Sydney FC, Roosters and Waratahs want LED ‘curtain’ at new Allianz Stadium

Sydney FC, the Roosters and the Waratahs are leading a push to ensure the NSW Government follows through on promises to include a multi-mode "curtain" in the new Allianz Stadium design.

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Sydney FC, the Roosters and the Waratahs are leading a push to ensure the NSW Government follows through on promises to include a multi-mode “curtain” in the new Allianz Stadium design, to avoid the sight of playing in a two-thirds empty venue every week.

With the coalition government returned to office in last weekend’s election, the nine tenants of the Moore Park precinct are lobbying for money to be found to pay for some form of curtain that can cover the top section of the stadium, after it was quietly dropped from the 45,000-seat design last year on grounds of cost.

After Infrastructure NSW confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that the curtain isn’t in the $729m design presented by the government last year, the SCG Trust is also pushing heavily to meet the promises made to the major tenants in return for them supporting a full rebuild.

When they announced their public backing for a rebuild of the stadium in November 2017, both Sydney FC and the Roosters trumpeted the inclusion of an LED curtain that would carry their livery and disguise the empty tiers of seats during regular games.

An early artist’s impression of how a LED ‘curtain’ at the new Allianz Stadium might look.

Sydney FC averaged just under 15,000 crowds at their home games last season, with the Roosters and Waratahs some 1500 less. It’s widely feared the stadium will be a white elephant if it looks mostly empty week in, week out.

After external reviewers went through the stadium plans last year, both the curtain and the so-called “media halo”, an LED display at the edge of the roof, were dropped to save $46m — though the defined tiers of seating necessary will be built, and the roof designed, to allow for a curtain to be installed retrospectively.

An artist’s impression of the new Allianz Stadium.

A spokesperson for Sports Minister Stuart Ayres would only confirm that the demolition of the stadium had begun, and construction of the new entity is due to start next year.

But Infrastructure NSW, which will manage the project, confirmed there is currently no curtain budgeted for.

“The $729 million rebuild of the Sydney Football Stadium announced by the NSW Government in March 2018 did not include a club mode curtain,” a spokesperson said.

“However, the stadium’s roof and upper tier is being designed to permit the future installation of a club mode curtain.”

But a briefing document prepared by the SCG Trust for its tenants four months before the winning design was announced said it would “boast a world-first dual operating modes … Club mode will have 30,000 seats available with a revolutionary LED mesh curtain covering the top deck, keeping the sound in the stadium and providing the ability to display images and branding to generate atmosphere.

“In championship mode the curtain lifts to make the full 45,000-seat capacity available for major events.”

It’s understood the curtain remains a major priority for the Trust, after the Alliance of Moore Park Sports — its tenants — met this week and agreed to step up lobbying of government now the election is over.

The final design for the interior of the stadium will be drawn up in coming months.