An artist’s impression of the proposed stadium sitting in the city landscape next to Commonwealth Park. Images: Canberra Airport.
Canberra Airport is putting its considerable planning resources behind a new proposal for a 25,000-seat city stadium inspired by the success of the Te Kaha Stadium in Christchurch.
The proposed site is on Commonwealth land at Regatta Place and includes the current Archbishop’s House and adjoining car parking.
The Airport will launch the proposal along with other Canberra business leaders at an event this morning (7 October) on City Hill.
It has opened a dialogue with the Catholic Church and says discussions have been positive and are ongoing.
A central stadium would make the most of Canberra’s light rail network, placing event crowds within walking distance of public transport, 13 hotels, 26 restaurants and bars in Civic, the Airport says.
Calling it a once-in-a-generation opportunity, the Airport says it would revitalise the heart of the city and create a new home for sport, concerts and major events in the Nation’s Capital.
The proposal is for an all-event venue capable of hosting blockbuster sporting events, major international music tours and cultural events, giving Canberra a venue that matches the city’s ambition and reflects its status as the National Capital.
Like Te Kaha, the proposed covered venue would boast 25,000 seats for football and 36,000 seats for major concerts.
That stadium cost just $531 million, including earthquake-proofing, compared with the $1 billion-plus estimated cost for a stadium in Canberra.
The Airport says Canberra would develop its own design tailored to local conditions, but Christchurch provides a compelling example of how a city-centre stadium can transform the visitor experience and support economic activity.
Airport CEO Stephen Byron said Christchurch’s stadium opened in March and had been a great success.
“That [Archbishop’s House] land, which is a Commonwealth lease, together with some part of the car parks, gives you a fantastic site for a stadium, based on the concept of Christchurch,” he said.
The stadium would be located close to light rail.
The Airport itself would not build or operate the stadium, but offer its resources free of charge to develop a case to put primarily to the Commonwealth.
It will work with business, government, sporting and community stakeholders to test the concept through architectural design, construction costings and an independent economic and social impact assessment.
Canberra Airport’s Head of Aviation, Michael Thomson, will lead the work, drawing on the broader Canberra Airport team’s expertise in project management, government engagement and community consultation to develop and test the proposal.
Mr Byron said the team would provide a realistic cost estimate ready for government to consider over the next four to six months.
All options were on the table for financing and operating the project, but it could be a mix of private sector and government investment. The Commonwealth could lease it to the Territory to run or a private operator might emerge.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr has previously ruled out the site, saying in 2025 that there would be considerable community opposition given the significant negative impact it would have on Commonwealth Park and the National Triangle.
But Mr Byron said that was in the past and there would be considerable benefits for the ACT, including a massive uplift in land for the ACT Government on sites like Section 116, in Civic, and the City to the Lake, and free up land at CIT and Canberra Stadium at Bruce, currently the ACT Government’s preferred site for a new stadium.
“Let’s give the ACT Government a bit of room and a bit of time to think about this as a new proposition, but let’s also remember that this is a private sector and community proposal, and it is on Commonwealth land,” he said.
36,000 seats: What the stadium would look like for a concert.
Mr Byron said it would be a “fantastic city building project for the heart of our city”.
“Canberra deserves a stadium of which it can be proud, one that brings people together, creates economic growth and strengthens the heart of our city,” he said.
“This is about creating a better experience for fans and visitors, supporting local jobs and businesses, and ensuring Canberra can compete for the major events that currently pass us by.”
Mr Byron said the site would complement the proposed convention and entertainment centre on the Civic pool site, and the proposed Canberra Aquatic Centre. However, he acknowledged work was needed to see if the pool would still fit.
Those impacts would need to be worked through collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcome for the city, the stadium and Canberra’s aquatic facilities.
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Mr Byron said there were 7000 car parks, as well as hotels, within walking distance of this stadium site compared with just 1700 at Bruce, and no light rail.
He said city stadiums did not need as much parking. The Christchurch stadium didn’t have any car parking right on the site.
“At Skyfire they have 115,000 people around the lake, of which 40,000 are at Regatta Point. We’re talking about a concert venue of 36,000 at Regatta Place and a light rail operating,” he said.
Mr Byron said it was in the Airport’s interests to back a facility that put Canberra on the map and supported tourism and major events.
“The Christchurch stadium was born out of an economic trauma that came post-earthquake, where the heart of the city was really struggling to be reborn, and I think the heart of Canberra, the city, needs to be reborn,” he said.
“If you go to an event, whether it’s football or a concert, it’s about more than just the spectacle that you look at; it’s about before the event and after the event, and it’s in the heart of our city.”