Bankwest Stadium: Fixtures boom as Sydney Football Stadium is built

It has been revealed Bankwest Stadium is set to host up to 80 major sporting fixtures and concerts per year in a massive boost for Parramatta.

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Parramatta Stadium is set to get a lot busier, with dozens more games and concerts expected to take place during the redevelopment of the Sydney Football Stadium.

The major increase in events at the newly completed stadium – which has hosted more than 25 major sporting and cultural events with a total of 500,000 visitors – comes after a NSW Government decision to approve up to 80 major sporting events each year during the construction of the new stadium at Moore Park.

Nathan Brown, Tepai Moreoa and Mitchell Moses of the Eels celebrate victory at the end of the NRL Elimination Final match between the Parramatta Eels and the Brisbane Broncos at Bankwest Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

In its application to increase the number of events to be held at Parramatta, a Venues NSW planner said (Bankwest) Stadium presents as a world-class facility capable of hosting a number of different major sporting, concert and cultural events.

“The Sydney Football Stadium is currently being redeveloped, while the redevelopment of Stadium Australia is scheduled to commence in June 2020,” the planner said. “The stadium redevelopment program leaves Bankwest Stadium as the only Stadium available in the network for approximately two years.

“To ensure NSW remains competitive in the national and international sporting and event market both during the stadium network redevelopment and after its completion, Venues NSW seeks to increase the annual frequency of events able to be held at the Stadium.”

The expansion plans for the newly completed stadium also sees a permanent increase of major sporting events from the current 49 to 65 each year following the completion of the Sydney Football Stadium and an increase in the number of concerts from three to five per year.

More than 350,000 people have attended events at Bankwest Stadium since it opened. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“There is no justification for the current limit on major sporting events noting that there was no limit on the former Pirteck Stadium,” the planner argued. “The former Sydney Football Stadium was not limited and neither is Stadium Australia”

An application to increase the number of venue spaces was also made, including a bid to increase patron numbers from 700 to 2514 and increase function operational hours to 7:00am to 12 midnight on non-event days.

Alexander Meier of the Wanderers might finally have something to cheer about. Picture: Brendon Thorne)

The State Significant Development application was approved by the Planning Minister Rob Stokes on December 17, with Mr Stokes granting approval as the plans would “provide a range of benefits for the region and the State as a whole, including increased utilisation of a State-owned asset and increased patronage to Parramatta and surrounds”.

A Venues NSW spokesman told the Advertiser the Stadium has already hosted an international rugby Test, Wallabies v Samoa, on Saturday 7 September, and international rugby league in the form of the Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s on 18-19 October.

“Thirty-six sport and entertainment events are already locked in for 2020 including historic first concerts featuring Australian rock legends Cold Chisel and Hoodoo Gurus on Friday 24 January, and global superstar Elton John on Saturday 7 March,” the spokesman said.

Parramatta Council raised no objections to the modifications.