Spotlight on AFL stadium timeline after ‘historic’ vote

ermireThe Tasmania Devils are bracing for their new $1.13 billion stadium home to be a year behind schedule, after the project secured a “historic” parliamentary green light.

The island state’s upper house on Thursday approved the 23,000-seat roofed venue at Hobart’s Macquarie Point, a condition of the Devils’ AFL and AFLW licence.

Tasmania has campaigned for decades for inclusion in the national competition, with the 11pm vote coming down to a handful of independent MPs.

Tasmania Devils figures Brendon Gale, Grant O’Brien and Kath McCann were all smiles after the vote. (Ethan James/AAP PHOTOS)

“It’s an incredible result. There has been uncertainty. We’ve had to keep our eye on the ball,” Devils chief executive Brendon Gale said.

“This is 35, perhaps 40 years in the making. For years we have been discounted, denied, rejected,(told) that we’re not good enough … lack leadership.

“But we’ve got our moment, we’ve won the day. This is going to be so much bigger than football.”

The Devils will enter the AFL and AFLW in 2028 with the stadium slated to be completed for the 2029 season.

Mr Gale indicated the club, which will play its inaugural season out of Hobart’s Bellerive Oval and Launceston’s UTAS Stadium, was not convinced the Macquarie Point stadium would be ready on time. 

“There is probably an assumption internally that we’ll be playing games in Hobart and Launceston for two years,” he said. 

“That is probably a fair assumption at this stage.” 

Supporters of Tasmania’s Macquarie Point stadium say they look forward to progressing the project. (Ethan James/AAP VIDEO)

AFL boss Andrew Dillon told reporters the team would be ready for 2028 but said timelines in the agreement could change. 

“That’s something that we’ll be working through now (stadium completion),” he said. 

“But now that we have this certainty, we can now go out to the builders, get a contract signed, and start building.” 

A contract to build the stadium is expected to go out to tender in January. 

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who inked the licence deal, and the Macquarie Point Development Corporation said they were confident the stadium would be finished by 2029.

“What has been evident throughout the debate over three years is how much diligence … has gone into this project,” Mr Rockliff said.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff says the spending cap agreed for the stadium would be adhered to. (Ethan James/AAP PHOTOS)

Mr Rockliff said he would abide by an $845 million cap on the state’s stadium spend, agreed to as part of the deal with an independent MP to get the project through parliament.

The AFL is contributing $15 million and the federal government $240 million.

Several upper house members broke down in tears during Pthe two-day debate, noting the pressure placed on their decision.

Mr Dillon said the vote was a historic moment, while Devils chairman Grant O’Brien praised support from across the spectrum. 

The Macquarie Point stadium project has taken a major step towards becoming a reality. (HANDOUT/TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT)

The stadium has proven divisive in Tasmania, but a Sunday rally in support of the project drew an estimated 15,000 people, outpointing an earlier “anti” protest.

“One of the sayings we’ve got is ‘we are the team’ … we’re talking about the masses who are going to help us deliver this club,” Mr O’Brien said.

“The journey we have been on for the last two years has been full of twists and turns and ups and downs. 

“One of the things that will go into our museum will be the press release for a ‘no’ vote.”

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