The cost for building Tasmania’s Macquarie Point stadium continues to rise, with the latest estimate sitting at $1.13b, a figure $335m higher than where it began initially.
It comes as the state government’s upper house prepares for a final vote in the first week of December on whether to build the stadium.
While the stadium has bipartisan support, it has faced strong opposition from Greens and independent politicians, given the state will need to borrow nearly $500m to foot the bill.
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Tassie Devils players celebrate the win during the Coates Talent League  via Getty Images
Most of the headaches come from the stadium’s planned roof, with the state even calling an election following a vote of no confidence in June.
Now, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stepped up to voice his support for the build, urging Tasmanian politicians to vote in favour of the project.
“I take this opportunity to call upon members of the Legislative Council in Tasmania to vote for the stadium and to vote for Tasmania getting a footy club,” he said in Canberra on Thursday.
“Vote for Tasmanian young people having the opportunity to stay in Tasmania and to dream of playing for the Tassie Devils.
“You have an important task ahead in the coming week and I don’t want to see that go backwards.”
The vote passed the lower house with a vote of 25 to nine, although that was always viewed as a certainty.
If the upper house vote fails, the stadium will not be built and the Devils’ AFL licence will be revoked, ending the state’s dream of finally entering the competition.
The AFL has been steadfast throughout the process that if the stadium isn’t built, there will not be a team.
If the stadium is approved, the Devils are set to enter the league in 2028, despite Macquarie Point not expected to be ready until 2030 at the earliest.
A render of what the Tassie stadium would look like. Twitter
They will likely play out of Ninja Stadium in Hobart and UTAS Stadium in Launceston in the meantime.
The vote will occur across December 3-4. Six of the eight votes required will come from Liberal and Labor MPs. Four members have confirmed they will vote against the project, meaning the fate of footy in Tasmania comes down to needing two of the five remaining votes.
Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff confirmed recently that they had come to an agreement with Cricket Australia, confirming the sport will be played out of the new venue.
Back in June, Albanese spoke passionately about Tasmania’s need for a new precinct in Hobart.
“We support a stadium, not just because of what it will do for AFL, but for what it will do in Hobart,” the Prime Minister told the Two Good Sports podcast.
“In 2012 the government gave $50m to the Tasmanian government to do planning for the Macquarie Point site.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Dominic Lorrimer
“You need to have a proper urban development project at Macquarie Point, you need a driver of urban development projects, so as part of a precinct, sporting, hospitality, residential, it will bring the CBD down to the river and open up the city of Hobart.
“It’s got to be viewed from that perspective. Not from the narrow (perspective) that it’s just somewhere where footy will be played for home games for the Devils.
“The (Liberal) state government down there for a long time dilly-dallied around. I went down there about a year ago and it was exactly the same as it was in 2012.
“Thirteen years later you literally had to watch where you’re walking because it’s not even a dirt road. They need to just get on with it.”