Sydney’s Allianz Stadium’s annual concert cap lifted

The protests of NIMBYS have been drowned out and the SCG is ready to rock as Premier Chris Minns lifts a stifling Allianz Stadium concert cap from four to 20 shows a year.

Singer Pink was already booked to play Allianz this year. Now the venue can host up top 20 big concerts a year after a concert cap was lifted. Pictures: News Corp/Supplied

An archaic concert cap strangling the entertainment quarter has finally been lifted in a blow to local NIMBYS who claimed “increased exposure to noise” would impact their mental health.

Premier Chris Minns will on Wednesday announce that up to 20 concerts will be able to be held in the Allianz Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground precinct at Moore Park every year – 16 more than under the restrictive cap imposed after a noisy Rolling Stones concert in the 1990s.

Increasing the number of performances in the SCG precinct is expected to inject up to $120 million into the state’s visitor economy each year.

The 20 performances annually will be able to include two 10-hour festivals.

However, the music will need to be turned off by 11pm, with no changes to the current curfew.

Premier Chris Minns declares ‘let there be rock’ at Allianz last May. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

The only exception would be the official Mardi Gras after-party, should organisers move the event to Allianz.

The announcement comes seven months after Premier Chris Minns echoed AC/DC in declaring “let there be rock” at the SCG precinct.

OPPOSITION

Since then, bureaucrats had to navigate complaints from locals opposed to extra performances. In public consultations, some claimed their mental health would suffer because of increased noise. Others wanted cheap or free tickets to concerts in compensation.

At one stage, Mr Minns was forced to intervene to stop bureaucrats turning down the volume on concerts at the SCG precinct. Quieter concerts were mooted as a way to appease NIMBY locals. However, Mr Minns said that would not be happening.

A number of new conditions have been imposed on concert organisers, mostly relating to traffic management. The “current approved noise limits” have also been “clarified … to ensure they are clearly understood by the applicant and all stakeholders”.

Billy Joel performs for one night only in Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2022. Picture: Getty Images

The cap made it hard to draw stars like Beyonce to the city to perform. Picture: Getty Images

Government sources blamed the concert cap for Billy Joel snubbing Sydney to play to a sold-out crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in late 2022.

The cap also threatened to stymie recent efforts to woo global megastar Beyoncé to Sydney.

Mr Minns said increasing the cap was a “huge win for the NSW economy, and great for rock and roll”.

“Sydney is Australia’s only global city and now it will finally be able to host global acts on the world stage,” he said.

Night-time Economy Minister John Graham said the larger concert cap, in place from this year, will remove the “shackles” of “onerous red-tape”.

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the government would work with Venues NSW to get the best result for concertgoers and the community.

The move was welcomed by promoters on Tuesday.

Frontier Touring CEO Dion Brant said the decision “benefits not just the artist and promoter, but countless local NSW businesses”.

Live Nation Australasia Chairman Michael Coppel said increasing the concert cap would ensure Sydney-siders “won’t miss a beat” in experiencing big musical acts.

TEG CEO Geoff Jones said he was “delighted” that the SCG precinct would be able to host more shows.

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