ACT government weighs up Western Sydney Stadium blueprint

[greeneyed]

ACT government weighs up Western Sydney Stadium blueprint for Canberra Raiders home

A rebuild in the heart of Parramatta could be the key to delivering a stadium in Civic as the ACT government's plan to transform Canberra's city centre evolves.

The NRL has urged ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr to explore the prospect of building a Western Sydney Stadium-like venue in the capital, which will hold 30,000 people.

"In my most recent meeting with the NRL in relation to future stadium design and facility needs, they were very keen for us to have a look at the Parramatta Stadium rebuild that’s currently underway," Barr said.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/topic/ ... 50e0d.html

[greeneyed]

So now it depends on first building a new Canberra theatre... their position changes over and over and over... and everything is a new excuse to delay.

[FuiFui BradBrad]

Not exactly the best example to use as a blueprint. Their 2 biggest tenants refuse to sign because the stadium is charging too much!


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[sprintman]

Not exactly the best example to use as a blueprint. Their 2 biggest tenants refuse to sign because the stadium is charging too much!


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Eels signed

[Dr Zaius]

WSS is looking like a magnificent venue

[gerg]

So now it depends on first building a new Canberra theatre... their position changes over and over and over... and everything is a new excuse to delay.

When this new stadium discussion started I said Barr would stall and never do anything about it. That's precisely what is happening. They're not even considering discussing the project until the 2020's. That could be 10 years away. They won't perform any upgrades to Canberra Stadium until they own the precinct but have earmarked a couple of mill for upgrades. And then at the end of the article there is a sentence talking about upgrading Manuka Stadium, again.

Let's face it, Barr works for the AFL now and there will probably be some sort of role for him once he's done in politics. He will not go out of his way to assist any other code in Canberra, in any way, while he is in charge. Pretty simple really.

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[EJ]

WSS is looking like a magnificent venue

Will be the best stadium in the country.

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[BJ]

So now it depends on first building a new Canberra theatre... their position changes over and over and over... and everything is a new excuse to delay.

Spot on GE. Barr keeps moving the goalposts on a new rectangular stadium for Canberra.

If they were four Aussie Rules goal posts he would have no problem finding the cash.

I want an ACT Crime Commission to look into how Andrew Barr agreed to $23 million for a few measly AFL games in Canberra, without taking it through the usual government processes.

I want the entire 1989 grand final team to run for the next ACT Election. Give Meninga another 42 seconds in politics.

Mind you, Minister Fitzharris has a better sidestep than Chicka Ferguson.

[Green eyed Mick]

We need a new theatre. We need a new pool. We need waterway restoration. We need road upgrades and we need light rail extended to Woden. We need more hospital beds, Adolescent mental health facilities, facilities for the sick and the disabled.

At the end of the day it all costs money, nobody wants to pay more on their rates and when it comes to priorities the average Canberran would put a new stadium near the bottom of the list.

We'll get a new stadium but not until the current one is falling down. And Manuka sucks. It's barely notch better than some VFL and FG cricket grounds.

[greeneyed]

Who cares about upgrading Manuka? It is supposed to be a village cricket green... and we don't have a single full time national cricket or AFL team in the city.

[Bay53]

The game changer is if we get an A-League team. If we get that I think the stadium is a possibility. If we don’t get it, I doubt we will get a new stadium and if we don’t I reckon we will be in a world of pain in 15 years.

[greeneyed]

The game changer is if we get an A-League team. If we get that I think the stadium is a possibility. If we don’t get it, I doubt we will get a new stadium and if we don’t I reckon we will be in a world of pain in 15 years.

And the responsibility for that will rightly be laid at the feet of the ACT government. The NSW, Queensland and even the Victorian governments have done a whole lot more for NRL clubs and NRL fans... more than might be expected in some cases. In Canberra, rugby league is by far and away the biggest sport, and the ACT government consistently thumbs their nose at rugby league supporters.

[Bay53]

The game changer is if we get an A-League team. If we get that I think the stadium is a possibility. If we don’t get it, I doubt we will get a new stadium and if we don’t I reckon we will be in a world of pain in 15 years.

And the responsibility for that will rightly be laid at the feet of the ACT government. The NSW, Queensland and even the Victorian governments have done a whole lot more for NRL clubs and NRL fans... more than might be expected in some cases. In Canberra, rugby league is by far and away the biggest sport, and the ACT government consistently thumbs their nose at rugby league supporters.

And each of those governments have built the stadiums for rugby league, union and soccer. For that to happen here we need an A league team.

[greeneyed]

The game changer is if we get an A-League team. If we get that I think the stadium is a possibility. If we don’t get it, I doubt we will get a new stadium and if we don’t I reckon we will be in a world of pain in 15 years.

And the responsibility for that will rightly be laid at the feet of the ACT government. The NSW, Queensland and even the Victorian governments have done a whole lot more for NRL clubs and NRL fans... more than might be expected in some cases. In Canberra, rugby league is by far and away the biggest sport, and the ACT government consistently thumbs their nose at rugby league supporters.

And each of those governments have built the stadiums for rugby league, union and soccer. For that to happen here we need an A league team.

We don't have one, and probably won't ever have one. I'm not going to let the ACT government off the hook on this. They need to step up for the citizens of the city, not narrow interest groups. I would be gobsmacked if there are not more people turning up for events at Canberra Stadium than at the Canberra Theatre each year. I would quite like to see a new theatre. I like theatre. But it is not a relative priority for the city.

[gerg]

The cynic in me thinks that even if we were to get an A-league side Barr still won't budge.

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[Green eyed Mick]

The game changer is if we get an A-League team. If we get that I think the stadium is a possibility. If we don’t get it, I doubt we will get a new stadium and if we don’t I reckon we will be in a world of pain in 15 years.

And the responsibility for that will rightly be laid at the feet of the ACT government. The NSW, Queensland and even the Victorian governments have done a whole lot more for NRL clubs and NRL fans... more than might be expected in some cases. In Canberra, rugby league is by far and away the biggest sport, and the ACT government consistently thumbs their nose at rugby league supporters.

The club is as much, if not more to blame for the deterioration in relations.

The club played with fire getting involved in the last election and they got burned.

[greeneyed]

The cynic in me thinks that even if we were to get an A-league side Barr still won't budge.

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Of course he wouldn't.

[greeneyed]

The game changer is if we get an A-League team. If we get that I think the stadium is a possibility. If we don’t get it, I doubt we will get a new stadium and if we don’t I reckon we will be in a world of pain in 15 years.

And the responsibility for that will rightly be laid at the feet of the ACT government. The NSW, Queensland and even the Victorian governments have done a whole lot more for NRL clubs and NRL fans... more than might be expected in some cases. In Canberra, rugby league is by far and away the biggest sport, and the ACT government consistently thumbs their nose at rugby league supporters.

The club is as much, if not more to blame for the deterioration in relations.

The club played with fire getting involved in the last election and they got burned.

The ACT government was thumbing their nose at rugby league a long time before that. From the time Jon Stanhope stepped down as Chief Minister.

[Dr Zaius]

The game changer is if we get an A-League team. If we get that I think the stadium is a possibility. If we don’t get it, I doubt we will get a new stadium and if we don’t I reckon we will be in a world of pain in 15 years.

And the responsibility for that will rightly be laid at the feet of the ACT government. The NSW, Queensland and even the Victorian governments have done a whole lot more for NRL clubs and NRL fans... more than might be expected in some cases. In Canberra, rugby league is by far and away the biggest sport, and the ACT government consistently thumbs their nose at rugby league supporters.

And each of those governments have built the stadiums for rugby league, union and soccer. For that to happen here we need an A league team.

What Union and Soccer teams are based in Townsville?

[gerg]

I think AFL and Andrew Barr are bigger factors than Townsville's lack of soccer and union.

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[yurithe1]

Despite Canberra Theatre's prime location, I doubt that I've attended anything there more than once every two years. Even longer since I've been to something at the Convention Centre. Alice Cooper's last concert in Oz, maybe?

Saying it's the size of the venue that deters big acts from coming to Canberra is somewhat delusional. Logistically, it's a lot easier for a big attraction like Cher to play Wollongong or Newcastle (which she did) than it is Canberra. Cost-wise, a bigger venue would defray the costs of coming here, but in the end you need bums on most of the available seats for it to happen and locals don't seem that keen on going to concerts and shows these days.

However, if you take the cumulative number of league, union and soccer fans into account, then you can easily justify building a new stadium or upgrading the current one

However, it's not going to happen as long as we have a pro-AFL chief minister. Get rid of him and I believe that our chances will improve markedly.

BTW, I notice that the figure that was paid to GWS is now being quoted as $23M. I'm certain that when it was first announced, it was $30M. In fact, it was pointed out that Wagga Wagga council managed to get the Giants to play pre-season games there for a tenth of the cost at $3M. Was the contract renegotiated or are we having a bit of 1984-style historical rewriting?

[greeneyed]

Report here from 2010: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-11-11/ ... ey/2332390

[yurithe1]

Report here from 2010: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-11-11/ ... ey/2332390

Thanks, Greeneyed. Now, I'm wondering where I got that $30M from.

Incidentally, I did notice that about $1.3 million will be spent on improving Canberra Stadium this year, and up to $3.7 million over the forward estimates. However, Barr said that "prior to owning that asset, we would not be investing significantly in that asset", which is fair enough.

[reptar]

Report here from 2010: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-11-11/ ... ey/2332390

Thanks, Greeneyed. Now, I'm wondering where I got that $30M from.

Incidentally, I did notice that about $1.3 million will be spent on improving Canberra Stadium this year, and up to $3.7 million over the forward estimates. However, Barr said that "prior to owning that asset, we would not be investing significantly in that asset", which is fair enough.

The figure came from your own crimethink.

[Dr Zaius]

Any doubts that he is an AFL stooge are removed.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/nation ... tr5bm.html

[yurithe1]

I see Greenberg is putting the screws on the NSW Labor leader to stick to the MOU about upgrading stadiums. Maybe he should have another word to Barr.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/sydney ... 50iq6.html