Sydney FC fans question SFS rebuild to hold 45,000 fans
Fans of the Roosters, Waratahs and Sydney FC are fuming after an integral part of the now $800 million Sydney Football Stadium rebuild has been scrapped due to the cost blowout.
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- Current SFS design leaves familiar empty feeling
- Allianz tenants demand ‘curtain’ to hide empty seats
The controversy over the $729m rebuild of Sydney Football Stadium has continued, with one of the leaders of Sydney FC’s active fans group questioning why the SFS will be designed to hold 45,000 spectators when all of its tenants average a third of that.
The Daily Telegraph has revealed a $100 million cost blowout when the NSW state government appoints a construction partner to build the new stadium – and releases the final design brief – questions are being asked over the suitability of the stadium’s scale for Sydney FC, the Roosters and the Waratahs.
Initial plans to include a curtain to screen off part of the stadium for games with smaller crowds have been dropped by the government on cost grounds, despite three main tenants all having agreed to the project based on its inclusion.
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Concerns are growing that all of the teams will be playing in a two-thirds empty stadium for the vast majority of their games.
One of the leaders of The Cove, Grant Muir, weighed into the debate by questioning why the needs of those tenants were not the primary consideration in designing the new stadium, despite the income they bring to it.
“I’m struggling to understand why the stadium has to be 45,000 in capacity when the average crowds for most events are only a third of that,” Muir said.
“I think there’s a certain amount of hubris in the SCG Trust wanting to have a stadium that can host big events when there’s an 85,000-seat venue a short ride across town.
“If the economic model of what’s been designed is broken by the need to add something like a curtain to make it appropriate for the tenants, I’d suggest that economic model isn’t overly strong.”
The company previously appointed to knockdown and rebuild the stadium, Lend Lease, walked away over cost concerns at the end of the demolition phase and $50m was cut from the budget by the government – including for the curtain.
But while he conceded that there is a broad range of opinion within The Cove over the best outcome for Sydney FC, Muir suggested that a different size of stadium should be considered given the budgetary pressures.
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“The thinking around the stadium at the moment is really hung up on the fact it to be this big, as opposed to it has to be this design,” he said.
“With all the cost pressures, why would you not look at a 30,000-seat stadium and get the best possible outcome?
“It would be nice if there were some recognition of the fact that Sydney FC will be primary tenants, and the designed catered for the people who will be providing income every second week for the foreseeable future instead of chasing half a dozen concerts a year.
“It seems to me there’s an opportunity to right-size the stadium, rather than spending money on a measure like a curtain to make it look the right size.”
Originally published as Sydney FC fans question SFS rebuild to hold 45,000 fans