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Raising the roof on Australia's World Cup chances
* EXCLUSIVE by Phil Rothfield
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* December 10, 2009 12:00AM
Raising the roof ... an artist's impression of ANZ Stadium. Source: The Daily Telegraph
THIS is the $150 million makeover that could knock out Melbourne and ensure Sydney wins the fight to be Australia's nominated host for soccer's World Cup final.
This artist's impression shows how ANZ Stadium would be transformed into a rectangular venue for soccer's showpiece, with a roof over the stadium and an extra 7000 seats, increasing the ground's capacity to 90,000.
The high-tech, retractable and transparent roof, the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, would protect fans from the elements and let natural light filter through.
Moveable northern and southern grandstand tiers would bring fans behind the goals up closer to the action, instead of being seated in the existing curved ends that are required for oval sports.
At rugby league events, fans are currently seated 23m from the dead-ball line.
With the revamp, spectators at each end would be only 5m from the line.
It is understood the revolutionary pivoting tiers technology would allow the end grandstands to retract for AFL and cricket.
The draft master plan developed for the 10-year-old stadium aims to create a better atmosphere for fans, improve player facilities and give regular tenants - league, union, AFL and cricket - more corporate and commercial opportunities.
The benefits for soccer's rival codes, which have been critical of the effect the World Cup will have on their regular seasons, are essential to win support.
"The big play here is an evolution of ANZ Stadium as a multi-purpose major event venue for grand finals, Origins, Bledisloe Cups, international cricket and rock concerts," said a source close to the project.
"But the revamp must also deliver a true rectangle like the world's best football stadiums if Sydney wants to host the World Cup final.
"We won't get it with a venue that hasn't changed much since the Olympics because FIFA will want a stadium that's a monument for the world game and even bigger than the Olympics. This makeover will deliver that.
"It will knock Melbourne out."
The Daily Telegraph understands that FIFA would be reluctant to stage its showpiece game at the MCG, a specialist cricket and AFL ground that cannot easily be made into a rectangular venue.
The final plan and architect designs will be presented to NSW Government officials and the FFA bid team that is chasing the rights to the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.
Stadium plans to seal the deal
* Exclusive by Dean Ritchie and Phil Rothfield
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* December 10, 2009 12:00AM
Close to the action...an artist's impression of the proposal for a redeveloped ANZ Stadium featuring a transparent roof. Source: The Daily Telegraph
THEY are the stadium developments that will make Sydney the envy of the sporting world and transform the city into a rugby league lovers' paradise.
Proposals for a radical redesign of ANZ Stadium - complete with transparent roof - and the construction of a brand new, 40,000-seat rugby league ground in the heart of Sydney's southwest could be the pay-off for supporting Australia's bid for the football World Cup.
In what would be soccer's greatest gift to rugby league, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Campbelltown is favourite to become the fourth NSW venue to host World Cup matches if Australia's bid is successful for 2018 or 2022.
The new stadium would be built on the existing site of Campbelltown Stadium, just off the M5 and would provide a state-of-the-art home ground for the Wests Tigers.
It would seat 40,000 fans and the technology and comfort would be a world away from the conditions available to players and supporters at the current ground.
The Campbelltown proposal would go hand-in-hand with the redevelopment of ANZ Stadium, which is being earmarked as the jewel in the crown for Australia's World Cup bid.
A $150 million upgrade of the Homebush arena would see it transformed into a rectangular venue with retractable seating at each end of the field, bringing fans to within five metres of the action and increasing capacity to 90,000.
But the most spectacular alteration would be the addition of a huge transparent roof over the vast expanse of the arena, protecting fans from the elements but still allowing sunlight to bathe the field and stands.
While Campbelltown is presently the favoured location for the new stadium, Football Federation Australia and Events NSW are yet to determine exactly where the venue will be.
Blacktown is also being considered as a proposed site, as are Gosford and Wollongong.
The stadium would become the state's fourth World Cup arena venue, along with ANZ Stadium, the SFS and Newcastle's EnergyAustralia Stadium.
The development would provide NSW with four venues for rugby league capable of holding at least 40,000 fans and re-enforce the state's reputation as the true home of the code.
Adding to the delight of NRL fans is the fact that Greater Western Sydney - the new AFL franchise keen to get a foothold in Sydney's league heartland - is unlikely to consider playing at the new stadium because it will be designed as a rectangular arena.
At present, Campbelltown Stadium is run down and the existing grandstand is in desperate need of repair. The dressingrooms and press facilities are simply not up to modern-day standards.
A new stadium would allow the Tigers to play out of Campbelltown for decades to come.
The move also shows FFA is prepared to work with the NRL and that rugby league will not sabotage soccer's bid.
FFA CEO Ben Buckley and NRL chief executive David Gallop are due to meet tomorrow.
One well-placed source said: "You will find the stadium will be built in Campbelltown. There was some talk of Blacktown but Campbelltown is favourite."
Tigers director Ben Elias said footy fans in southwest Sydney have patiently waited for such a world-class development.
"The people of western Sydney deserve it," Elias said. "Right in the middle of Tiger territory - it would be fantastic. Western Sydney is where the people are.
"It would make a great home ground at Campbelltown for the Tigers, too. It will give us a home ground out there for years to come. I'm sure the NRL will be more accommodating to the World Cup bid than the AFL."
Last night, Gallop said he was unaware of any stadium plans for western Sydney. While Penrith chief executive Mick Leary said he hoped the new stadium would be built at nearby Blacktown - a Panthers junior league area - he stressed the club would remain at CUA Stadium.
"We would all love a new stadium but having said that, it is another thing to fill it," Leary said.
"But we wouldn't move from CUA. I would be loath to do that."
The ARU said last night it would consider playing Test matches in western Sydney - although the internationals would be against the world's second-tier nations such as Fiji, Scotland and Italy.
"We are always reviewing our Test matches and venue options," an ARU spokesman said.
"A world-class stadium in Sydney's west would come under consideration.
"Anything is possible."
More people will turn up if you are closer to the ground + you have a roof so it isn't as cold or wet.
