Proposed new Hobart stadium - Macquarie Point

[acm21]

A design plan has been released for the site. Apparently the goverment were at first interested in the idea, but have since decided that they are not interested in having a stadium at Macquarie point.

Tasmanian AFL Stadium concept revealed

An ambitious $500 million plan for a 27,000-seat stadium at Macquarie Park, central to Tasmania’s AFL bid, has been revealed.

m.austadiums.com

 

[TheTassieHawk]

A design plan has been released for the site. Apparently the goverment were at first interested in the idea, but have since decided that they are not interested in having a stadium at Macquarie point.

Tasmanian AFL Stadium concept revealed

An ambitious $500 million plan for a 27,000-seat stadium at Macquarie Park, central to Tasmania’s AFL bid, has been revealed.

m.austadiums.com

Given the size of the site I think an AFL stadium with capacity in the high 20 thousands would not have allowed room at all for much other development and the various plans show this to pretty much be the case. Other uses for Mac Point would IMO be a much better outcome.

With regards to stadium location options there could be several other sites within 5kms of the city that would be fine with $500m to play with.

For various reasons I expect that substantial upgrades of Bellerive and York Park for a much lesser combined cost would be far more likely.

 

[thegreig]

Given the size of the site I think an AFL stadium with capacity in the high 20 thousands would not have allowed room at all for much other development and the various plans show this to pretty much be the case. Other uses for Mac Point would IMO be a much better outcome.

With regards to stadium location options there could be several other sites within 5kms of the city that would be fine with $500m to play with.

For various reasons I expect that substantial upgrades of Bellerive and York Park for a much lesser combined cost would be far more likely.

Have any other sites actually been suggested?

 

[Roogal]

"Examiner" ... My bad

But all things said and done, does Hobart really need another 20,000+ capacity stadium? I suspect that expanding York Park beyond its existing capacity would be a waste of time and money, but either way Blindstone Arena could benefit from the construction of a new stand to replace existing standing areas and perhaps a multi-deck or underground car park. Where as York Park which presently has a capacity of approx 20,000 of which many seats are temporary scaffold types would benefit from the construction of a large permanent stand to replace many of the existing scaffold seats.

There's certainly a case either way to upgrade either of the existing venues, but I (perhaps like many) can't see the justification for a second large venue in Hobart particularly in consideration of the moneys spent so far upgrading Blundstone Arena from what it was 10 years ago.

I still believe that Tasmania should have gotten its AFL Licence for a team ten years ago instead of the AFL chasing rainbows and unicorns in the Gold Coast. Perhaps Tassie might just have to sit back and bide its time until the Gold Coast experiment ultimately fails.

 

[Engimal v3]

Does cricket move to the new stadium if built? Bellerive is too good to just host local footy matches.

 

[acm21]

I can see a waca type thing occurring. I dont know enough about Hobart or Tasmania, but if the idea of a team down there comes together (which IMHO is a while off, with no centralised plan between all stakeholders as of yet) they should evaluate the stadia that they have and use what they have, because otherwise there is no way that the side and stadium would not be able to be suitable, unless (which I dont think will occur) the football codes are convinced ($$$$$) to take games over there.


Sent from my iPad using BigFooty.com

 

[nobbyiscool]

Does cricket move to the new stadium if built? Bellerive is too good to just host local footy matches.

In the broader context of how much has been spent on stadiums across Australia in the last decade, not that much has been spent on Bellerive.

If they developed Macquarie Point, given Bellerive Oval's location, and given Hobart's current housing shortage, you could develop the * out of what is currently Blundstone Arena.

That's not to say I necessarily support it. Even as a former northerner, I could get on board a Tassie team with a 7/4 split of games in Hobart's favour, and I think (given what's happened in other cities) a stadium that close to the city is undoubtedly going to be successful... I just don't believe Tassie's economy is good enough to pay for it at the expense of failing health and education sectors, nor do I believe the private sector is going to stump up the funds.

 

[TheTassieHawk]

Have any other sites actually been suggested?

Not recently, Mac Point was a bit of a shock but no doubt the AFL taskforce wil be needing to advise on a clear stadium plan within the next 6-12 months.

 

[Rob]

The Hobart Examiner put in a good editorial today that re-enforces the general opposition to the idea. It argues that spending up to half a billion on a new AFL/Cricket stadium in a state which is struggling to meet its health bills is ludicrous. The article suggests that perhaps spending considerably less to perhaps build a new grand stand at either the UTAS Stadium or Blundstone Arena coupled with a new multi-story carpark would acheive the same end for a fraction of the money, particularly if Tassy wants to seriously state its case for its own AFL Licence.

https://www.examiner.com.au/story/6454239/new-hobart-stadium-idea-flawed/

A multi-storey carpark for a large entertainment venue is batshit crazy. You'll have everyone trying to get out of a couple of exits at the same time and it'll take literally hours to clear.

Whoever thought of that deserves exactly zero respect on any opinions stadium-related.

 

[acm21]

A multi-storey carpark for a large entertainment venue is batshit crazy. You'll have everyone trying to get out of a couple of exits at the same time and it'll take literally hours to clear.

Whoever thought of that deserves exactly zero respect on any opinions stadium-related.

I would think any stadium development or redevelopment would be based on the Perth stadium concept, as in have limited parking and strategically implement public transport around the region. I personally can’t see any new stadium being built in the medium term. Blundstone and Utas are being used in afl and aflw comps already, thus meeting standards. I would think there would be some sort of upgrades to whatever structure that is being used. If anything i can see the creation of a training centre in a more central location (from what i gather it should be based in Hobart)

 

[Roogal]

Perth doesnt have the conservatives that populate Inner Hobart. And when I say conservative, i mean they are opposed to any change from there nice little lifestyle. Rant incoming

Even if we(Tas Gov) didnt spend a cent on the stadium, there would be complaints about why this spending on a team rather than "health and education." As mentioned, people will complain about light towers, height limits and how it would ruin the "vibe" of Hobart. It won't even matter to these people that this area is old warehouses and unused previously. It won't matter if the stadium is a piece of art, it will have protesters complaining that little old Inner Hobart has something exciting.

Hobarts mayor is a greenie, like that inner city Melbourne ones. They in it for the power trip rather than managing for the best of the city. They would rather proclaim that there is a climate emergency statement rather than helping fix the issue. They complain about the traffic and housing but it refuses to allow any sort of high-density development. Inner-city Hobart council frustrates me to no end who live in a fantasy world and refuse to actually make any decisions for the good of greater Hobart. The sooner it is merged with another city council, the better Hobart will be. Cause, the people of Inner Hobart keep electing noaners.

IF we get an AFL team, there must be either a long term plan to fix the issues with Blundstone arena or move elsewhere.

These inner-city types are not conservatives. These alfresco dwelling, coffee quafting hipsters, or Chardonnay Socialists (is another expression commonly used in the bush) are "All Care but No Responsibilty" and often have no solutions to anything outside their bubble. But geez they reckon that they have every right to dictate forestry management, water and river management, land usage and farming to those who actually manage these resources and earn their livelyhoods from them. The same sort of inner city a#se-clowns who blocked construction of Melbourne's East-West link in 2015.

We have another saying up where I live: "We'll keep our cow-s*it in the paddocks, if you lot keep your bull-s*it in the city".

 

[aCunningPlan]

These inner-city types are not conservatives. These alfresco dwelling, coffee quafting hipsters, or Chardonnay Socialists (is another expression commonly used in the bush) are "All Care but No Responsibilty" and often have no solutions to anything outside their bubble. But geez they reckon that they have every right to dictate forestry management, water and river management, land usage and farming to those who actually manage these resources and earn their livelyhoods from them. The same sort of inner city a#se-clowns who blocked construction of Melbourne's East-West link in 2015.

We have another saying up where I live: "We'll keep our cow-s*it in the paddocks, if you lot keep your bull-s*it in the city".

What rubbish, I'm from Ballarat and you are talking out of your backside.

 

[RedV3x]

I can see a waca type thing occurring.

What - cricket only ?

 

[aCunningPlan]

... I don't live in Ballarat, haven't for 10 years. Have family there though. Lived in Nagambie since 2011. And trust me, folks are true conservatives up this way and have no tolerance for ALP or "Greens" which one local recently assured me "belong in a salad bowl and not occupying the benches of government".

WRT Ballarat, you are right ... Last time I checked Ballarat is and has been mostly an ALP stronghold Federally and at State level since the 90s. Its citizens highly militant against its council and streets rapidly filling with cafes ... sounds like I could be describing Fitzroy or Prahran doesn't it? Ballarat has developed since the late 90s to be an extension or satellite of Melbourne. So I wouldn't remotely regard Ballarat as reflecting bush values these days anymore than you would.

I did move from near Ouyen a couple of years ago, again, you have no idea what bush values are.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Random bump for a random rant...

 

[TheTassieHawk]

The Hobart Examiner put in a good editorial today that re-enforces the general opposition to the idea. It argues that spending up to half a billion on a new AFL/Cricket stadium in a state which is struggling to meet its health bills is ludicrous. The article suggests that perhaps spending considerably less to perhaps build a new grand stand at either the UTAS Stadium or Blundstone Arena coupled with a new multi-story carpark would acheive the same end for a fraction of the money, particularly if Tassy wants to seriously state its case for its own AFL Licence.

https://www.examiner.com.au/story/6454239/new-hobart-stadium-idea-flawed/

Since the above post there has been a proposal to redevelop UTAS Stadium which includes a proposed indoor sporting facility development and a State election called for May this year.

I expect if there is any pork barrelling to be done it will be in the North of the State, and I don’t expect their to be any votes in a Mac Point Stadium despite the Premier talking tough with the AFL recently which in hindsight appears self serving.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

They should upgrade the TCA in Hobart to a nice boutique stadium. Heaps of parking, picturesque.

 

[weewilly]

They should upgrade the TCA in Hobart to a nice boutique stadium. Heaps of parking, picturesque.

100% correct!

 

[BobbyMorri]

100% correct!
View attachment 1120647

funny how a 2d picture can make the place look like the flattest place in the world.

Outside the issues with the heritage listing of the Womens Stand plus others, its location is far from ideal. Yes, it is in the middle of Hobart. But it is on top of a large hill (the people's hill). The wind blows a gale up there, the area around it is sloped, there is a popular park with a walk close by which honours our fallen soldiers from WW1. Sure, there is parking up the top of the hill, but it is limited by said hill. Currently, that is not enough for the 1K attendance tennis events which are hosted nearby. Otherwise, you would have to climb, something not everyone will be able to do. what else. severely outdated, used by North Hobart Cricket club and Hobart football club, both of whom love the venue as is. Getting in and out would be drastic work. You can't get through Glebe in one direction for example. Perhaps work can be done at the New Town end and the Tasman Bridge end. And any change to the woodland would probably get people offside.

There is a reason why Cricket moved from the TCA(Tasmanian Cricket association ground) to Bellerive. Sometimes, it is just easier to build from scratch and on flat land.

 

[Roogal]

Eddie Mcguire made a very good editorial on Footy Classified about what it would take for Tassie to get an AFL team. He cuts out the emotion and just lays out the facts. The AFL would no doubt see some radical change if a Tasmanian team were to come into play. The question is whether the traditional fans would embrace those changes?

 

[Mr Taswegian]

Eddie Mcguire made a very good editorial on Footy Classified about what it would take for Tassie to get an AFL team. He cuts out the emotion and just lays out the facts. The AFL would no doubt see some radical change if a Tasmanian team were to come into play. The question is whether the traditional fans would embrace those changes?

Some things he suggested could happen but others would never happen,sadly if the AFL don't want a team we will never get one. I noticed 4 other teams are interested in playing games in Tasmania, hopefully the government gets rid of North Melbourne and replaces them with a better drawing team because I don't think the crowds North are starting to get in Tasmania help us get a team of our own.

 

[Roogal]

Some things he suggested could happen but others would never happen,sadly if the AFL don't want a team we will never get one. I noticed 4 other teams are interested in playing games in Tasmania, hopefully the government gets rid of North Melbourne and replaces them with a better drawing team because I don't think the crowds North are starting to get in Tasmania help us get a team of our own.

I think that Andrew Demetriou was correct in the video in saying that it has to be a start up new team. The established AFL community would never stomach relocating a team. The AFL have seen how damaging that is in the past.

Unfortunately other teams like the Western Bulldogs, Saint Kilda and Melbourne are not likely to be good candidates to replace North Melbourne either. Their crowds are not that much better than North's and yes North are at the bottom of a rebuilding cycle meaning that their club and supporters aren't realistically expecting a turn of fortunes at least until either later this season or early next season. The whole model of selling games interstate or to regional locations is premised on the idea of providing an extra source of revenue to smaller Victorian teams as well as teams that are still starting up like GWS and the Suns. Even Hawthorn went to Launceston in 1999 when they were in dire financial trouble, but stay there now out of loyalty. Let's not forget that they were one of the teams being targeted for merger back in the 90s. Today Hawthorn are one of the richest clubs in the league and certainly don't need Tasmania from a financial perspective.

In practical terms the AFL are not going to send Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond or Carlton to play four of their home games in a 20,000 capacity ground in Tasmania each season. So sending a team with a large support base is off the cards. Further it doesn't guarantee that larger crowds will attend games in Tassie. Even Hawthorn with a membership base of about 80,000 still struggles to get crowds above 13,000 in Launceston, and the attendance figures in Launceston have fallen from season averages of 16-17,000 since the early 2000s to and average of 13,000 over the last four years.

This of course is not helped by the fact that games scheduled in Hobart, Launceston, Darwin, Cairns or Ballarat will never pitch the Home team be they North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Melbourne, The Suns, Saints or Dogs respectively against any of the bigger teams at those grounds. Those grounds will see the AFL pitch low crowd drawing sides against the hosting home team, which is why the AFL schedules teams from South Australia and Queensland mainly to play at those venues, knowing that the support base for those interstate teams isn't high in Tasmania or regional Victoria. Otherwise, ATM Tassie venues are perhaps likely to only see Melbourne, Saint Kilda or the Western Bulldogs (who are all relatively low crowd pulling teams) as the only other Victorian teams that will be scheduled to play up against North or Hawthorn.

The current Tasmanian game scheduling and opposition teams are unlikely to change under the present arrangements. The only solution I feel is for a single dedicated Tasmanian team and it needs to be built on a seven year plan. Eddie McGuire's suggestions are realistic and of course Tasmania needs to find some $60 million per year to fund its club (as Eddie alludes to in the video) if we are to consider that North Melbourne runs on an annual budget of $40 million at the bottom end of the AFL while clubs like Essendon, Collingwood and Hawthorn operate on around $80 million. Also the idea of a roofed stadium in Hobart is not going to come cheap, at least upwards of $400 million. Opposing teams and their supporters as well as the commentators will piss and moan otherwise about the wind at Hobart as they do with Ballarat because apparently AFL players have forgotten how to play in the wind.

The issues surrounding a permanent Tassie team are many, but I don't think insurmountable. It needs to be planned and it will take time.

 

[beema limapep]

I think that Andrew Demetriou was correct in the video in saying that it has to be a start up new team. The established AFL community would never stomach relocating a team. The AFL have seen how damaging that is in the past.

Unfortunately other teams like the Western Bulldogs, Saint Kilda and Melbourne are not likely to be good candidates to replace North Melbourne either. Their crowds are not that much better than North's and yes North are at the bottom of a rebuilding cycle meaning that their club and supporters aren't realistically expecting a turn of fortunes at least until either later this season or early next season. The whole model of selling games interstate or to regional locations is premised on the idea of providing an extra source of revenue to smaller Victorian teams as well as teams that are still starting up like GWS and the Suns. Even Hawthorn went to Launceston in 1999 when they were in dire financial trouble, but stay there now out of loyalty. Let's not forget that they were one of the teams being targeted for merger back in the 90s. Today Hawthorn are one of the richest clubs in the league and certainly don't need Tasmania from a financial perspective.

In practical terms the AFL are not going to send Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond or Carlton to play four of their home games in a 20,000 capacity ground in Tasmania each season. So sending a team with a large support base is off the cards. Further it doesn't guarantee that larger crowds will attend games in Tassie. Even Hawthorn with a membership base of about 80,000 still struggles to get crowds above 13,000 in Launceston, and the attendance figures in Launceston have fallen from season averages of 16-17,000 since the early 2000s to and average of 13,000 over the last four years.

This of course is not helped by the fact that games scheduled in Hobart, Launceston, Darwin, Cairns or Ballarat will never pitch the Home team be they North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Melbourne, The Suns, Saints or Dogs respectively against any of the bigger teams at those grounds. Those grounds will see the AFL pitch low crowd drawing sides against the hosting home team, which is why the AFL schedules teams from South Australia and Queensland mainly to play at those venues, knowing that the support base for those interstate teams isn't high in Tasmania or regional Victoria. Otherwise, ATM Tassie venues are perhaps likely to only see Melbourne, Saint Kilda or the Western Bulldogs (who are all relatively low crowd pulling teams) as the only other Victorian teams that will be scheduled to play up against North or Hawthorn.

The current Tasmanian game scheduling and opposition teams are unlikely to change under the present arrangements. The only solution I feel is for a single dedicated Tasmanian team and it needs to be built on a seven year plan. Eddie McGuire's suggestions are realistic and of course Tasmania needs to find some $60 million per year to fund its club (as Eddie alludes to in the video) if we are to consider that North Melbourne runs on an annual budget of $40 million at the bottom end of the AFL while clubs like Essendon, Collingwood and Hawthorn operate on around $80 million. Also the idea of a roofed stadium in Hobart is not going to come cheap, at least upwards of $400 million. Opposing teams and their supporters as well as the commentators will piss and moan otherwise about the wind at Hobart as they do with Ballarat because apparently AFL players have forgotten how to play in the wind.

The issues surrounding a permanent Tassie team are many, but I don't think insurmountable. It needs to be planned and it will take time.

What sized ground do you think would strike a balance between allowing for growth and not being to big where empty stands would become an issue?

25,000? 30,000? 35,000?

 

[Mr Taswegian]

I think Richmond is one of the r

What sized ground do you think would strike a balance between allowing for growth and not being to big where empty stands would become an issue?

25,000? 30,000? 35,000?

I would go 25000 and increase it if needed later on.

 

[beema limapep]

I think Richmond is one of the r

I would go 25000 and increase it if needed later on.

Hard to do increase capacity in a fully roofed stadium though. Would 30,000 perhaps be more cost effective? 24,000 in a 30,000 seater still looks mostly full.

What sort of crowds would they get in year one if capacity wasnt an issue?