Yes, and a 30,000 seat stadium will never be built in the city. Ever. I'd love to see one there but it will never happen. Too many nearby apartment residents to deal with, major road realignments and demolishing existing infrastructure to get it over the line. Plans are now being approved to build even more apartments across the road from the pool. There are now apartments right up Allara St.greeneyed wrote:If the Stadium is to be rebuilt on the present site it needs hotels, commercial premises etc around it. The AIS is in long term decline due to a shift in the model for sports development. I’m not sure that’s been a good thing, but it does allow young athletes to stay at home, which is a good thing. The whole precinct needs redevelopment.
It was hard enough to get lights into Manuka oval, let alone build a massive stadium among what is now a growing residential area. Don't you live in the Kingston area? How do you find the traffic and noise when a big cricket game is on?
So, back in the real world, somebody needs to decide where the best alternative is. There is no existing infrastructure at EPIC or in Molonglo either. There are no ideal options that tick all the boxes, such as a central location, sufficient vacant land and existing infrastructure. If there was, a stadium would have been built years ago.
Build a better stadium at Bruce and then build improved facilities around it. If the AIS precinct is upgraded, there should be more than enough residents in the Bruce/Lawson/Kaleen area to support restaurants and bars, let alone the fact that CIT and Uni of Canberra is also right at the doorstep, so plenty of students to support some nightlife in the area.
I'd love a stadium in the City, but concede it is not possible to build one of the size we really need.