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The NSW Government is reported to have abandoned plans to build a new stadium in the Western Sydney suburb of Penrith, instead opting to spend allocated funds on refurbishing the existing BlueBet Stadium.

The move is to be made as a result of rising costs which saw plans for the new stadium on a site next to the BlueBet Stadium, originally budgeted to cost $309 million, increasing to more than $900 million.

As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, the refurbishment is likely to include a rebuild of the ground’s main grandstand and upgrading of other facilities.

Part of a plan by the former NSW Government for massive updating of suburban venues, the new Penrith Stadium had been championed by former NSW Sports Minister and Penrith MP Stuart Ayres.

However, plans for the acquisition of the neighbouring Penrith Paceway harness racing venue had for the new stadium had been subject to local objections.

Advising that early estimates on the cost of the project had indicated that buying the paceway site and building a new stadium would cost more than $900 million, NSW Sports Minister, Steve Kamper told the Sydney Morning Herald “the former government’s plan to shift the stadium to the paceway site would’ve tripled the cost.

“The (current) government committed to reviewing major infrastructure projects to ensure they would not go massively over budget. We will continue to work with government agencies and local stakeholders to finalise the design and delivery of the project.”

Last month Infrastructure NSW wrote to Penrith Paceway to confirm that the compulsory acquisition of the site had been withdrawn, with a spokesperson for the agency confirming that “no further commercial negotiations to acquire the site are going ahead”.

Following its election in March, the administration headed by NSW Premier Chris Minns advised that the NSW Government will no longer fund the upgrade of suburban sporting stadia and, in particular, the rebuilding of rugby league grounds.

Beyond $300 million already committed for the redevelopment of the Penrith Stadium, the new advised it would not fund planned upgrades to suburban grounds such as Leichhardt Oval, Brookvale Oval and Shark Park in Cronulla. 

Despite this, the NRL has continued to lobby for a program of extensive spending on suburban stadia in Sydney, while not making a commitment for the NRL Grand Final to remain in Sydney after this year.

Image: Penrith’s BlueBet Stadium is to be refurbished rather than a new stadium being built.

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