Lambretta
First Grade
- Messages
- 8,679
Letter I sent to SMH
I love sport and am a regular attendee to Sydney Roosters and Sydney FC games both of who play at the SFS (Allianz)
Growing up in the UK I went to many sporting events there over the years and appreciate what a good stadium Allianz is
Sure it’s not the most up to the minute stadium, but you have an unobstructed view from almost anywhere in the ground and it holds 40,000 people. OK, so it probably needs a roof to protect you in the wet, but a knock down and re-build? That makes no sense at all.
ANZ, or Stadium Australia on the other hand is appalling – the front row seats are miles from the playing area and are banked so slightly that by the time you gain any elevation (something sports fans appreciate), you’re in the next suburb. It needs knocking down and re-building. But the costs quoted are ridiculous.
Arsenal’s stadium in London cost around $1 billion, adjusted to todays’ money and on that basis, spending a billion on a similar sized stadium seems fine
However, looking down the list at other football stadiums in the UK you wonder where the money is going
Manchester City’s Ethihad Stadium holds 55,000 people and cost less than 200 million pounds adjusted for inflation even with the works to alter and increase the stadium capacity
Brighton’s Amex Stadium holds 37,500 people and was built in 2011 for less than 100 million pounds
Cardiff City’s stadium holds 33,000 people and was built in 2007 for less than 50 million pounds
But the jewel in the crown of sensible stadium designs is Stadium MK in Milton Keynes. Built in 2005 for 30 million pounds – it was initially a 20,500 all seater stadium, with an additional tier included for further seating
When additional seating was required, they merely put in a further 10,000 seats at very little additional cost, as the structure was already there, bringing the capacity to 30,500 – more than sufficient for most sporting occasions in Australia. What is even better is that it cost the club nothing to build. The club owned the land and they leased the land rights to IKEA and ASDA to build stores on their land and Hilton built a Hotel in the side of the stadium. There are even hotel suites with views onto the pitch itself. What a romantic getaway idea!
But 30,000 isn’t big enough I hear people cry – oh well, the roof can easily be dismantled and another tier added bringing the capacity up to 45,000 and all for less than one tenth of the proposed cost of one of the stadiums being suggested for Sydney. At that cost, the Government could build brand new 30,000 seat stadiums in Cronulla, Penrith, Manly, Wollongong and Campbelltown. Not only that, but they could get businesses to assist with the cost of actually paying for the construction by entering into meaningful partnerships with retail outlets.
You have to ask yourself why are the costs so high? Where is the money going? Who will be reaping the benefits in the future?
I love sport and am a regular attendee to Sydney Roosters and Sydney FC games both of who play at the SFS (Allianz)
Growing up in the UK I went to many sporting events there over the years and appreciate what a good stadium Allianz is
Sure it’s not the most up to the minute stadium, but you have an unobstructed view from almost anywhere in the ground and it holds 40,000 people. OK, so it probably needs a roof to protect you in the wet, but a knock down and re-build? That makes no sense at all.
ANZ, or Stadium Australia on the other hand is appalling – the front row seats are miles from the playing area and are banked so slightly that by the time you gain any elevation (something sports fans appreciate), you’re in the next suburb. It needs knocking down and re-building. But the costs quoted are ridiculous.
Arsenal’s stadium in London cost around $1 billion, adjusted to todays’ money and on that basis, spending a billion on a similar sized stadium seems fine
However, looking down the list at other football stadiums in the UK you wonder where the money is going
Manchester City’s Ethihad Stadium holds 55,000 people and cost less than 200 million pounds adjusted for inflation even with the works to alter and increase the stadium capacity
Brighton’s Amex Stadium holds 37,500 people and was built in 2011 for less than 100 million pounds
Cardiff City’s stadium holds 33,000 people and was built in 2007 for less than 50 million pounds
But the jewel in the crown of sensible stadium designs is Stadium MK in Milton Keynes. Built in 2005 for 30 million pounds – it was initially a 20,500 all seater stadium, with an additional tier included for further seating
When additional seating was required, they merely put in a further 10,000 seats at very little additional cost, as the structure was already there, bringing the capacity to 30,500 – more than sufficient for most sporting occasions in Australia. What is even better is that it cost the club nothing to build. The club owned the land and they leased the land rights to IKEA and ASDA to build stores on their land and Hilton built a Hotel in the side of the stadium. There are even hotel suites with views onto the pitch itself. What a romantic getaway idea!
But 30,000 isn’t big enough I hear people cry – oh well, the roof can easily be dismantled and another tier added bringing the capacity up to 45,000 and all for less than one tenth of the proposed cost of one of the stadiums being suggested for Sydney. At that cost, the Government could build brand new 30,000 seat stadiums in Cronulla, Penrith, Manly, Wollongong and Campbelltown. Not only that, but they could get businesses to assist with the cost of actually paying for the construction by entering into meaningful partnerships with retail outlets.
You have to ask yourself why are the costs so high? Where is the money going? Who will be reaping the benefits in the future?
