[COM] Adelaide Convention Centre - Stage 3 | $350m

[Omicron]

I've always thought the exterior of the ex-Hyatt-now-Intercontinental was quite unique in the context of '80s designs, and as I've said many a time, I love the polished granite, glass and gold interior with its muted lights and mirrored ceiling to death.

[SRW]

There's nothing wrong with the building itself, but it's in the wrong location.

So your saying Adelaide's cultural boulevard, next to the casino and convention centre, river Torrens and opposite Adelaide's main night spot (Hindley street) is a bad location for a hotel? WTF!

That's quite a narrow inference, and one that might well miss the point completely. He/she said the location was wrong not bad. For instance, I also have an issue with the location of the hotel (and other ASER era buildings) because they alienate and render unpleasant an important area of connection between the river and the city.

[AtD]

^^ That's not the location, that's the landscaping. I agree that the area in front and behind the hotel are both rather poor uses of land.

[bm7500]

I've always thought the exterior of the ex-Hyatt-now-Intercontinental was quite unique in the context of '80s designs, and as I've said many a time, I love the polished granite, glass and gold interior with its muted lights and mirrored ceiling to death.

+1

And don't forget the unique 'double atrium' inside..

[Nathan]

Where would this attached building be? I don't think there's room in any direction for them to expand.

Also, what's this about an Events Plaza?

[stumpjumper]

The potential of the riverbank precinct - from the North Tce cultural strip to the Old Gaol - to become the recreational focus of the city is probably destroyed by the presence in the middle of it of a huge hospital.

The logical thing to do would be to:

- improve the hospital on site, preserving its links with the adjacent medical school and university
- build a new stadium on the railyards, adding to the state's sports and entertainment facilities (the AO redevelopment only replaces like with like, and to many people destroys an attractive and picturesque asset in the process. Adelaide Oval does not need football to survive. It could remain as a cricket and 'other uses' oval. It has lived with AAMI for years after all.
- slowly develop the whole southern riverbank for recreation and entertainment.

But an election, and a few egos, got in the way. Short term politics trumps common sense and good planning.

Consider just one aspect - the money:

Prior to the 2010 election, the extremely wealthy AFL was considering a proposal to build its own $650 million stadium on a western parklands site. But the government said put away your money, we'll pay for it... Doh!

SACA was happily building its western grandstand redevelopment. As late as yesterday, SACA said 'we can handle an $85,000,000 mortgage if the AOSMA development doesn't happen'. Again, Rann says 'Put your money away - the taxpayers will pay you $85,000,000 while they are paying for the AOSMA upgrade to replace the AFL proposal... Doh!

Why not say to the AFL - welcome - fund your stadium but build it on the railyards and rent it out to other uses on non-football days.

But - the government's electioneering gets in the way. Those electoral promises will cost us the AFL's $650 million, SACA's $85 million, the millions above that for the cack-handed AO 'full redevelopment' and will saddle us with a huge hospital in a highly inappropriate and impractical location.

[minale01]

well said

this was about getting votes and fooling the public....the notion of a brand new hospital was an ideal election promise to get them over the line as adelaide is well known for having an old popuation with many expats overseas or interstate.

i tell you now....once this is done...it is going to look so stupid

[mattblack]

My next birthday im going to wish for people to just get over the fact that NO STADIUM WILL EVER GET BUILT on the railway site. What a happy day that will be.

[Aidan]

My next birthday im going to wish for people to just get over the fact that NO STADIUM WILL EVER GET BUILT on the railway site. What a happy day that will be.

Did you regard it as a happy day when it became impossible for the Crows and Port to reach the AFL finals?

They aren't building a hospital there yet. There's still time for the politicians to recognise that it would be bad for Adelaide, and cancel it. This may involve Rann going the way of Rudd, but if he's staked his reputation on a bad hospital plan, he deserves to be dumped.

[metro]

They aren't building a hospital there yet.

the research facility is already under-construction, and the trains will be moving out in a couple of months so the hospital can start next year..

There's still time for the politicians to recognise that it would be bad for Adelaide, and cancel it.

how is building a brand new public hospital bad??

This may involve Rann going the way of Rudd, but if he's staked his reputation on a bad hospital plan

he would have lost the 2010 election if the people didnt like him and his hospital plan, he got re-elected, the hospital WILL be built and there isnt anything you can do about it, and i think if you actually checked the majority of people like the new hospital plan..

he deserves to be dumped.

why? He won the 2010 election, he deserves the full term. In 2014 he might get dumped, but by then the hospital will nearly be finished..

[Aidan]

They aren't building a hospital there yet.

the research facility is already under-construction, and the trains will be moving out in a couple of months so the hospital can start next year..

But the hospital does not have to start next year - there's still time to stop it.

There's still time for the politicians to recognise that it would be bad for Adelaide, and cancel it.

how is building a brand new public hospital bad??

There's already more than one thread about it, so I won't go into detail, but here is a quick summary of the main points:

• Refurbishing and upgrading the existing RAH would be much cheaper and just as effective.
• Unlike the western suburbs, the eastern suburbs don't have a hospital of their own. Moving the hospital further from them is likely to result in more people dying on their way to hospital.
• The planned buildings are rather badly suited to the parklands location
• Building a hospital there would prevent the land being used for something more suitable like a soccer stadium.

This may involve Rann going the way of Rudd, but if he's staked his reputation on a bad hospital plan

he would have lost the 2010 election if the people didnt like him and his hospital plan,

The voters still hate the SA Liberal Party because of what they did when they were in power. Some people like Rann for other reasons, but he won the election despite the hospital plan, not because of it.

he got re-elected, the hospital WILL be built and there isnt anything you can do about it,

That is just speculation. Not currently knowing how to stop it is not the same as actually being unable to do so.

and i think if you actually checked the majority of people like the new hospital plan..

ITYF the majority of people are at best indifferent to it. And if they knew the truth about the cost rather than the official figures (which were devised by incompetent British consultants) then the public opinion would be overwhelmingly against it.

he deserves to be dumped.

why? He won the 2010 election, he deserves the full term.

Anyone clinging to a plan that's so bad for the state does not deserve a full term.

In 2014 he might get dumped, but by then the hospital will nearly be finished..

Therefore it is too late to wait till 2014.

[Ben]

[quote="Aidan"]

• Unlike the western suburbs, the eastern suburbs don't have a hospital of their own. Moving the hospital further from them is likely to result in more people dying on their way to hospital.

[quote]


I think this is the funniest thing I have heard. Moving the hospital 2 kms up the road will result in more deaths.....

Move this discusion to the appropriate thread please this is about the Riverbank and convention centre redevelopment.

[stumpjumper]

I think there are higher priorities for renovating the RAH where it is - ie continuing the process of the last 150 years...

1. Destroying the mutual benefit of the teaching hospital/university/IMVS and Hanson Cancer Research Institute. The same situation will cost billions to replicate at the railyards site.

2. The collateral damage to the East End by withdrawing the 9,000 staff and visitors from the precinct's retail and accommodation businesses will be serious.

3. A utility such as a major hospital is wrong on any number of planning grounds for a gateway site which is part of a proposed recreational/entertainment zone.

4. The decision to locate the hospital at the railyards site was political not practical and it forced the decision to redevelop the Adelaide Oval. Both decisions were impractical and involve much replacement of like with like - inefficient and hugely wasteful in sustainability terms (eg the $23 million Chappell Stand at AO is 7 years old and the (then) $19 million Bradman Stand is 20 years old.

The number of Eastern suburbs people dying during the last 2kms in the ambulance would be balanced by saving the lives of the Western suburbs people living because they get to the new RAH a bit quicker (or aren't their lives equal? )

[ChrisRT]

2. The collateral damage to the East End by withdrawing the 9,000 staff and visitors from the precinct's retail and accommodation businesses will be serious.

Are you serious? I don't know of anyone who would go see their sick mum then decide to buy a new frock since they were already 'in the area'. I've heard it said that medical staff tend to work odd hours as well. Not the usual 9-5. I can't confirm this however.

[mattblack]

My next birthday im going to wish for people to just get over the fact that NO STADIUM WILL EVER GET BUILT on the railway site. What a happy day that will be.

Did you regard it as a happy day when it became impossible for the Crows and Port to reach the AFL finals?

They aren't building a hospital there yet. There's still time for the politicians to recognise that it would be bad for Adelaide, and cancel it. This may involve Rann going the way of Rudd, but if he's staked his reputation on a bad hospital plan, he deserves to be dumped.

No actually, Im a Port man and yes I would go and see alot more games at AO rather than AAMI even if they stay as crap as they are at the moment. Im also a SACA member and yes I cant wait until its fully developed. Another happy day to look forward to. ................ Anyhoo, anything about the proposed riverbank rather than the usual ranting?