SQUARING UP ON STADIUM PUSH
TASMANIA has a promise for a rectangular stadium to host domestic and international football, rugby union and rugby league.
Opposition sports spokesman David O’Byrne made the pledge as Labor became the first party to back and promise funding for the rectangular stadium.
It will be built in Hobart for a capacity of 10,000 to 15,000 fans and be capable of hosting concerts.
Mr O’Byrne said Labor would fund a task force to the tune of about $1m that would
find the ideal location, ownership structure, size and determine exactly how much it would cost.
“We will know when the report comes back then we’ll have a finite figure,” Mr O’Byrne said.
“But it is not a small figure, we know it is in the tens of millions.”
He said it would be a gamechanger in the state’s quest to land an A-League licence, as well as hosting high-level rugby and rugby league games.
“When Tasmania lost out on hosting (FIFA) women’s World Cup games it sent shockwaves through the whole state,” he said. “Enough was enough, we deserve to have a stadium, we deserve to host not only these national games, but these international games as well.
“This is a ticket towards getting an A-League team and getting more content in Tasmania for rugby union, rugby league and other sports we can host on rectangular stadiums.”
Football Australia chairman Chris Nikou welcomed the move and said it would contribute to the state’s push for an A-League team.
“FA ultimately ticks that off but certainly a rectangular stadium is, I think, a significant step in doing that,” Mr Nikou said.
Rugby Tasmania president Ebony Altimira said it would also benefit her sport.
“Rugby Australia is in a bid for the 2027 World Cup so this would make it a strong point for Tasmania to get some of those games and actually base some of the international teams in Tasmania as well,” Ms Altimira said.
Mr O’Byrne said Tasmania was the only state without an appropriate rectangle stadium.
“Football in Tasmania has been desperately crying out for an appropriate facility,” he said.