WIN Stadium, Wollongong Entertainment Centre: Council unveil redevelopment plans

A grand master plan to redevelop WIN Stadium and the Wollongong Entertainment Centre is aiming to turn the precinct into a regional focal point.

A fresh vision for the future of WIN Stadium and the Wollongong Entertainment Centre (WEC) has been unveiled by Wollongong Council, with a redevelopment report recently submitted to Venues NSW.

The state government-owned facilities would receive significant capacity bumps if the proposed upgrades go ahead, with WIN Stadium to be boosted by 7000 spots to a 30,000-person capacity while the WEC would nearly double its capacity to 10,000.

The ‘tired and run-down’ WEC made national headlines in 2020 after an NBL game was abandoned due to a leak in the roof while Australian singer-songwriter Tina Arena called the venue ‘archaic’ during a performance there last year.

Council’s master plan would see an increase in floor space at the venue as well as improving its ability to host different types of events while decreasing the turnaround time between events.

WIN Stadium, which is the partial home for the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Wollongong Wolves, was last upgraded in 2012 when the western grandstand was opened.

The proposal would see new stands built at the northern and southern ends while in a controversial move, the grassy hill section on the stadium’s eastern side could be replaced by a ‘low rise’ stand which the report indicated was to ‘support hosting top tear sporting fixtures’.

Other highlights of the plan include the training field at the southern end of WIN Stadium being turned into a public space and the creation of an underground car park.

WIN Stadium has previously hosted rugby league and rugby union World Cup matches as well as A-League games with the Wellington Phoenix currently calling the venue home.

WIN Stadium last hosted an NRL finals game in 2005 when St George Illawarra played Cronulla in front of 19,608 fans which is a record for a sports event at the venue.

The overall record stands a 20,211 when global megastar Elton John packed out the stadium during his 2017 Once In A Lifetime tour.

NA

Wollongong Mayor Gordon Bradbery said he wanted the precinct to be known for more than just sports and entertainment.

“The report indicates that we need to rethink the whole thing as more than just an entertainment and sport venue,” Cr Bradbery said.

“It has the potential to host conventions and all types of events. We have attracted the UCI Road World Championships and we’ve previously had judo and martial arts events, and the CrossFit games.

“This is a focal point for a larger population, not just Wollongong, but the whole surrounding region … Wollongong will be a focal point for entertainment, sporting and conference programs and also a hospitality space if it’s well planned out, like Darling Harbour.”

Cr Bradbery acknowledged there had been some disgruntled voices regarding the potential removal of WIN Stadium’s hill, but he said there were still plenty of aspects to consider before that move is finalised.

The famous eastern hill could be gone if the proposal is implemented.

“[The removal of the hill] seems to be a great source of concern,” he said.

“But at the same time, what a master plan is about is listening to the different priorities and looking at all the possibilities. It’s not about shutting possibilities off.

“If we change the configuration we need to maximise the accessibility to the foreshore and ensure there are sight lines through to the ocean views – nothing is final.”

The mayor said the council is hoping to hear back from Venues NSW in a few weeks.