Confirmed: ANZ Stadium to Become A World-Class Rectangular Stadium

Read the full Media Release from NSW Premier Mike Baird here.

Read the NRL Media Release here.

Read the NSWRL Media Release here.

Read the FFA Media Release here.

Read the ARU Media Release here.

See the full plans for the Stadium Australia Redevelopment here.

Stadium Australia Managing Director, Daryl Kerry, today congratulated the NSW Government on finalising its major investment in Sydney sporting infrastructure, saying it would bring enormous economic and social benefits to NSW.

“Today’s announcement by Premier Mike Baird and Sports Minister Stuart Ayres that the NSW Government has finalised its commitment of $1.6 billion to Sydney sporting infrastructure is a great win for Sydney, the sporting codes, clubs and, most of all, the fans,” Mr Kerry said.

“It will bring enormous economic, social and sporting benefits to NSW and again shows how committed the Baird Government is to delivering major infrastructure.

“By investing in the future of a network of stadiums in Sydney, the Government has ensured NSW will continue to attract world-class events, while also providing the best possible sport and entertainment facilities for fans of the major football codes.

“The planned investment in Stadium Australia – Sydney’s Olympic stadium – will unlock the potential for major development throughout Greater Western Sydney, in particular Sydney Olympic Park and the Olympic Corridor through to Parramatta, earmarked as Sydney’s second CBD.”

NSW Premier Baird announced today that the transformation of Stadium Australia into a world-class rectangular venue will be fast-tracked and that works are expected to begin in the current term of Government.

Along with the construction of a new Parramatta Stadium, which has already been approved and will begin later this year, and the refurbishment of Allianz Stadium, which will begin during the next term of Government, the $1.6 billion package represents the biggest investment in sport in NSW since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Mr Kerry also congratulated Premier Baird and Sports Minister Ayres – along with the National Rugby League, Football Federation Australia and the Australian Rugby Union – on reaching an agreement on major sporting content commitments for Sydney and NSW on the back of the stadium funding announcement.

Mr Kerry said the plan to transform Stadium Australia would give Sydney one of the great rectangular stadiums of the world and, most importantly, was fantastic news for the fans who turn out week in week out to watch their favourite sporting teams in action and at major sport and entertainment events.

“Once the Stadium Australia redevelopment is complete, the fan experience will go to a completely new level with the rectangular redesign bringing fans dramatically closer to the action on all six levels of the Stadium,” Mr Kerry said.

“Sydney will boast the best rectangular stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, which will be complemented by other major infrastructure projects including the WestConnex motorway project and the Western Sydney Light Rail network, which in turn will transform the transport experience to Sydney Olympic Park and the Stadium.”

Mr Kerry said the Stadium would be working closely with the codes to ensure all of Sydney’s major events stay in Sydney for the duration of the redevelopment. Construction engineers have confirmed the transformation of Stadium Australia could start as early as straight after the 2017 NRL Grand Final (or more likely 2018), with the stadium capable of maintaining a near full event calendar for the next four seasons until the staged work is completed. The stadium is expected to remain fully operational as the new rectangular seating bowl is built progressively within the existing stadium, before Sydney unveils its new 75,000-seat stadium with a retractable roof to the world in 2022.

Global construction and engineering company Laing O’Rourke, and Sydney-based architects BVN Donovan Hill, have completed full structural detail of the re-design for Stadium Australia.

Under the Laing O’Rourke/BVN redesign:

• A completely new seating bowl is built within the existing stadium, which brings seats on all 6 levels at Stadium Australia up to 48m closer to the action;
• The steepness of seating is comparable to Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and even steeper behind the goals;
• Stands adapt for Rugby League, Rugby Union and Football to provide the best possible spectator experience for all three codes;
• There is the option of a retractable roof to weatherproof major events;
• Capacity is about 75,000 for major events; fully scalable for smaller club matches.

The redeveloped Stadium will be complemented by other Government projects already announced that will supercharge the atmosphere in the precinct and improve transport links from all over Sydney.

• The WestConnex Motorway Project will connect the Sydney CBD, Sydney Olympic Park and Parramatta with one continuous motorway. The NSW Government has announced ramps to and from the widened M4 will connect Sydney Olympic Park;
• The NSW Government has announced that a new Western Sydney Light Rail service will connect Sydney’s second CBD at Parramatta with the major events precinct of Sydney Olympic Park, continuing through to Strathfield;
• Major commercial developments are planned in and around Sydney Olympic Park, bringing new bars, cafes and eateries to the precinct and development around the stadium that will supercharge pre-and-post-game atmosphere;
• The NSWRL – in conjunction with the NSW Government – has announced a $20 million High Performance Centre next to the Blues’ home ground Stadium Australia. The NSWRL is moving its administration offices to a new home at Sydney Olympic Park. The Blues will have their training field up and running for Origin 2017 and their High Performance Centre by 2018. Players will enter the Stadium via the same tunnel Cathy Freeman used during the Sydney Olympics. The entrance to the tunnel will be inside the Blues’ high-performance centre.

Mr Kerry said: “Sydney’s Olympic stadium has served Sydney well in the 17 years it has been in operation since it was purpose-built for the 2000 Sydney Games, with more than 23 million fans having passed through the turnstiles to witness many of Australia’s most iconic sporting moments.

“Today’s announcement guarantees an exciting future for Sydney’s Olympic stadium.

“But, most of all, this project is for the fans who will get to enjoy many of Australia’s greatest sporting events in a Stadium that will once again become the iconic venue it was built to be.”