Park like nervous synchronised divers and took the plunge.
Allianz Stadium is no longer being rebuilt, they announced.
It was a big blow for the old guard at the SCG Trust, which previously had been promised a rebuild for Allianz but will now only get a refurbishment — not for years, with no firm budget.
It was also a big fat belly flop for the ambitious Mr Ayres, who spent the past few weeks campaigning for the 45,000-seater Allianz Stadium to be smashed down and built anew, partly on adjacent parkland.
The backflip is a huge win for Western Sydney — ensuring ANZ Stadium gets a big shiny upgrade, with work potentially starting in 2018, and retaining its crown as the king of major events.
Mr Baird, who announced plans to rebuild Allianz Stadium in September, defended his change of heart, saying the process of deciding the future of Sydney’s sporting arenas was “never going to be easy”.
“I strongly believe we have come to a consensus position today that is going to be truly fantastic for this city,” said Mr Baird.
In a further slap down for Mr Ayres, the Premier gave responsibility for the stadiums policy to Infrastructure NSW, reporting directly to him.
Refusing to rebuild Allianz Stadium — while seriously upgrading ANZ Stadium with a new retractable roof and rectangular seating layout — ensures Olympic Park remains the city’s major events epicentre.
That makes sense, given ANZ Stadium is in the heart of Sydney — if not in every Sydneysiders’ heart — with its myriad transport issues, lack of atmosphere and underwhelming precincts.
“Western Sydney is a region of two million people today and it will be home to three million people in less than 15 years’ time,” said Opposition Leader Luke Foley.
“If we are going to plough $700 million into upgrading the Olympic Stadium, with that must come improved transport connections. We have to fix Sydney’s worst roundabout — the DFO roundabout — and we have to restore at least some direct train services.”
There is no hiding the fact that the decision is disappointing for the powerful SCG Trust.
Its trustees, including Alan Jones and former premier Barry O’Farrell, wanted Allianz Stadium rebuilt and increased in size and prestige.
In September, as the Baird government unveiled its now scrapped plans to rebuild Allianz, SCG Trust chairman Tony Shepherd said it would “revolutionise sport in NSW at every level and give our city sporting facilities that will be the envy of the world”.
But sporting codes and clubs hated the idea, with Allianz tenants like Sydney FC and the Roosters concerned about finding new homes during reconstruction and other teams resisting a move from ANZ Stadium.
Under the revised plans Allianz — built in 1988 as the Sydney Football Stadium — is now firmly at the bottom of the Baird government’s $1.6 billion stadiums policy, with plans only to give it a makeover — and probably not until the early 2020s.
In terms of who he really cared about keeping onside during the stadiums negotiations, a remark made by Mr Baird yesterday reveals everything: “As we saw by the reaction of the codes and their clubs on Thursday, this package has very deep support where it matters most.
“And no wonder: it’s the right package for the codes, for the clubs, for the players, and most important for the fans.”
Under the government’s plans, Parramatta Stadium will be rebuilt first, with the home of Western Sydney Wanderers and the Eels knocked down and turned into a $300 million, 30,000 seater modern venue the West can be proud of. Work is due to finish in 2019.
ANZ Stadium is next cab off the rank, with a retractable roof, a new rectangular seating layout — getting fans closer to the action — and probable improvements to surrounding entertainment precincts. Work is likely to start in 2018.
Only then will work commence at Allianz Stadium — with little detail about what will be upgraded — other than probable improvements to food and drink outlets and the general amenity.
There’s no guaranteed budget either. There’s a $1.6 billion pot for work at all three venues and Allianz Stadium will only be allocated money left over after Parramatta is rebuilt and ANZ upgraded.
If ANZ or Parramatta goes over budget Allianz will likely lose out.
The SCG’s Tony Shepherd said his organisation “will provide every assistance” in the implementation of the stadiums strategy.
“The primary role of the Trust is to do what is best for sport in NSW. It is a role we have performed assiduously for more than 100 years and we will continue to do so,” he said.
“The Trust has strong obligations to its 19,000 members from all over Sydney and regional NSW. Their ongoing and loyal support is the basis of our success.”
The plans open the door for Melbourne or Brisbane to steal the NRL Grand Final, with officials from the code in Victoria yesterday to discuss moving the showpiece match south.
With ANZ Stadium undergoing upgrades, it will almost certainly mean a series of major sporting events must find temporary new homes and Victorian Sports Minister John Eren was only too happy to have the NRL in Melbourne.
“Flagship events belong in the city that does them best, and all roads lead to Melbourne. Where else would you stage a big grand final than the great MCG?” he said.
“An NRL Grand Final in Melbourne would attract visitors to our state in their thousands, and we’d be only too happy to have Sydneysiders and Queenslanders here keeping our bars busy, our hotels full and our economy strong.”
The Queensland government is also understood to be keen to snatch the NRL Grand Final.
As part of the deal to refurbish ANZ Stadium, the Baird government has locked in long-term contract to host 20 years’ of NRL grand finals and Origin matches once the work is complete.
It has also secured 10 years’ of Bledisloe Cup games, a Lions Tour Test match and 12 years of Socceroos and Matildas games.
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