Sydney Olympic Stadium to be demolished and rebuilt

[dlanod]

The SCG Trust has always been a politically influential organisation. In a different way but similar to the MCC/MCG Trust and SACA/Adelaide Oval set up has been over the years. And the SCG Trust runs both the SCG and SFS and wanted to run Stadium Australia and the Olympic Park stadiums but was told to get stuffed by the Carr government in the late 1990's.

If Labor is in power for 10 years, usually by the end of that 10 years, they have put on the SCG Trust board 1/3rd to 1/2 the trustees and same with Liberal government if they are in power for 10 years.

At the moment Alan Jones has been a trustee for almost 25 years, former Liberal premier Barry O'Farrell is a trustee. Tony Shepherd is chairman and is a Liberal party donor. Rod McGeogh is deputy chairman, who was in charge of the bid to get the Sydney Olympics is a long time Liberal party member, I think he was state treasurer of the Liberal party when Nick Greiner appointed him to head up the Sydney bid. Maurice Newman is a conservative who set up the right wing think tank Center for Independent Studies. John Hartigan is ex News Ltd CEO and Chairman is from the right of politics. Katie Page is CEO of Harvey Norman and is Gerry Harvey's wife and is from the right of politics. So that is 7 of the 15 trustees who are closely aligned to the government,

Ex cricketers David Gilbert and Stuart McGill are trustees. Gilbert was CEO of New South Wales Cricket Association and beautifully played off Stadium Oz against the SCG Trust about 10-12 years ago to get a great long term stadium deal from the SCG Trust for NSWCA and kept tests and ODI's at SCG and for some one day state games for out at Stadium Oz. The SCG Trust decided to get him inside the tent pissing out not the other way round. Ex Wallaby and Jones mate Phil Waugh is a trustee. I don't know how, but sports broadcaster Stephanie Brantz is a trustee. Kerrie Mather is ex Macquire bank and until recently CEO of Sydney Airport is a trustee. I don't know her politics, but I know a bit about her as I know the only other female executive on the Sydney Airport team. I don't know anything about the other 3 trustees Michael Crismale, Peter Ivany, and Nihal Gupta.

So you have a board of Trustees dominated by Liberal members or conservative side of politics people. Jones has used his radio show to scream as loud as possible that the SFS isn't safe because of the building code used when it was built 30 years ago. So they have pressured the Libs to spend money first on the SFS. Labor have said they wont do the SFS and will spend some monies doing up Stadium Australia, but not a knock down job and it sits right in the middle of their heartland, whereas the SFS whilst in an inner city fringe leftie seat, most of the SCG members and users come from safe eastern suburbs and north shore Liberal seats.

Both the SFS and Stadium Oz need monies spent to upgrade them. The politics come into play as to who gets the priority first and how much?? The cynic in me says spending money on Stadium Oz second makes it easier to ditch that after being lobbied heavily by mates from the government's party on the SCG Trust. Opposition Leader Luke Foley a couple of weeks ago said he might hold a royal commission into the stadium decision if he wins in March next year.

That's one of the best summaries I've seen.

 

[BringBackTorps]

Where can I find the independent business cases referred to?

Re the MCG upgrades since 1992, I assume (for fiduciary & other reasons/justification to its large membership base etc.) the MCC had independent business cases conducted before borrowing from the banks hundreds of $millions. Ditto DS, which was funded 100% from private funds.

 

[Roogal]

The AFL has never put up hundreds of millions of dollars up front. They signed a 35 year deal to pay an annual rent to the MCC for the great southern stand and they got a 23,000 member reserve and shiny new offices, and that's why we have the MCG GF until 2032 + a 5 year extension to 2037 which Eddie helped negotiate because of the bullshit MCG home prelim final after Brisbane in 2004. Same with the northern half of the MCG. MCC went and borrowed $357m and the state government chipped in $77m and the AFL are paying an annual rent of approx $6m for 29 years. And the MCC could do this because they have 100,000 members and 200,000 on the waiting list.

The AFL especially under Demetriou and now even McLachlan gets governments to make the overwhelming biggest funding contributions to new stadiums. It's straight out of the NFL playbook, first by ex Commissioner Paul Tagliabue who between 1989-2006 oversaw arranging government and private funding for 17 new or major upgraded stadiums and then Commissioner Roger Goodell continued this as new stadiums now cost over $1bil and some around $2 bil. And they use the carrot of bringing the Super Bowl to your city/state if you fund a new stadium when they negotiate with local and state governments. The AFL has been locked out of that carrot by their 1992 deal with the MCC.

And the private owners have basically said go get stuffed to building major new stadiums. Both Stadium Australia and Docklands were BOOT projects - build, own, operate and transfer and these private funders lost hundreds of millions of dollars. Stadium Oz $555m of $670m was private monies and the rest government. Docklands cost $430m to construct $400m private monies and $30m came from the AFL basically from selling Waverley Park but it gave them the right to buy the stadium on 31/12/2025 for nominal fee of $30. BOOT projects are a ******* disaster when it comes to funding stadiums. The private owners are buying a set period cash flow stream and missing out on capital appreciation of the land and buildings.

I dont know who negotiated Stadium Australia deal but Graeme Samuel negotiated a brilliant deal for the AFL - which meant the tenant clubs got screwed in the inverting 25 years. BOOT projects for transport infrastructure are a lot better than stadiums, because despite missing out on any capital appreciation, they are monopoly projects used 7 days a week and virtually guaranteed full "attendance" everyday.

The AFL don't have a strong recent history of funding major stadia construction. They indeed do leave it to the Governments to do the lifting for them. They pretty much got out of the stadium building game with the demise of VFL Park. Aurora Stadium and Blundstone Arena in Tasmania have almost entirely been State funded, while GMHBA and Mars Stadiums in Victoria have been again Federal and State funded. Perth Stadium and Adelaide Ovals were entirely state funded with perhaps again SA Cricket probably picking up some of the tab for the latter. When one considers that the majority of the MCG rebuild for the 2006 Comm Games was State and MCC funded and that $300 million will be gifted to fund redevelopment of what is essentially an AFL owned facility at Etihad, then one wonders how the AFL get away with doing essentially stuff-all in terms of funding maintenance and upgrades of the stadia that they are the primary users of?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

The Sydney codes aren't even agitating for new stadiums.

It's the SCG Trust, pure and simple.

Edit: Well, maybe a little bit for ANZ as a rectangular stadium.

The Sydney clubs first wanted upgrades to their stadiums when they started talking with Mike Baird.

Manly didn't want to be forced to play at the old or a new SFS because they know their fans in great numbers for home games wont drive across the bridge or in the tunnel, especially on a Friday night or Sunday arvo when traffic is bad, or catch a ferry across the Harbour and then catch a bus 4km to the SFS thru heavy traffic.

Penrith know their fans in great numbers wont drive the 30kms to play home games at Parramatta stadium when Penrith stadium is good enough.

Wests Tigers fans, the ones that live in Balmain might drive or bus it to the SFS in decent numbers but the ones in Campbelltown aren't going to go in great numbers to the SFS or Stadium Oz. I got a big shock when I moved to Sydney and drove there and saw the Campbelltown turnoff on the Hume Highway said 3km and it said Sydney was still 52 kms to go and I knew people worked close to or in downtown Sydney.

Easts and Souths fans wouldn't have a problem if they played home games at a new SFS as its close by. Souths only went out to Stadium Oz because they got such a great deal out there but a lot of fans can't be arsed travelling 20-30km to get there.

St George fans the drive up to SFS isn't too bad, but for Woolongong based St George fans they know any home game in Sydney is a long trip.

Cronulla that's another story. 30 kms in heavy traffic is a pain and the train means a bus or a 20 minute walk from Central to the SFS.

For Canterbury fans the drive to Stadium Oz or Parramatta isn't too bad and Parra fans would love playing at their new home ground from next year.

 

[Kwality]

Re the MCG upgrades since 1992, I assume (for fiduciary & other reasons/justification to its large membership base etc.) the MCC had independent business cases conducted before borrowing from the banks hundreds of $millions. Ditto DS, which was funded 100% from private funds.

got it, ta.

 

[BringBackTorps]

The AFL has never put up hundreds of millions of dollars up front [I never said "hundreds up front" -DS was $30,000,000 up front].

I dont know who negotiated Stadium Australia deal but Graeme Samuel negotiated a brilliant deal for the AFL - which meant the tenant clubs got screwed [Yes- & my emphasis] in the inverting 25 years.

Yes, NM, St K, & Footscray were screwed at DS -but these contracts will be replaced by the AFL with much fairer deals prior to Round 1.
The AFL last year paid about $200,000,000 to claim DS, to own it before 2025.

Re the MCG rebuilds, the AFL adopted a long term commercial risk (what if crowds or AFL memberships later collapsed?) by agreeing to a very long term lease (then extended to 2037).
In addition to the $6,000,000 the AFL is paying to the MCC each year to 2037, my understanding is that it is also paying the MCC c.$61,000 per game. It has also entered into a contract to 2037 to play a minimum of c. 42 games & Finals pa at the MCG, & many with expected large attendances. This reduces the AFL's flexibility, & could be an "opportunity cost" for the AFL. Now that it owns DS, the AFL would probably like to play more big games at DS, to increase its profits.

Was the AFL original MCC agreement a 40 year deal to 2032 -which was extended to 2037 later?

It can be said the AFL is indirectly providing further significant further funding each year to the MCC - c.75% of MCC revenues are derived from their extraordinary 100,000 membership (which is primarily motivated members wanting to attend AFL games, & the chance of obtaining GF tickets). This large membership ensures good cash flow -& helps with obtaining funding/lower interest repayments.

How much has Cricket Australia (or state affiliates) contributed financially (if you have info. easily accessible) to:-
.the MCG since 1992
.DS
.PS
.Spotless (AFL $12,000,000)
.SCG
.Gabba
.AO

RL, RU, & soccer have contributed $NIL to AAMI, nor to any other stadia around Aust. They should, & shouldn't ask for big Govt. stadia funding.
NRL NSW clubs make many millions from the misery of poker machines (so do some AFL clubs).

 

[The_Wookie]

with perhaps again SA Cricket probably picking up some of the tab for the latter.

lol no. they had 80 million debt wiped out by the state though.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Y
RL, RU, & soccer have contributed $NIL to AAMI, nor to any other stadia around Aust. They should, & shouldn't ask for big Govt. stadia funding.
NRL NSW clubs make many millions from the misery of poker machines (so do some AFL clubs).

What a stupid thing to say. They contribute to society and they have every right to ask for funds and they have contributed to taxes being paid by people who participate in their sports at all levels of the game and attend their professional games. AFL has their own largess that they shouldn't need to ask the government for money if you are going to look at ability to pay arguments.

 

[BringBackTorps]

What a stupid thing to say. They contribute to society and they have every right to ask for funds and they have contributed to taxes being paid by people who participate in their sports at all levels of the game and attend their professional games. AFL has their own largess that they shouldn't need to ask the government for money if you are going to look at ability to pay[?] arguments.

RL Clubs, since 1956, have pulled out how many $billions from pokie gamblers?
These are usually in lower socio-economic areas, often from people who can least afford to lose their limited savings.
Now they want another c. $2.5 billion from the taxpayer (in addition to the new Parra stadium, Townsville stadium) to demolish two perfectly good stadia.

Canterbury in 2015 took $75 million from gamblers, Parra took $50 million, and Panthers took $66 million. Some AFL clubs (there are no pokies in the WA outside its casino) have pokies, but for a much more recent period, & much smaller total historical revenues. Some NRL Clubs can only survive due to their pokie revenues. $7.6 billion is lost by "problem" gamblers each year. An Aust. govt. website states one in six people who play pokies regually has a serious addiction.
Do you agree that pokies are a social evil that (for a minority) destroy many lives & extended families?

Why should Aust Football be the only sport (outside cricket contributions of ? -probably far less than AF) that contributes to stadia?
Do you think AF should be "punished" or disadvantaged, cf other sports, because it is successful (ie AF can attract very large, weekly crowds)?
By having govt. inconsistent/ double standards over stadia funding, these non-AF sports are receiving an unfair financial advantage. And they can use this unfair financial advantage to undermine the growth & prosperity of GR AF & the AFL.

Aust. has 20% of the world's poker machines -but .5% of the world's population.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...hines-is-there-not-another-way-to-raise-funds

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

NSW RL Clubs, since 1956, have pulled out how many $billions from the community?
These are usually in lower socio-economic areas, often from people who can least afford to lose their limited savings.

Billions? Really? Every NSW RL CLub, are we talking the ones in NRL or also in lower grades have taken out Billions?

So then has the RSL. Does that make the RSL evil??? So have Australian Football clubs all across Sydney and NSW with pokies, especially in southern NSW, especially when Victorians and South Aussies would come across the border and gamble away because they didn't have pokies before the 1990's. Why aren't the NRL clubs the wealthiest clubs in the land then if they have had Billions flow to them from the pokies??

Now they want another c. $2.5 billion from the taxpayer (in addition to the new Parra stadium, Townsville stadium) to demolish two perfectly good stadia.

They didn't ask for upgrades of SFS and Stadium Oz. They wanted cheaper upgrades to their own individual stadiums, yet the government and SCG Trust pushed hard for upgrades for the big stadiums. Keeping up with the Jones and sports tourism stuff they reckon.

Canterbury in 2015 took $75 million from gamblers, Parra took $50 million, and Panthers took $66 million. Some AFL clubs (there are no pokies in the WA outside its casino) have pokies, but for a much more recent period, & much smaller total historical revenues. Some NRL Clubs can only survive due to their pokie revenues. $7.6 billion is lost by "problem" gamblers each year.
Do you agree that pokies are a social evil that (for a minority) destroy many lives & extended families?

I consider people who violate other peoples fundamental human rights as evil, ie murders, pedophiles, rapists, torturers, wife beaters, those who physically and mentally abuse their kids, psychopaths, corrupt politicians and corrupt people in the law and order system ie coppers, judges and lawyers who we put a lot of trust into.

To me pokies are for *.wits or very boring dull people who sit there eyes glazed over and feed the beast. Sure the builders of machines with sophisticated software and all those psych studies done since the 1990's, when the one arm bandits were eliminated are more ruthless campaigners at trying to screw people and come up with a-hole tricks to suck people in. But *.wits still smoke even in the face of so much evidence that they are killing themselves. Time for some personal responsibility me thinks. I haven't put a cent in a pokie machine this century and I cant remember spending anything in them since 1995.

And if we had decent tax system, you would not have this bullshit Vertical Fiscal Imbalance between state and federal government and the feds have too much of the taxing powers, abuse section 96 of the constitution re tied grants, and the states having to deliver the majority of services, so the states then become addicted to pokie taxes because they know Aussies are stupid enough to think they can get rich quick, yet aren't prepared to take a punt and invest in new ideas, innovations and products invited by fellow Aussies. Fix up a society issues before you get sanctimonious about sports you dont like getting bigger government grants than you think they deserve

Why should Aust Football be the only sport (I'm not sure how much cricket contributes) that contributes to stadia?

Says who? Governments very very rarely got involved in funding stadiums before Sydney won the Olympics and it then became fashionable for governments to attach community stuff to stadia grants. Prior to 1993 the only time federal and state governments got involved in stadia funding was when you had big international events, 1956 Olympics after the MCC refused to pay for upgrades, the feds stepped in, 1962 Comm Games in Perth, 1982 Comm Games in Brisbane, Sir Joh refused to pay for a main stadium, so the Brisbane City Council had to build the QE II out at Mt Gravatt. Local governments have always put in $$$ into all different sports. Lots of bias there. Why aren't you talking about that?

Do you think AF should be "punished" or disadvantaged, cf other sports, because it is successful (ie AF can attract very large crowds)?

What punishment are you talking about. I dont see any BDSM mistress with a cat of nine tails whacking the AFL.

By having govt. inconsistent double standards over stadia funding, these non-AF sports are receiving an unfair financial advantage

.
Government and politics involves hypocrisy, conundrums, paradoxes, inconsistencies etc. Welcome to the real world.

And they can use this unfair financial advantage to undermine the growth & prosperity of GR AF & the AFL.

Oh FFS cry me a river will you. So the NSW government give monies to the rectangle sports, the most popular and most ingrained in the NSW community and so they undermine the AFL and AF.

[Aust. has 20% of the world's poker machines -but .5% of the world's population.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...hines-is-there-not-another-way-to-raise-funds

Where does that stat come from?? When I lived in Sydney in the 90's and 00's , it was consistently shoved down our throats that NSW had 20% of the world's pokies. I didn't believe that back then, after having gone to Vegas and Atlantic City and seeing the "slot machines" there in the late 1980's and knew there were all those casino's on native American reservations. Now its all of Australia has 20% of the world's pokies.

I will believe it when you show me a reconciliation of world poker machines country by country. Dig up the 2010 Productivity Commission Inquiry Report into Gambling and find the data they put in their report on how many machines we have compared to the rest of the world. I cant be arsed.

You seem to have some pent up aggression over pokies, and dont like RL, RU and soccer, and have put them in the same bucket and it colours you ability to think past your blinkers.

 

[BringBackTorps]

Did you read the article cited above -it has some RL poker machine revenues, & is source for the "20 %" figure.
I never said NSW NRL clubs have had $billions flow to them. I said poker machines have taken $billions from NSW gamblers since 1956.

Also this SMH article: "Taxing the poker machine profits (ie only registered club poker machine PROFITS. Poker machine revenues from gamblers, from all establishments, would be much higher -my words) of clubs at a lower rate than pubs in NSW will have cost more than $13 billion (my emphasis) over 20 years (in foregone NSW tax revenue -my words)".
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...sw-taxpayers-135-billion-20160712-gq3wfu.html

I am opposed to ALL poker machines, wherever they might be in ALL states- inc. registered NSW clubs, Leagues clubs, sporting clubs (including AFL & GR AF clubs), pubs etc.
I called them a "social evil"-not "evil" in the sense of murderers etc. They are causing much misery amongst a significant minority of their users ; & for their families, & for society. They ARE a social evil.
The Tas. Labour Opposition campaigned for their removal (excluding the casino) -it narrowly lost the State Election last week. It will be a major issue in the next SA election. I believe that, eventually, poker machines will be banned across Aust. There is also widespread increasing concern with sports' gambling adverts, & the problems it might be causing problem gamblers (& possible sports' corruption)

RL, RU, & soccer must also make significant contributions to stadia, as the AFL has. Why shouldn't they?

The latest estimated cost is $2.7 billion -final cost will probably be well over $3 billion.

 

[Kwality]

RL, RU, & soccer must also make significant contributions to stadia, as the AFL has. Why shouldn't they?

Are you counting the purchase of Docklands as a contribution to 'stadia'?

 

[BringBackTorps]

Are you counting the purchase of Docklands as a contribution to 'stadia'?

Obviously.

Also, DS would never have been built unless the AFL:-
. paid the $30,000,000 up front
. was attracting such strong crowds
. was willing to accept the "opportunity cost" of playing at least 42 games at DS, & many with expected high attendances (the AFL/Clubs would have received more $, cf DS, by playing games at the MCG)
. agreed to a 25 year contract to play a minimum of c.42 games pa there (Also, with a strongly onerous "anti-club" condition of very high crowd nos. before NM, St K, & Footscray obtained a reasonable financial return. When crowds were small/modest, Clubs usually had to make a payment TO DS!)

The latter was a commercial risk for the AFL. They would need to sell the profitable Waverly Park, which the AFL owned. The Spencer St area was a very run down & unattractive area in the 90's, the area behind the Spencer St was simply a dump - railway/industrial land. If the public hated this shabby area and/or DS, it would have been a financial disaster for the AFL & Clubs. Because of this 42 games minimum, NM, Footscray, & St K were FORCED (ie no independence/ negotiating strength) to play there, & were thus "screwed" on the financial returns from playing there -but the private DS owners perceived they would obtain greatly improved profits.

This very burdensome contract led the private owners to believe their investment would deliver a good return -thus, they decided to take the commercial risk to build DS.

Crowds in Sydney are relatively small & in decline. If new Sydney stadia at 18 y.o. ANZ & a still fairly modern SFS have a good business case for demolition/rebuild & will be profitable, then the private sector can build them -with contributions from RL, RU, & soccer.
Where is the business case for the taxpayer funding of c.$2.7 billion (Inevitably it will be higher, given the history of state funded major infrastructure works)? Why is it taking so long for the Govt. to "manufacture"?
There has been a major blowout in rebuilding the SFS from $700 miiion to $900 million. It will end up, probably, well over $3 billion. (This does not include the govt. $200 million purchase of ANZ; plus $300 million new Parra stadium; possibly demolition costs; & govt. compensation payments to the NRL, ARU, & FFA for disruption etc).
Or is it a case of "privatise the profits/socialise the losses".

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/ne...n/news-story/88e7f41b8068b5d80c6706aabd82f21f

The anti-stadia rebuilds' petition now has 180,000 signatures.
The NSW ALP Opposition will go into the State election with a slogan of " Build Hospitals Schools, Not Stadiums". The large swathes of empty seats showing on TV screens at NRL, Super Rugby, & A League matches will be defacto political adverts for the ALP.

 

[BringBackTorps]

got it, ta.

The 2 MCG rebuilds since 1992, & DS in 2000, involved up to $1 billion -much of it borrowed. Lenders, for these amounts, usually want to see an independent business case.
Residential land in the capital cities is considered very safe by banks etc. It has a very long history of appreciating in value, which greatly reduces risks for lenders, as they have 1st mortgage security over it. Industrial & commercial sites are inherently more risky (re their projected revenues/profitability over many decade) -there have been many banks suffering huge losses throughout history. Stadia lending would probably be seen as one of the most risky type of lending.

Are you suggesting the MCC & the private DS owners never obtained independent business cases?

 

[The_Wookie]

The 2 MCG rebuilds since 1992, & DS in 2000, involved up to $1 billion -much of it borrowed. Lenders, for these amounts, usually want to see an independent business case.
Residential land in the capital cities is considered very safe by banks etc. It has a very long history of appreciating in value, which greatly reduces risks for lenders, as they have 1st mortgage security over it. Industrial & commercial sites are inherently more risky (re their projected revenues/profitability over many decade) -there have been many banks suffering huge losses throughout history. Stadia lending would probably be seen as one of the most risky type of lending.

Are you suggesting the MCC & the private DS owners never obtained independent business cases?

MCC didnt NEED a business case, however the politics of 1989 (when the 1992 deal was signed) are instructive. The MCC required the VFL to sign on to justify construction - which was needed due to concrete cancer - but it was always a case of when, not if - the VFL had no real choice thanks to the Cain Government effectively smacking down the VFLs desire to move the Grand Final to Waverly and refusal to support Waverly with transport links.

By the time 2001-2002 rolled around, the Northern Stand development came up and the MCC, having paid off the Southern Stand already, would have known what was required to get its stadium upgrade financed, already armed with still 30 years on its agreement with the AFL, and a gov contribution for the Commonwealth Games.

 

[Kwality]

Are you suggesting the MCC & the private DS owners never obtained independent business cases?

A feasibility study for sure, whether inhouse or not.

 

[Roogal]

MCC didnt NEED a business case, however the politics of 1989 (when the 1992 deal was signed) are instructive. The MCC required the VFL to sign on to justify construction - which was needed due to concrete cancer - but it was always a case of when, not if - the VFL had no real choice thanks to the Cain Government effectively smacking down the VFLs desire to move the Grand Final to Waverly and refusal to support Waverly with transport links.

By the time 2001-2002 rolled around, the Northern Stand development came up and the MCC, having paid off the Southern Stand already, would have known what was required to get its stadium upgrade financed, already armed with still 30 years on its agreement with the AFL, and a gov contribution for the Commonwealth Games.

Consider that the $162 million for the Great Southern Stand was part of the Hawke government's commitment toward supporting Melbourne for its 1996 Olympic Games bid and also that Melbourne was the main ground for the 1992 World Cricket Cup. The $420 million for the Northern Stand for the 2006 Comm Games was mostly funded by the MCC and the rest by the Bracks government. In fairness the AFL did recently buy out Etihad rather than wait an extra several years to pay a peppercorn and get control of the ground for virtually nothing. That said, I see nothing wrong with the government spending money to spruce up the surrounds of the stadium and to make the whole precinct more tourist and patron friendly.

 

[NMFCMUFC]

Legit if you get a company to do a mock up of a face lift of both stadium's concourses and seats, that's more than enough to keep punters happy.
Spend another fraction on more bus links to Moore Park and Homebush and you're done.

 

[TTRRAAVVIISS]

Love how NSW Government is gonna bid for the 2026 Commonwealth games now just to try and get this rebuild over the line.

Way to reverse engineer the messaging for the rebuild. “Hey NSW people’s, we need two new stadiums for like ... I don’t know .... like sports that don’t sell out the current stadiums we already got.... cause like you know the vibe... and look we’ve paid KPMG to spruik bullshit numbers that say 15% increase in crowds with new stadiums”...

This week it’s “what this??? the public want more public transport and not stadiums??? Wtf is wrong with these people??? Wait... hang on I just spoke to old mate Singo and Alan Jones... they say throw a Comm games bid up just before the GC Comm Games and the national fervour for sweet Comm games gold will get em all back on board!!”...

Sydney needs a Comm games in 8 years like it needs a hole in the head. And holding the athletics at spotless stadium??? So these dickheads will spend $2.5b on two white ant stadiums and then give spotless an undergrade to 40k so they can all remain empty until Taylor Swifts next tour??

AFL is the only winner here, with spotless upgraded for nothing and 2 x 40k plus oval stadiums in Sydney. Then you got the 80k (anz) 45k (Allianz) and 35k (parra).... 5 x 35k stadiums in a 35km radius none of which sell out on a regular basis. Idiotic does not even begin to describe it.

If private enterprise wants to fund the rebuild at Allianz, let them. If not just level Allianz. Rebuild old stands at SCG and make the roosters and Waratahs play there with the Swans. SCG is so grossly under utilised it’s not funny. Sydney FC can get a retangle stadium in Moore park when Lowey finally wins a World Cup bid. Otherwise get em to play at Homebush or Kogorah or some other 20k stadium.

You can justify stadiums in cities like melbourne where they are actually used. In Sydney, your better off setting light to $2.5b in cash then building new stadiums

 

[bombersfan4000]

The AFL don't have a strong recent history of funding major stadia construction. They indeed do leave it to the Governments to do the lifting for them. They pretty much got out of the stadium building game with the demise of VFL Park. Aurora Stadium and Blundstone Arena in Tasmania have almost entirely been State funded, while GMHBA and Mars Stadiums in Victoria have been again Federal and State funded. Perth Stadium and Adelaide Ovals were entirely state funded with perhaps again SA Cricket probably picking up some of the tab for the latter. When one considers that the majority of the MCG rebuild for the 2006 Comm Games was State and MCC funded and that $300 million will be gifted to fund redevelopment of what is essentially an AFL owned facility at Etihad, then one wonders how the AFL get away with doing essentially stuff-all in terms of funding maintenance and upgrades of the stadia that they are the primary users of?

It’s stull far more than what any other code has done! When you consider some of the terrible stadium deals the afl teams play under for bad returns!
Fees ability studies are done to justify spending the money! The Afls teams week in week out pack the stadiums as well as featuring several one off events each year!

 

[freofc1994]

Why don't the Sydney stadiums sell out? Is it simply a traffic/public transport issue?

 

[its been done]

Why don't the Sydney stadiums sell out? Is it simply a traffic/public transport issue?

And there's so many other competing events, plus cost of living and access to these events is a problem for some

 

[freofc1994]

And there's so many other competing events, plus cost of living and access to these events is a problem for some

Yeah competition for the $ is fierce. Having live TV coverage in the city that the game is being played has killed the live crowd in some cases. The TV money is gold to the clubs and potentially worth more today than a paying customer. However they are mortgaging their futures by not getting young people through the gates.

 

[Snookers]

Love how NSW Government is gonna bid for the 2026 Commonwealth games now just to try and get this rebuild over the line.

Way to reverse engineer the messaging for the rebuild. “Hey NSW people’s, we need two new stadiums for like ... I don’t know .... like sports that don’t sell out the current stadiums we already got.... cause like you know the vibe... and look we’ve paid KPMG to spruik bullshit numbers that say 15% increase in crowds with new stadiums”...

This week it’s “what this??? the public want more public transport and not stadiums??? Wtf is wrong with these people??? Wait... hang on I just spoke to old mate Singo and Alan Jones... they say throw a Comm games bid up just before the GC Comm Games and the national fervour for sweet Comm games gold will get em all back on board!!”...

Sydney needs a Comm games in 8 years like it needs a hole in the head. And holding the athletics at spotless stadium??? So these dickheads will spend $2.5b on two white ant stadiums and then give spotless an undergrade to 40k so they can all remain empty until Taylor Swifts next tour??

AFL is the only winner here, with spotless upgraded for nothing and 2 x 40k plus oval stadiums in Sydney. Then you got the 80k (anz) 45k (Allianz) and 35k (parra).... 5 x 35k stadiums in a 35km radius none of which sell out on a regular basis. Idiotic does not even begin to describe it.

If private enterprise wants to fund the rebuild at Allianz, let them. If not just level Allianz. Rebuild old stands at SCG and make the roosters and Waratahs play there with the Swans. SCG is so grossly under utilised it’s not funny. Sydney FC can get a retangle stadium in Moore park when Lowey finally wins a World Cup bid. Otherwise get em to play at Homebush or Kogorah or some other 20k stadium.

You can justify stadiums in cities like melbourne where they are actually used. In Sydney, your better off setting light to $2.5b in cash then building new stadiums

Taylor Swift at Spotless will be the closest thing I'll ever get to having Taylor Swift at home.

 

[bombersfan4000]

And there's so many other competing events, plus cost of living and access to these events is a problem for some

Maybe if recent years! How do you explain itsveen like that for ever