The premier’s resistance to a roof is in stark contrast to advocacy from stadium body Venues NSW,which is finalising a business case for the $300 million-plus project. It also puts him at odds with the Las Vegas epiphany of Sports Minister Steve Kamper,who has said the government was “seriously looking” at the roof.
Chris Minns on Friday.Nine News
Shadow treasurer Damien Tudehope seized on the apparent gulf between Minns and Kamper on Friday,saying the government should be providing cost-of-living relief for families,not “fighting amongst themselves about the stadium roof”.
The business case will also investigate the option of a fixed,non-retractable roof at Accor (also known as Stadium Australia,its unbranded name),which would be substantially cheaper.
The roof push has resurfaced following the NRL’s round one excursion to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium,which has a permanent,transparent roof made from a fluorine-based plastic.
Kamper has said such a roof “potentially would suit Accor”,and Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys is also a convert. “Before I went to Allegiant Stadium,I couldn’t see the benefits of having a roof,” he has said. “I wasn’t a fan,but I am now.”
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas ahead of the opening round of this year’s NRL season.Getty Images North America
But on Friday Minns made his strongest remarks to date against a roof at Accor,after statements of support for a refit from major sporting codes. “No flies on them,I can completely get why they would like the government to do it,” Minns said.
“We’ve got to assess what revenue benefit we would get as a result of that infrastructure. But I’ve also got to watch out for the budget,and there’s real pressure on the NSW budget from everything from emergency service funding to schools and hospitals,and they have got to take priority.”
Minns said rain-affected events – such as Pink’s first show at Allianz in February,or Taylor Swift’s first night at Accor – were part of having open-air stadiums. “Most stadiums around the world,even in cold weather climates,even in communities that have far more inclement weather than Sydney does,don’t have roofs on their stadiums,” he said. “We would love to do it,but they’re expensive.”
The price tag to install a retractable roof on the 25-year-old stadium is estimated upward of $300 million,though when asked by a listener onThe Kyle and Jackie O Show in February,Minns said he “got an estimate” in the range of $150 to $250 million. “No plans right now,” Minns told the caller.
There are calls to fit a roof to Accor Stadium.Nearmap
On the other hand,there are calls to go even further and revive plans to rebuild or refurbish Accor,with the future Metro West train line providing significantly improved access to Olympic Park. The previous Coalition government abandoned both plans,in 2018 and 2020 respectively,amid a political scrap that became known as the “stadium wars”.
In 2022,the Coalition gave Venues NSW $5 million to prepare a business case for a retractable roof at Stadium Australia. It is nearly complete.
At a budget estimates hearing in February,Venues NSW chief executive Kerrie Mather said a roof would provide “a massive competitive advantage” for NSW,though she did not give a dollar figure.
“We could accommodate more concerts,” Mather said. “It would certainly enable us to compete very effectively against Melbourne. They have a number of stadiums and arenas with operable roofs,and we actually have none.”
Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium has a retractable roof,as does Rod Laver Arena,the centre court of the Australian Open (which is also used for concerts).
The federal government’s recent review of goods and services tax distribution has also made the roof more unlikely,with the NSW budget taking a $1.65 billion hit.
Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou,who advocates putting a roof on the stadium,acknowledged there was “not enough money in the bank” to do everything.
“Most people would understand the economic situation,” he said. “It’s up to the government to make the call as to what’s a nice-to-have and what’s desperately required.”
Venues NSW said in a statement that a business case was under way and would be presented to the government when completed.
