Grant O’Brien says focus remains on original Mac Point plan while pitch continues for stadium alternative

Tasmania AFL team chairman Grant O’Brien says a second player in the Hobart stadium push shows a multi-sport venue at Macquarie Point “makes good commercial sense” – but we should pick and stick.

Hobart, Tasmania. Friday 3rd November 2023. Tasmanian AFL Club chair, Grant O’Brien at a business luncheon at Hobart Waterfront. Picture: Linda Higginson

Tasmania’s AFL team chairman Grant O’Brien says a second player in the Hobart stadium push shows a multi-sport venue at Macquarie Point “makes good commercial sense,” while a survey to find a nickname, jumper design and team colours will be put to the people in the next two weeks.

With the state government winning support for its original Macquarie Point stadium as a project of state significance, and Stadium 2.0 proponents fronting a Public Accounts Committee on Friday to explain finance for their concept, O’Brien says he is merely an observer in the venue process.

Hobart, Tasmania. Friday 3rd November 2023. Tasmanian AFL Club chair, Grant O’Brien at a business luncheon at Hobart Waterfront. Picture: Linda Higginson

“The stadium 2.0 has shown one important thing, that is it makes good commercial sense,” Mr O’Brien said.

“There will be benefits economically to the state by having a precinct and a stadium and a footy team. To me that’s the most positive thing.”

O’Brien said there was “momentum” with the original stadium plan.

“Mac Point 1.0 is progressing through the process of project of state significance steps so we don’t want to interrupt that momentum at all,” he said.

“We have a time imperative and a capacity imperative, which is to have a stadium to help us both house the people who want to come along and watch our games, and also fulfil the commercial factors we need the stadium to produce.

TFC AFL Club Inaugural Board of Directors, (Club Ambassador) Jack Riewoldt and junior footballers Harriet Bingley, Ella Nast, Shakaya Blackwell, Sophie Dean, Cooper Field and Sam Husband at UTAS Stadium. Picture: Chris Kidd

“At the moment I’ve got more information on Mac Point 1.0 than I do on Mac Point 2.0, and that [Mac Point 1.0] is the one going through the project of state significance so that’s the one that rightly has our focus.”

Team colours and memberships are “on track,” and discussions are “ongoing” with Warner Bros to ensure the club has Devils name “as an option”.

“Devils is a popular choice but we are going to put it to the people,” O’Brien said.

“Over the course of the next few weeks there will be a survey that [team ambassador] Jack Riewoldt will be putting out into the marketplace in advance of him being out physically in the marketplace.

“The survey will be testing jumper, testing name and testing what the good people of Tassie want their club to represent.”

The “near-term priority” is the team’s high performance centre, which has identified Rosny Parklands and the former Geilston Bay High grounds, and Twin Ovals at Kingston, as potential sites.

“The club is front and centre in discussions with the various councils and the options we’ve got available to us on that,” O’Brien said.