The current stadium, has not received a significant upgrade since it opened in 1985. Wanderers executive chairman Lyall Gorman predicts demand by fans will soon exceed the 20,700 seating capacity with club membership now exceeding 14,000.
Continued strong demand for Wanderer’s membership will result in numbers being capped. Similarly, when the Parramatta Eels reach their targeted 40,000 members, the stadium’s current seating capacity will be unable to cope with demand.
One only has to visit the stadium on game days to realise that the food and beverage service, corporate, and player facilities are tired and are in dire need of rejuvenation. In reality, the stadium is too old and small to cope with the expected crowds.
So it was welcome news when the Federal Government announced a $20 million grant to upgrade the stadium.
This will provide an additional 3,300 seats, refurbish player facilities and build new corporate areas. This is the first stage in a larger $110 million dollar master plan to expand the stadium to 35,000 seats to become a boutique International venue.
I support Parramatta Stadium upgrade for important three reasons. The first is the need to provide sporting venues for the community. Playing and watching sports are an integral part of the lives many Australians and encouraging young people to get involved in sports is increasingly important.
Both the Eels and Wanderers have extensive community based teams and school programs that encourage young people to actively participate in sport.
Second, the stadium is a NSW Government asset. As a government, we need to maximise its usage. After 28 years, we need to upgrade capacity and facilities to attract new events to ensure we maximise its return for the community.
As anchor tenants, together the Wanderers and Eels are committed to play 24 home games at the stadium. However, we need to host more major events to drive revenue and ensure the financial sustainability of the stadium.
This is an increasingly competitive market with our closest competitor ANZ Stadium, has a seating capacity of 80,000, long-term plans for a $250m upgrade, and offers very attractive financial incentives to draw in major events.
Third, the economic multiplier effect of major events is unquestionable. Parramatta Council recently estimated that the first season of the Wanderers generated $17 million for the local economy. More block-buster home games will mean more money into local business and more local jobs.
I will continue to advocate for Parramatta Stadium for its continued upgrade for these reasons.
• There is however a more important question for Western Sydney and the government.
• Recent PWC analysis of venues identified the need for a Western Sydney stadium sometime in the future.
• Both Penrith and Fairfield, and I suspect many other areas, are floating stadium proposals – as the stadium for Western Sydney. Yet Parramatta as the capital of Western Sydney makes the most sense.
It makes the most sense because of Parramatta’s central location in Western Sydney – it has the largest bus and train transport interchange outside the Sydney CBD while arterial roads from all direction converge into Parramatta.
Parramatta’s pre- and post-match entertainment facilities are by far the most comprehensive in Western Sydney.
It makes sense because the State Government already owns the Parramatta Stadium and only needs to upgrade and expand the existing venue.
I will champion a broader vision for Parramatta Stadium to become part of a larger sporting, recreation and leisure precinct for the Western Sydney community – a master plan that encompasses the precinct and surrounding public domain, meets the needs of this fast growing region and creates a next generation sporting and recreational precinct.
Parramatta Stadium is the nucleus of the precinct that extends from the council pool to the Leagues Club along O’Connell Street.
A community sporting precinct with shared facilities for football codes, sporting groups and the wider community - shared facilities that include indoor multi-purpose courts, pools, gym, playing fields and sports education - a true Western Sydney community sports facility where young people train next to professional athletes.
Ultimately it’s all about experience. We must be able to deliver an experience that matches spectator expectations, it needs to match corporate needs and be financially sustainable.
We need to make strategic decisions to best leverage the limited funds available and make best use of our assets now and for the future needs of Western Sydney.
