Long-awaited plans for a revamp of the Wollongong sports and entertainment precinct have moved to the next stage with the NSW premier announcing $17 million in funding and unveiling new detailed plans.
The Wollongong Entertainment Centre will be rebuilt and branded WIN Arena, with capacity nearly doubling to 9,500 people.
The Wollongong showground, widely known as WIN Stadium, will be significantly redesigned to include a new northern grandstand and an extended, reconfigured southern grandstand with improved player facilities.
The concept plan also includes a new Southern Plaza to be built on the training oval and a beach promenade behind the famous eastern hill spectator area.
An aerial view of the proposed WIN Stadium redevelopment. (Supplied: NSW government)
Planning Minister Paul Scully joined with Premier Chris Minns and Sports Minister Steve Kamper to make the announcement.
He said the $17 million investment would enable the government to develop a full business case for the plans.
“It will allow us to make sure that we are ready to go,” Mr Scully said.
“We’re not in a position at the moment to be able to say, ‘OK, this is how much it’s going to cost to get it done.’Â
“We need to get the design right, [and] understand that cost before we can get underway and seek that money to get it built.”
Mr Scully said the refurbishment did not include new or additional car parking.Â
“We do need to make continual improvements to public transport but there isn’t a shortage of parking in the city,” he said.Â
“The Lord Mayor [Tania Brown] is already working on stuff with the business community, with the hospitality community to make sure people understand there are thousands of car parks in Wollongong’s CBD and it’s more of a perception issue than a parking issue that there isn’t availability.”
Mayor backs upgrade
Wollongong lord mayor and NBL Illawarra Hawks tragic, Tania Brown, welcomed the announcement, describing it as a great day for the region.
Councillor Brown said it was her understanding that the extensive construction work would be staged over time, with no starting date yet.
“They are not going to be able to do it all at one time,” she said.
“Hopefully, they get on with the new WIN Arena first and they will work through to the stadium and showground number two.
“So it won’t all be at once.”
A revamped entertainment centre would almost double the capacity for basketball games and concerts. (Supplied: NSW government)
The Wollongong Entertainment Centre was built primarily as a basketball stadium but also hosts concerts and conventions.
It opened in September 1998 with a concert by Bob Dylan and Patti Smith.
Local politicians, including Councillor Brown and Mr Scully, have long backed a push to refurbish the centre, which has had issues, including a roof leak which forced the cancellation of an NBL game.
Meanwhile, WIN Stadium has hosted rugby league games since 1991, with the TV network gaining naming rights in 1997.
It was upgraded with a new northern grandstand in 2002, and a new western grandstand opened in 2012.