This month's state budget is likely to include funding to redevelop at least one of three suburban stadiums in Sydney.
Businesses cases for Penrith, Kogarah and Brookvale stadiums are being used to inform funding ahead June 22, where the cash not used after the $810 million ANZ Stadium redevelopment was cancelled would be redirected as part of the NSW Government's boutique stadiums strategy.
While it sounds lovely, and I'm sure the locals would love it, funding for one of these stadiums would be coming four years after the Berejiklian government trotted out the metaphoric glitter cannons to announce the Hunter Sports and Entertainment Precinct, also known as Hunter Park.
On the cards since 2017, the project has stalled. This is despite Broadmeadow being Newcastle's next major renewal precinct and despite Infrastructure Australia identifying it as a regional priority.
With Newcastle's capacity to host world-class sporting events long proven there is no reason for the government to announce this project and then hold it back.
In fact, despite our ability to put on an event and being shortlisted, Newcastle was dropped as a host venue for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. I'm not implying that there weren't other factors involved, but when the bid even earmarked Newcastle as the host of the third place play-off you can't help but wonder if our facilities had anything to do with it.
Last year, the Sporting Venues Authority Bill waspassed. This legislation brought a range of sporting and entertainment venues in NSW under a single board, including McDonald Jones Stadium, the Newcastle Entertainment Centre and the showground.
NSW Labor successfully fought to have the bill amended so a Hunter advisory committee would be established, and to have a Hunter representative on the new Venues NSW board. Despite local venues being covered by this bill, Hunter representation had not been on the radar of the NSW Government, which is probably no surprise to anyone this side of the Hawkesbury.
With our committee and board representative locked in, there is nothing standing in the way of the government funding a business case for this precinct.
The government has already spent more than $1 billion on the Sydney Football Stadium and Bankwest Stadium, and is looking at throwing more money at Sydney. The best time for Newcastle to receive its fair share of sports funding was in the past three budgets. The second-best time is now.
