The Canberra Liberals have committed to delivering a new 30,000-seat stadium at Acton Waterfront if elected in next month’s ACT election.
Replacing the aging Canberra Stadium in Bruce has long been an issue in the nation’s capital, even becoming a federal election issue in 2022.
The government has previously said constructing a city stadium is not economically viable, estimating it would cost close to $3 billion, but Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said her party could deliver it for less.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr was among the first prominent voices calling for a new stadium, but in announcing the commitment Ms Lee said it was clear the Labor-Greens government had “no interest” in building it.
“Andrew Barr has strung Canberrans along for over a decade with broken promises and multiple feasibility studies,” she said.
“It is now abundantly clear that the Canberra Liberals are the only party that will build a new stadium for our city.”
Ms Lee said her party would undertake the design and preparation work immediately, with a plan to commence construction in its first term of government.
The aging Canberra Stadium in Bruce, and the potential to replace it with a new stadium, has long been an issue in the ACT. (ABC News: Brett McKay)
Ms Lee said the stadium would bring enormous social, cultural, and economic benefit to the ACT, increasing tourism and positively impacting hospitality businesses and accommodation providers.
“A new stadium located in the city will signal to the rest of Australia and the world that Canberra is open for business, and open to host world-class events,” she said.
“[It] will provide our local elite sporting teams such as the Raiders, Brumbies and Canberra United with a modern facility and will be a venue that attracts international sporting events, state of origin and world-class music and entertainment.
“It’s about making sure that we enhance the city vibrancy and game-day experience, as well as delivering the broader boost that is really required to the city centre.
“[And] it means that we’ll be able to keep Canberra dollars in Canberra.”
Ms Lee said the cost of building the stadium would be “around the $700 million to $800 million mark”.
“That hasn’t yet taken into consideration the commitment from the federal government on any federal funding, and this is the kind of infrastructure project that we think would be very attractive [for that].
“Also in terms of exploring the potential public and private partnership funding model, and that hasn’t taken into consideration any offsets that we are looking into.
The Canberra Liberals’ proposed new stadium would be built on the Acton Waterfront. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Ms Lee pointed out the chosen site at Acton Waterfront would not require other buildings to be knocked down or excessive associated works, as those put forward by the government at other sites across Canberra would.
The Canberra Liberals have also announced plans to construct a new national convention centre on the current site of Civic pool.
The spot was initially being considered by the current government as a new stadium site, but the ACT infrastructure plan noted the site’s limited space would compromise stadium design.
The ACT government is yet to make a final decision on its plan for the future of the existing Canberra Stadium, but its frontrunner is building a new stadium in the Bruce precinct on a different site to the current stadium.
The government estimates that would cost between $1.339 billion and $1.869 billion.
Also in consideration by the government is building a new stadium on the existing stadium’s site, with the old building demolished, significant staged upgrades to the existing stadium, and a new stadium constructed at Exhibition Park in Canberra.
