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Infrastructure NSW and Venues NSW have confirmed that the cost of building Sydney’s new Allianz Stadium went 20% over budget, costing $828 million against $729 million allocated by the NSW Government in 2019.

The rebuilt venue, will host its first matches today, a NRLW-NRL double-header, following a community open day last Sunday,

While Infrastructure NSW told a budget estimates hearing on Thursday it expected a final bill of $820 million, falling under the revised budget, an additional $53.7 million is also attributable to the reconstruction of Venues NSW facilities.

Those facilities including a members’ aquatic and fitness facility, had, according to Venues NSW Chief Executive Kerrie Mather been demolished to make way for the stadium reconstruction.

The promise to rebuild Allianz Stadium (Sydney Football Stadium) and Accor Stadium (Stadium Australia) in Sydney Olympic Park was a polarising issue at the 2019 NSW election while demands from the Australian Rugby League Commission and NRL to develop other stadia across Sydney remain controversial.

Amid uncertainty over these developments and the NRL reportedly considering legal action against the NSW Government for going on its previous commitment to spend $800 million on a refurbishment of Accor Stadium - a condition of the competition’s contract with the NSW Government in 2018 to keep the NRL Grand Final in Sydney until 2042, NSW Sports Minister, Alister Henskens told the hearing “that (lawsuit) is unlikely, given nothing has happened for two years and for any specific performance suit, there would need to be a demonstration that a party has acted quickly.”

No decision made on acquiring land for Penrith Stadium redevelopment
Minister Henskens provided less certainty over the redevelopment of Penrith Stadium, telling the hearing he had not seen the business case for its redevelopment while advising that no decision had been taken to acquire the Penrith Paceway harness racing venue next door, despite issuing notices to begin compulsory acquisition.

Advising that the project scope was still being determined and that it had not been decided whether to build on the Penrith Panthers’ home or on the adjacent Penrith Paceway site, Minister Henskens noted “that (the $309 million allocation) is the current provision within the budget.”

Infrastructure NSW said it had entered negotiations with the Paceway’s owners to determine the feasibility and cost of building there.

NSW Office of Sport Chief Executive, Karen Jones, also told the hearing “the business case was being re-prosecuted” adding that the cost-benefit ratio for the project was positive.

Images show the new Allianz Stadium. Credit: Venues NSW.

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