The simmering divisions behind Sydney’s inability to decide on the future of it’s sporting stadiums

STADIUMS are no strangers to tense clashes and battles of will on the field. But it’s the battle off the field that has people talking.

NRL teams are keen on a rectangular stadium, such as Melbourne’s AAMI Park, but at Homebush. Picture: Janine Eastgate

STADIUMS are no strangers to tense clashes and battles of will. From the State of Origin to the Ashes, the AFL Grand Final to World Cup qualifiers.

But a billion-dollar battle royale brewing in Sydney is not about what goes on within the stadiums but the stadiums themselves. And it’s turning nasty.

Footy codes are falling out with another — ministers are at odds with MPs and even Malcolm Turnbull is understood to have concerns.

At stake is $1.6 billion for new and improved sporting stadiums. Now the government is strong-arming the codes, threatening to withdraw $1 billion of funding, unless it gets its way.

So how did a decision on Sydney’s sporting arenas turn into a blue consuming the codes?

The NRL wants to make the Olympic stadium a rectangle.

HASN’T SYDNEY GOT ENOUGH STADIUMS?

At first blush, it would seem so. In Moore Park, to the east of the CBD, is the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium.

At Olympic Park, heading west, are ANZ Stadium and Allphones Arena. NRL stadiums also exist in Parramatta and Penrith and a smattering of other suburbs.

That’s far more geographically spread out than Melbourne where stadiums such as the MCG and Etihad crowd around the CBD.

But what Sydney lacks is a high-capacity, purpose-built, rectangular stadium perfect for NRL and soccer. Allianz Stadium only seats 45,000 people.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events and Sport, Stuart Ayres, wants to build a new stadium on historic parkland on the edge of Sydney’s CBD. Picture: Jonathan Ng

WHAT DOES THE GOVERNMENT WANT TO DO ABOUT IT?

NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres strongly backs a proposal by the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) Sports and Trust, which owns Moore Park, to build a new 55,000-capacity rectangular arena to replace the current Allianz Stadium.

The SCG Trust is run by some of the most connected people in Sydney, including broadcaster Alan Jones, former Premier Barry O’Farrell and cricket legend Steve Waugh. They have the ear of the great and the good.

As part of a $1.6 billion funding package to improve Sydney’s stadiums, announced by the Government last September, a substantial chunk would go on this new facility.

If the Minister’s proposal goes ahead this will disappear to be replaced by a new stadium. Picture: Craig Wilson

SOUNDS GOOD, WHAT’S THE DRAMA?

Mainly, where exactly this new stadium goes.

One proposal would see the existing Allianz Stadium torn down and the rectangular arena built in its place.

But a far more controversial proposal, and one that the sports minister is super excited by, would see the new stadium built next door to Allianz on open land owned by the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, which in turn is overseen by the Government.

Historic parklands, where people walk their dogs, go to play sports with their mates or relax by Kippax Lake, would be torn up by the bulldozers.

A cygnet with its parent on Kippax Lake in Moore Park. Picture Gregg Porteous

SO, IT’S GREENIES VS SPORTS FANS?

Certainly, lovers of open space are none too happy. Already, the city’s new light rail project has seen a substantial number of impressive old trees in the park ripped up. Now there’s the prospect of the stadium biting out a far bigger chunk.

But it’s not just tree huggers who are questioning the plan to build the stadium next to, rather than on top of, the existing arena.

Even the Government’s own MPs are upset, with Liberal member Bruce Notley-Smith, whose electorate includes Moore Park, telling the ABC that any new stadium “must maintain the integrity of the green space within the Centennial and Moore parklands”.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, whose federal electorate of Wentworth covers the area, is also said to be underwhelmed by the carve up.

Premier Mike Baird has said he backs a new stadium but as long as it’s on SCG land. Either this rules out an entirely new stadium or it simply means the Government will give that chunk of Moore Park to the SCG.

But even the footy codes can’t decide on a way forward.

Redevelop ANZ Stadium, say the NRL. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

WHAT DO NRL TEAMS WANT?

Last week, eight of Sydney’s nine rugby league clubs agreed on a “five point plan” for new infrastructure — none of which includes building on top of a much loved park.

Instead, they want to see a $700 million redevelopment of Homebush’s ANZ Stadium to make that rectangular, a new stadium at Parramatta and a $400 million spruce up of the existing Allianz Stadium. $150 million more would be spread around suburban grounds.

The NRL, whose heartland is in western Sydney, are concerned about the lion’s share of new funding going on a stadium in the city’s east.

NRL teams are keen on a rectangular stadium, such as Melbourne’s AAMI Park, but at Homebush. Picture: Janine Eastgate

AND RUGBY UNION?

They have other ideas and are very, very keen on a stadium at Moore Park. Only a cynic would suggest it’s because their heartland is not in the west.

ARU chief executive Bill Pulver and Waratahs chairman Roger Davis have written to Mr Ayres saying their “overwhelming preference” is for a new stadium at Moore Park but, crucially, they want to ensure Allianz Stadium “remains operational while a new stadium is constructed”.

It’s also understood the SCG Trust are concerned that the business case for a new stadium could crumble if they can’t have Allianz fully functioning, and hosting matches, until the new one is built.

This all points to the new rectangular field being built on one of Sydney’s most historic open spaces.

The Tibby Cotter walkway, towards the Moore Park stadiums, has the conspiracy theorists wondering.

AND WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THAT ODD BRIDGE?

Under the previous Premier, Barry O’Farrell — who is now an SCG trustee, the Government gave the green light to a $36m bridge across the busy Anzac Parade connecting the stadium precinct to, well, the other side of Anzac Parade.

Called the Tibby Cotter walkway, it’s enormous swooping ramps are often shunned by footy fans who either get a bus to the stadium gates or just cross the road at the lights.

However, an engineer’s report, commissioned by ABC’s Background Briefing, said the bridge could easily withstand a 10 tonne weight and was wide enough to be used as a one-way road.

This has only fuelled speculation that the bridge is actually a Trojan horse just waiting to be used as an access road for footy fans to a new stadium.

WHAT IS AT RISK IF THERE IS NO COMPROMISE?

As far as the Sports Minister is concerned, about a billion dollars.

On Wednesday, Mr Ayers said: “If we aren’t able to reach a resolution, and I have said this to the NRL, the additional $1 billion the government has allocated ... is at risk.

“I’ll continue (talking) with the NRL over the course of this week to try to close the gap between where they are and the clubs.”

Asked why he wasn’t backing the NRL’s plan, the Daily Telegraph reported Mr Ayres as saying the future was not about ploughing money into suburban stadiums.

Premier Baird is keeping his powder dry and waiting for the impasse to be resolved.

Like the Blues vs the Maroons, who wins out in the stadium stoush, is anyone’s game.