Mike Baird’s holy Allianz: $1.2 billion for stadium upgrades and light rail link
- The Daily Telegraph
- November 25, 2014
ANZ Stadium redevelopment unveiled
THE Baird government will spend $600 million on Sydney’s stadiums, with Moore Park’s Allianz Stadium the big winner in a more-than-doubled $1.2 billion Sports and Cultural Fund bankrolled by the sale of the electricity networks.
About $300 million is expected to be spent on Allianz — raising the hopes of NRL chief executive David Smith who wants a 65,000-seat main rugby league stadium there — with the remainder to be divided between ANZ Stadium at Homebush and Parramatta Stadium.
STATE’S $1 BILLION RAIL PROMISE FOR THE WEST
ANZ STADIUM’S $350M REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
An artist’s impression of the hi-tech plan for Allianz Stadium / Picture: Supplied
The government will certainly spend money on Parramatta Stadium — up to the $300 million mooted there to build a 40,000-seat stadium. However, it is likely to spend less than what ANZ Stadium wants on the Homebush facility, despite its owners releasing plans for a $350 million upgrade, which would include a retractable roof and would bring fans closer to the action.
The $600 million package will be the government response to the State Infrastructure Strategy to be announced as early as today. It would be part of $20 billion the government says it will secure if it gets a mandate to sell-off the electricity networks by winning next March’s state election.
A final decision on how much money Parramatta and Homebush will get is expected during the election campaign. The marginal Liberal seats of Parramatta, Granville, Prospect and Strathfield are all expected to be affected by that announcement.
The news of a possible snub to Homebush comes with the Sydney Swans announcing yesterday that they will stop playing at the stadium at the end of 2016. It also follows The Daily Telegraph’s revelations that Mr Smith wanted Allianz to be the prime stadium with Parramatta to be upgraded. A Daily Telegraph online poll yesterday showed the most favoured option for rugby league fans was a revamp at ANZ.
Increasing the Sports and Cultural Fund from $500 million to $1.2 billion is also set to allow upgrades of the Opera House and Art Gallery, which the premier foreshadowed to The Daily Telegraph last month.
The announcement will reveal that the government will reserve $1.2 billion for sports and cultural infrastructure, up from $500 million in May.
The government says “of this amount, $600 million is reserved for stadiums, the focus of this investment will be on Moore Park and Western Sydney, the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust will be tasked with finalising upgrade plans for Allianz Stadium.
Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground / Picture: Gregg Porteous
“The government will assess options for rectangular stadiums at Parramatta/Sydney Olympic Park.”
The State Infrastructure Strategy is the five-year plan to be presented to the government by Infrastructure NSW.
“Rebuilding NSW will ensure that, as our community and economy grow, NSW residents have the best in water, transport, education, health, sports and arts infrastructure,” Premier Mike Baird said yesterday.
The government has already pledged funds from the $20 billion to be reaped from the 49 per cent lease of the electricity poles and wires to a second harbour rail tunnel and north and south extensions to the West Connex motorway. A third of the $20 billion will be spent on regional areas.
PREMIER FACES AN OLYMPIC MOMENT
John Lehmann comment
DOES Mike Baird want to be portrayed as the Olympic stadium wrecker?
That’s the risk now facing the Premier, with the latest State Infrastructure Strategy expected to pit Sydney Olympic Park against Parramatta Stadium in the race for funding.
The report will set aside $600 million to be spent between Allianz, the Olympic Park’s ANZ Stadium and Parramatta.
While Premier Baird is committing his government to devoting a significant portion of that money to redevelop Moore Park’s Allianz, he wants to do a cost-benefit analysis on whether money should be spent on ANZ or building a new Parramatta stadium for A-League heavyweights, Western Sydney Wanderers.
If ANZ misses out on significant funds, it will be the beginning of the end for the Olympic stadium.
The government could be forced to buy back the lease from the private operator and would then either run it at a huge loss for a handful of events a year or knock it down and turn it into apartments.
For now the Premier wants another study, delaying the decision, but hopefully not until after the March election.
The government already has a stadium report — written in 2012 and recommending taxpayers’ money be focused towards Sydney’s most important stadiums, Allianz and ANZ. Sport Minister Stuart Ayres said months ago this was his focus.
The Premier should make a decision and get on with it — $250 million each to Allianz and ANZ and $100 million to bring the existing Parramatta Stadium up to 30,000 seats. We want our Premier to score some goals, not play for time
Replies
The only money that should be spent on ANZ is maintenance.
I agree that money should be spent on the SFS as facilities are outdated there and location wise it should be sydney cities premier venue.
The money should be split evenly amongst Allianz and Parramatta.
The plan should be to make Parramatta a 40,000 capacity stadium. As sydney grows money should also be spent at Cambelltown and Penrith stadiums also. ANZ has the transport it has the size, it has facilities. Why should we be looking to spend large amounts on it.