#VIS: Inner-City Stadium/Riverbank Precinct

[AG]

City stadium bid
BRAD CROUCH, MICHAEL McGUIRE
February 17, 2008 12:15am
OPPOSITION Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith plans to host a conference of leading sports bodies to discuss plans for a new inner-city sports stadium.

After a series of one-on-one discussions during the week following the release of his Master Plan for Adelaide, Mr Hamilton-Smith has invited the leaders of football, cricket, soccer, rugby and other organisations to the meeting.
"I'm encouraged by the initial response," he said. "Leigh Whicker of the SANFL and Ian McLachlan of the SACA are two people who have made great steps forward for football and cricket.

"I'm looking forward to them sitting with representatives of international rugby, soccer and other sporting organisations."

Despite the State Government's negative response to the stadium idea, ministers also will be invited.

The AFL is also expected to be invited to the conference.

When asked for the AFL's viewpoint on a new stadium, league corporate affairs manager Brian Walsh said in an emailed statement: "The AFL and our key stakeholders in our AFL clubs and state leagues such as the SANFL have a track record of partnering with local, state and federal governments to deliver the best possible facilities for our football supporters.

"South Australia is a key part of the football heartland and we are always prepared to discuss with government any improvements to sporting infrastructure for key stakeholders."

Football Federation chief Ben Buckley said last week Adelaide does not have an adequate stadium to host games if Australia hosts the 2018 World Cup.

It is also expected the FFA will announce that Australia's World Cup qualifier against Iraq in June will be played in Brisbane's modern Suncorp Stadium, rather than at AAMI Stadium.

Interstate sporting administrators have told the Sunday Mail that Adelaide misses out on high-quality, international sporting events due to the lack of a suitable venue.

This comes as SA's peak tourism lobby group called for a "Greater Torrens Leisure and Entertainment Precinct" centred on a world-class sports stadium.

At a special executive meeting this week, the Tourism Alliance agreed to call on the State Government to join the Opposition in a bipartisan move to create a new tourism precinct for Adelaide.

The area, centred on the city riverfront, would include new hotels, restaurants, shops, entertainment areas, public spaces with large TV screens for major public events as well as a sports stadium capable of hosting World Cup or Commonwealth Games events.

The ambitious plan is seen as an investment in the city's future rather than a cost.

"The proposal for a large sports stadium adjacent to North Tce and Morphett St can only enhance Adelaide's chances of hosting future world class sporting events," Tourism Alliance chair Les Penley said.

"The area from the railway yards to the Zoo offers a great opportunity to see the future development of entertainment and leisure facilities clustered around the Torrens Lake and providing an exciting hub for tourists, locals, all sorts of festivals, with dining options close to or over the water.

"We need to only look at other cities such as Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane to see how they have utilised the allure of waterways to create precincts that in themselves are attractions.

"Within a few metres either side we already have Adelaide Oval, Memorial Drive, the Convention Centre – itself in urgent need of expansion – the Festival Centre, the Zoo, a golf course, the North Terrace precinct and great accommodation. The Torrens Lake is the link between all of these."

While such a plan would encroach on the parklands, the Alliance believes it would be of benefit to all South Australia.

Tourism industry figure Phil Hoffmann agreed that Adelaide needed a stadium-tourism precinct within walking distance of the city centre.

[SRW]

Publicity stunt, though not an unhelpful one.

[Wayno]

you can vote for the stadium here ==> http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

The AdelaideNow website will undoubtedly run a follow-up story that says "XX% of people want a stadium next to the CBD". Let's make sure the percentage is as high as possible!

Could it be that MHS is now a member of this website? "G'day Marty!"

[Wayno]

another related article:

Soccer's $270m grand Adelaide plan
February 17, 2008 12:10am
ADELAIDE United has become the state's first major sporting club to back plans for a new city-based sporting stadium – and has signalled its intention to build a $270 million, 45,000 seat soccer stadium on the fringe of Bonython Park.

United chairman Dario Fontanarosa unveiled his plans exclusively to the Sunday Mail this week and revealed he had been working on the project for two years after visiting Germany during the 2006 World Cup.
His model is based on a stadium in Frankfurt which hosted the World Cup quarter-final between Brazil and France.

Mr Fontanarosa, who is also group chief executive of Bianco Building Supplies, said United and the game were being held back by continuing to play at Hindmarsh Stadium.

"The reason people don't come to our games is that unless you come in a cab it's hard to get there," he said.

"Look at Adelaide Oval, 26,000 (for December's game against Sydney) and people turned away. So people want to come to a city stadium."

Adelaide averaged about 12,000 a game at Hindmarsh last season but Mr Fontanarosa believes a new easily accessible stadium would see that number grow.

He has earmarked a spot where the current police barracks stand as his favoured option, which is bound on one side by Port Rd and on the other by the River Torrens. It would also encroach on Bonython Park.

Mr Fontanarosa said he was currently working on a business plan, which he expected to be completed next month, but acknowledged that such a facility would need state and federal government funding. He said his plans would include a hotel complex, which would also house bars, cafes, shops and cinemas.

"It's an entertainment precinct which would be used all year round," he said.

He said that by building a soccer-only stadium costs could be contained to well below the $1.1 billion being spent by the WA Government on its new facility.

He also said SA was suffering because it did not have an adequate facility to host big soccer games such as a World Cup qualifier or even an A-League Grand Final.

"There will be three World Cup qualifiers held in Australia and none will be held in Adelaide," he said.

Meanwhile, the Adelaide 2050 group has identified the Keswick railyards as a site for an international sporting precinct. The trio of leading architects has proposed a Melbourne Docklands-style stadium and a separate soccer stadium on top of the existing rail terminal.

A new Olympic-standard netball venue would be located on the northern intersection of Anzac Hwy and Richmond Rd and land would be available for a new basketball and entertainment centre.

The existing interstate rail terminal would be relocated to Adelaide Station in favour of a new suburban passenger light rail station.

Adelaide 2050 member Mario Dreosti said the sporting hub would be built on existing infrastructure and under-utilised land.

"The result is a cohesive, accessible and master-planned sports precinct which fosters opportunities for medium and high density residential development and adjacent urban regeneration," he said.

stadium.JPG (38.32 KiB) Viewed 12078 times

[Pants]

OK, so it's only a model and clearly very little work or thought has been put into it at this stage, but if we f**ked up our only chance to build a world class multi-purpose stadium on or near the railyards with a soccer-only 45,000 capacity stadium whose design lacks any semblance of imagination, I will kill someone.

If we do this, it has to be done as part of an inspiring, well thought out master-plan where budget is not the main concern. We should look to Perth's waterfront proposal for inspiration (for boldness etc, I reaslise it doesn't include a stadium), as this is probably the last part of the Torrens that will be built along and a lasting impression will be left - it needs to make a statement.

Good to see that the push for something to happen is gaining momentum though.

Also, I'm not sure why the SACA should be involved in discussions, Adelaide Oval is sacrosanct and with some relatively minor, sympathetic redevelopment, should remain Adelaide's home of cricket forever.

[Pants]

AG: Given that this is going to drag on for a while and is an issue that most of us feel strongly about, I thought I'd make this a general thread for a city stadium and move it into the CBD development forum, which is the busiest of the lot.

If it becomes clear that any proposal would only be built on the city-fringe, I'll move it again.

Cheers.

[AG]

Yeh, I wasn't quite sure where to put it because of the debate over where it should go, but it does also belong in here since all the locations are within a couple of kilometres from the CBD.

I actually believe the Keswick option is quite a good one, since it provides both the opportunity for the redevelopment of the two train stations (local and interstate) as well as the entire Keswick precinct north of where World Park is being constructed and south of the Homemaker Centre. Wherever the stadium goes it would provide enormous potential for the surrounding areas to be redeveloped, that includes Bowden, Hindmarsh and the waterfront area by the Torrens in the CBD.

[Matt]

OK, so it's only a model and clearly very little work or thought has been put into it at this stage, but if we f**ked up our only chance to build a world class multi-purpose stadium on or near the railyards with a soccer-only 45,000 capacity stadium whose design lacks any semblance of imagination, I will kill someone.

Those were my thoughts when I saw the second article...
If we finally get this, I hope we don't settle for second best (yet again) because of budget constraints.

Here's hoping the latest push for this actually goes somewhere - at least it's being explored, even if only by the Opposition.
I'd hold out a lot more hope if Mike and his cronies would agree to some discussion about it it, rather than just dismissing it outright.

[Wayno]

This is actually very smart politics by MHS & the Libs - but more importantly it's a huge statement of confidence in South Australia's financial future!

Think about it, the next state election AND the start of the mining boom will coincide. In 2-3 years time the SA Govt should be receiving additional mining royalties of $250-$350m every year for the foreseeable future. They will be flushed with cash and will also be able to borrow more money without risking SA's AAA rating.

With this inner-city stadium announcement, MHS effectively blocks Labor from publishing similar plans (or if they do they'll be branded copycats). My bet: we'll hear more BIG INFRASTRUCTURE plans from the Libs in the coming weeks and months.

[Cruise]

ooh!!! i like it!!! build it now!!! i like the look of it and a purpose built veenue will shit all over some comprimised multi use stadium.
Why do we need a multi-purpose stadium for? they have been proven to be costly to build and costly to change the ground from oval to rectangle formats. Plus $270 million is a bargin.
And why pay S1.1 billion for a stadium of which would never be used for cricket?

[Wayno]

Over 90% of adelaidenow voters want a stadium. Will be interesting to see how this changes in the next 1-2days as many people surf the net during work hours!

stadium-vote.JPG (16.35 KiB) Viewed 11971 times

[Paulns]

Why do we need a multi-purpose stadium for? they have been proven to be costly to build and costly to change the ground from oval to rectangle formats. Plus $270 million is a bargin.
And why pay S1.1 billion for a stadium of which would never be used for cricket?

Are you serious?????? Where are you getting your information from????? I lived in Sydney for 6 years and Went to Whats now ANZ stadium (the Olympic stadium) tons of times and saw loads of different sports and concerts there (Rugby Union, AFL, Rugbly league, U2 concert) and as far as I saw in the 6 years I was there, it was easy to convert the stadium from rectangular to oval!!!!!!!!

Secondly this proposed joke by the Adelaide United soccer club will just become another typical Adelaide White elephant. Used for stuff all of the year...
You can say what you like about the Libs but atleast their plan is appropriate for the future of Adelaide. We need a multi-purpose stadium in this city NOW.
I for one am sick to death of watching Adelaide events leave this place because quite frankly the venues are shit (The golf, gone, the tennis, gone, the F1, gone, World cup soccer, currantly no chance) Wake up we need a stadium in the city. Yes a new stadium wont bring some of these events back but never the less its still needed.

Benefits - more people in the city means more life, restaurants, are full, pubs and clubs are full, the place becomes alive. City transport infrustructure. Now we all know our rail networks not the best but atleast its there and established. A tram that would almost certainly run straight past the ground on North terrace, the main Adelaide train station which already services a fair bit of Adelaide, dare I say the Obarn and the numerous bus services that frequent the city, taxis and already existing parking lots all in the city NOW.. Why not bulid a new Multi-purpose stadium? It would get used throughout the winter for AFL and summer for A-League, inbetween for concerts and that there it is, a new modern stadium that would be USED and bring people back into the city...

I Know because I was in the city of the night of the Adelaide united v Sydney game at the Adelaide oval. 26,000 people there. I couldn't get in because they were turning people away. Unbelieveable, the atmosphere afterwards was awesome, most of those people before they left went, you guessed it, straight into the city, banners, cheers and all. Again that was only 26,000, imagine the atmosphere, post a Crows v Collingwood or Showdown game at a new stadium in the city. Crowds of 50,000 could decend on the ground and a fair percentage of them will surely head into the city straight afterward before they leave. Wow the atmosphere would be awesome weather you follow footy or not?
The best possible location for this staduim/entertainment precinct, definently, hands down, the old railway site off North Terrace. Don't waste this prime land that other cities around the world would die for on a boring, no life, atmosphere,hspital. Please. Save that for the suburbs or at the very least upgrade the old RAH where it is.

[Norman]

Speaking of the soccer, not to mention the trams were chock-a-block after 3pm, feeding people from the southern suburbs to Rundle Mall and Adelaide Railway station stops. It was crazy!

[mrblackrooster]

The best possible location for this staduim/entertainment precinct, definently, hands down, the old railway site off North Terrace. Don't waste this prime land that other cities around the world would die for on a boring, no life, atmosphere,hspital. Please. Save that for the suburbs or at the very least upgrade the old RAH where it is.

rite on brother!

[Matt]

Paulns has said it all... hear hear.