Sir Rod Eddington warns Melbourne is at risk of losing title as Australia’s major event capital

Melbourne needs to upgrade its iconic sporting precinct in order to compete with other cities for major events, infrastructure guru Sir Rod Eddington warns.

Businessman and infrastructure tsar Sir Rod Eddington has warned Melbourne risks losing its crown as Australia’s major event capital as rival states and cities ramp up their calendars.

The former Visit Victoria and Victorian Major Events Company chair said Melbourne needed to upgrade its iconic sporting precinct and bid for more drawcards such as the FIFA World Cup to stay ahead of the pack.

“All the main cities in Australia understand the value of events, both sporting and culturally, and are investing in the infrastructure necessary to win them,’’ the veteran infrastructure guru said.

“You don’t know what others will do.’’

Sir Rod Eddington said other cities aims to snatch Melbourne’s major events crown.

In an exclusive interview with the Herald Sun, Sir Rod said Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and now even Hobart were a threat to Victoria’s $2.5 billion events industry.

“Other cities in Australia and around the world are looking to duplicate much of what Melbourne has achieved over the last 30 years,’’ he said.

“And they are doing a pretty good job.

“As the different states understand the value both economically and the positive buzz that comes with hosting world class events in your city, they are all moving in that direction.’’

Sir Rod – who will join 50 leading Australian and international sporting figures as a speaker at the SportNXT summit in Melbourne from March 28-30 – said Victoria had “a suite of facilities that is second to none globally’’.

The MCG, tennis centre, AAMI Park and their proximity to the CBD, public transport and highways put Melbourne in a unique position to land more major events.

Melbourne needs to continue to invest in world class sporting facilities, Sir Rod said. Picture: Mark Stewart

But the strides the likes of South Australia had made with Adelaide Oval, Western Australia with Optus Oval, Sydney’s stadium upgrades and what Brisbane will offer for the Olympic Games should have Victoria events chiefs on notice.

“Imitation is the greatest form of flattery – I don’t mean that maliciously,’’ Sir Rod said.

Better links between the MCG, tennis precinct and AAMI Park as well as a university led sports science centre in the area should be a focus, he said.

“If we want to continue to be an attractive destination we’ve got to continue to find ways to grow and enhance Melbourne and Victoria’s offering,’’ he said.

“If you look at that precinct, there are constantly discussions going on about how you could provide better linkages on both sides of the railway line … with the MCG on one side at AAMI Park the other.

“And how we could invest in not only the facilities for the players but the spectators and supporters who come along.’’

Better links between the MCG and AAMI Park should be a focus, Sir Rod said.

Bold thinking was needed to lure events like the soccer World Cup to Australia for the first time.

“Never say never,’’ he said.

“I mean we had a crack at it before and came up very well short, but you just have to make the case.

“We’ve got world class facilities and we have the people both in Victoria and around Australia who are deeply experienced in running world class events.

“One of the reasons we continue to attract global events is because if you’re an event owner, you know if you bring that event to Australia it will be a success both economically but also in terms of enhancing the activity itself.

“A world class world cup of any description here gets great global coverage and it’s great on the sport’s and cultural side as well.”