By Chris O'Keefe and Michael Chammas
The Wests Tigers, in partnership with Liverpool Council, have approached the NSW government with a proposal to build a 20,000-seat stadium in the heart of Liverpool CBD, with a view to making it the club’s permanent home.
The proposal, which was first put to the Tigers by Liverpool Council, has hit an early hurdle, however, following the Herald’s revelations that club chairman Lee Hagipantelis is on the brink of being overthrown.
The Leichhardt Oval hill at full capacity.Credit: Fairfax
Hagipantelis and Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun met NSW Sports Minister Steve Kamper earlier in the week to pitch the plan, which is still in its infancy.
Councillor Mannoun told 2GB radio station the time was long overdue for a purpose-built stadium in what he said was rugby league’s heartland, adding he had been “out there pitching this for a very, very long time”.
“Whoever has any vision, if you want to grow your market share you’d think south-west Sydney is where it’s all growing,” Cr Mannoun said. “If the Tigers see opportunity here, go for it.”
The preferred site for the proposed new stadium is on the corner of Hume Highway and Remembrance Avenue in Liverpool and takes in Whitlam Aquatic Centre, the netball facility and potentially Hillier Oval – the former Oasis site, owned by Canterbury Leagues Club.
The proposal would depend on up to 3000 new apartments being built on the site, with a mixture of private homes, public housing and build-to-rent properties.
Lee Hagipantelis at Leichhardt Oval in 2021. Credit: Getty
It is hoped the revenue from building apartments on the land would offset the majority of the cost of building the stadium. The proposal estimates the maximum cost to taxpayers would be less than $100 million.
If the Oasis site was re-zoned, allowing residential redevelopment, the Bulldogs, who own the land, could be in for an estimated windfall of $40 million-$50 million if they decided to sell.
The plans also include provision for a new aquatic centre, an aged-care facility and a conference centre, similar to the newly built facility at Panthers Leagues Club.
The Tigers already have plans in place with Inner West Council and Campbelltown City Council to upgrade their two existing home grounds at Leichhardt Oval and Campbelltown. It is unclear how those plans would be affected should the Liverpool project proceed, but the proposal suggests the Tigers would play one or two games a year at Leichhardt Oval, with the rest to be played at the new stadium.
News of the Liverpool proposal was labelled “ridiculous” by Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne, who said the club should focus on its on-field performances rather than property development.
“The adopted position of Wests Tigers board is to advocate for the long-overdue funding to upgrade Leichhardt and Campbelltown,” councillor Byrne said. “The ridiculous idea of now moving all home games to a stadium in Liverpool, funded by property developers, is absurd and not in keeping with the club’s commitment to fans and members.
“Wests Tigers is a much-loved sporting franchise not a property development company. The club has no business advocating for housing policies in Liverpool. It’s time to focus on winning football games and finally making the top eight.”
Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis declined to comment when contacted by the Herald on Thursday.
The NRL last year made preliminary inquiries about building its own stadium in south-west Sydney, approaching the Wests Tigers and the Bulldogs to gauge their appetite for playing out of a potential new venue in Liverpool or Rossmore near Western Sydney airport.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo spoke to both Bulldogs and Tigers officials as the code considered a move to acquire an asset similar to the AFL’s ownership of Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. That plan has since fallen over.
The Macarthur Bulls A-League team, who currently play out of Campbelltown Sports Stadium, were also approached about the new stadium proposal by Liverpool Council but have not yet formalised a position. The club declined to comment.
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