Push for New Stadiums in Canberra, Newcastle

There is a push for new stadiums in Canberra and Newcastle to be built, and for an increase in seats in existing venues on the Sunshine Coast and in Hobart.

The impetus is coming from the sports world, but music fans will benefit as these cities would attract more major entertainment acts.

A 36-page proposal has been sent to both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and ACT Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr by a consortium of businesses and sports figures and the Convention Bureau.

It calls for a 30,000-seat roofed rectangular stadium, arguing that “aged infrastructure” as AIS Arena and Canberra Stadium in Bruce are “no longer fit for purpose nor operable in their current state at acceptable standards.”

The pitch includes a 30,000 sqm convention centre on the Civic Olympic Pool site, and see the creation of a City East Entertainment Precinct with a hotel.

The cost is between $495 million and $736 million, with some funding from private sources, and the suggestion that the $11.4 million the ACT government has put aside for the reopening of AIS Arena be diverted to the stadium.

The Newcastle oval stadium would be built with 15,000 seats in the Broadmeadow precinct, according to a plan put forward by Cricket NSW.

In the meantime, the 30,000-seat McDonald Jones Stadium has this year become a viable venue in Newcastle for concerts.

As part of a strategy to ignite its nightlife and $1.27 billion tourism, the City of Newcastle and stadium manager Venues NSW, signed a Major Events Partnership to secure major events.

The first of these were two shows by Elton John in January, the first concerts there in 32 years. They pumped $12 million into the local economy.

Of the 50,000+ fans who attended, 11,000 came from outside Newcastle, 2,000 from interstate, and 120 were international visitors.

The same partnership landed P!nk on February 13, 2024, as part of her Summer Carnival Tour, and forecast to bring extra $9 million locally.

“Newcastle has officially become a must stop destination on the national concert tour schedule,” lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

In the run-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, the Sunshine Coast Council unveiled plans to expand seating for Sunshine Coast Stadium – which stages concerts – to 11,814 and overall capacity of around 16,000.

A new indoor arena with a 6,000 capacity will also be built next door to open by 2027.

The exact cost will be known after the design process is completed.

There is also a push for Hobart’s MyState Bank Arena’s seating to expand from 4,800 to 6,000.

It depends on whether current negotiations with the state and federal governments cough up the required $40 million, go through.

The arena is still relatively new. Once known as the Derwent Entertainment Centre, it was rebranded in 2021 after a $66 million redevelopment before the JackJumpers team entered the National Basketball League (NBL).

The 4,800-seat venue continued hosting concerts, with Guy Sebastian and Vance Joy more recently, and Gordi set on February 21.

It’s the NBL wanting the expansion, as attendances at JackJumpers home games have been greater than expected.

According to Austadium, they were averaging 91% of venue capacity during 2022, the highest of any NBL team.