Barnett puts $700m price tag on stadium
June 25th, 2011The state government says it will cost $700 million to build a 60,000 seat multipurpose stadium on the Burswood Peninsula.
Premier Colin Barnett confirmed Perth’s worst kept secret today, announcing Perth’s new multi-purpose stadium would be built at Burswood.
“In making our decision, we decided early it would not be based on history, we made a decision for the long-term future,” Mr Barnett told reporters.
“We chose Burswood for its advantages, in particular it offers the potential for years to come for the new stadium to act as a centre piece for a wider and broader sports precinct.”
The stadium will be built in the style of Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium, and it will have a 60,000 seat capacity, with provisions in place to expand to 70,000 seats.
The government flagged a $700 million cost for the stadium, including costs associated with upgrading transport infrastructure.
The stadium will not include an underground carpark.
As the site stands, access is limited by a single road while people have to rely on one rail station with a line that terminates in the CBD and does not feed other lines.
Mr Barnett recognised the lack of transport around the stadium but said the government would spend about $300 million to build a new special events train station which would service every line in the Perth network.
“You will be able to catch the train anywhere in Perth to the stadium,” he said.
However Mr Barnett said there needed to be a change in culture in Perth in which people would have to accept catching public transport to sports events.
The premier said the decision marked the biggest investment in sporting and entertainment infrastructure in the state’s history.
The cost estimate is lower than what was predicted in the 2007 major stadium taskforce report, which estimated a 60,000 stadium at Burswood and associated upgrades to transport infrastructure would cost $1.14 billion, if construction begun in September 2008.
That cost included a $256 million charge for on-site car parking.
Sports and Recreation Minister Terry Waldron said a steering committee would now be established to oversee the project, co-chaired by executive director of the Office of Strategic Projects Richard Mann and director general of the Department of Sport and Recreation Ron Alexander.
The full steering committee members include Richard Mann (Department of Treasury, co-chair), Ron Alexander (DSR, co-chair), David Smith (Department of the Premier and Cabinet), Anne Nolan (Department of Finance), Eric Lumsden (Department of Planning), Reece Waldock (Department of Transport), Barry Sargeant (Burswood Park Board), a representative from the State Solicitors Office and an independent representative.
“The committee’s first task will be to create a master plan for the stadium precinct, including a decision on the exact location and a detailed costing of the project,” Mr Waldron said.
“It will look at details such as possible retractable seating, adequate amenities, the style and size of seats and the allocation of seats to members, corporate, public and supporters of visiting teams.”
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