10 February 2020

$200,000 to be spent on feasibility study for new stadium

| Dominic Giannini
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GIO Stadium

A new 25,00 seat stadium will be built in Civic or EPIC, with GIO Stadium (pictured) also undergoing upgrades. Photo: Region Media.

The ACT Government is set to spend $200,000 on a feasibility study to determine the best location to build a new 25,000 seat stadium in Canberra.

The report will weigh up Civic and Exhibition Park as sites for the new stadium, which is projected to cost between $250-500 million.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said investment in the study, set to be included in the ACT’s mid-year budget review this week, will provide the groundwork for the decade-long infrastructure project.

“The city location has been previously identified as a preferred site for a new rectangular stadium,” Mr Barr said.

“However, given the size restrictions of this site, the requirement to realign Parkes Way, as well as the investment in light rail, the government is exploring EPIC as a fallback option.

“The new work will focus on the existing Canberra Olympic Pool site but also consider EPIC to determine suitability for a new rectangular stadium.”

According to the government’s long term infrastructure plan, upgrades to the 35-year-old GIO Stadium over the next five years were also flagged at a cost of less than $50 million.

Raiders supporters on mass at ANZ Stadium. Photo: Tim Gavel.

The sea of green at the NRL Grand Final at ANZ Stadium. Photo: Tim Gavel.

The stadium will take into consideration the future needs of the capital, with Canberra’s population set to exceed 500,000 by the end of the decade.

“The government has outlined an ambitious infrastructure agenda to ensure we can continue to provide world-class services and entertainment for a growing city,” Mr Barr said.

“This infrastructure agenda will create more jobs and ensure Canberra remains one of the world’s most liveable cities.”

Both sites will be considered against a range of key criteria and the report will be completed before the end of June.

“The two identified sites will be assessed on key technical and planning characteristics including urban context, security, site fit, orientation, and traffic and transportation considerations,” Mr Barr said.

“Work will include site analysis and investigation, procuring technical architectural and engineering advice, and engaging a quantity surveyor to assist in determining the estimated costs of constructing a stadium on each site.

“The outcomes of the work will allow the government to make a final decision on whether Civic is a viable option or the fallback options of the existing Bruce precinct or EPIC should be progressed.

“Once this is determined, the next stage of the project will involve detailed design, site analysis and community consultation.”

Both the Raiders and the Brumbies have been very vocal in their support for a new stadium, pointing to the positive impacts new stadiums have had on sporting teams and local businesses in other cities.

Similar stadiums have boosted local economies by around $1 million dollars every time an event is held.

Three sporting events at the new Bankwest Stadium in Paramatta, with a seating capacity of 30,000, recorded an estimated total of $2.92 million for the local government area, according to an October 2019 report.

Over the three events at Bankwest, visitors spent about $1.27 million inside the stadium and $1.65 million in the Parramatta local area, the report found.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Bob Dwyer said local sporting events have increased demand for local businesses in Paramatta.

“This report shows people heading to Bankwest Stadium are really making the most of their visit to Parramatta, whether it is enjoying a meal at one of the city’s many fantastic restaurants and cafes or booking accommodation at local hotels,” Mr Dwyer said.

Do you think the new stadium should be built in the city or at EPIC?

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Capital Retro7:06 pm 22 Feb 20

All the government has to do is await the economic outcome of the new stadium in Townsville. Whatever the result is they will save we ratepayers $200,000.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-22/townsville-stadium-opens-cowboys-thurston/11990518

HiddenDragon8:16 pm 14 Feb 20

“The report will weigh up Civic and Exhibition Park as sites for the new stadium, which is projected to cost between $250-500 million.”

“Similar stadiums have boosted local economies by around $1 million dollars every time an event is held.”

So after somewhere between 250 and 500 events have been held, the gross estimated benefit to the local economy might approximate the upfront construction costs to ACT taxpayers – probably makes sense in a world where every dollar spent by a government is labelled as “investment” regardless of outcome or priority.

A civic stadium can bring people in from public transport in all directions and there are also plenty of car parks available at match time.

How many fans can the Light Rail bring in to EPIC in the one hour before kickoff?

You dont need a study to tell you that a new study at EPIC solves very few of the problems of the existing stadium and actually exacerbates most of them.

EPIC is too far away from the population centres and transport links would be poor for the vast majority of the city.

Placing a stadium in the city area or even further South near Woden would fix these issues.

Ideally the stadium would be located near an entertainment precinct with good transport options and restaurants, clubs, pubs etc.

EPIC fails miserably on all counts.

Angry_of_Devonport8:35 am 12 Feb 20

And who’s mate get the study contract?

Capital Retro3:21 pm 11 Feb 20

It appears that the ACT government already has the raw figures and surely they can get the rest from the internet.

So, when the same government has so many smart people and employs even smarter people on huge salaries to head the directorates, why is it necessary to waste $200K on outsourcing this “study”?

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