Overview
Earlier this year, the NSW Government announced that it would be knocking down Moore Park's Allianz Stadium (AKA Sydney Football Stadium) and rebuilding it for the tidy sum of $729 million. While whether or not this close-to-a-billion-dollar exercise is exactly necessary is still up for debate, plans are speeding ahead.
Construction on the predominantly rugby and soccer stadium — which closed last week — is expected to begin later this year, and the government has just released the first designs for the new state-of-the-art sporting facility.
The new stadium, designed by Cox Architects, will have a roof that can reflect noise back into the stadium and be lit up with the home team's colours and a bronze façade inspired by Sydney's sandstone geology. Any further design specifics have been kept pretty quiet, but News Corp is reporting that it'll be Australia's most 'female-friendly' stadium with bigger and better change room facilities and bathrooms. A reflection, perhaps, on the growing popularity of NRLW and AFLW.
Allianz Stadium, and the adjacent Sydney Cricket Ground, will be serviced by the new CBD and South East Light Rail, which is — at this stage — expected to be completed by mid-2020.
On the other side of the city, Sydney Olympic Park's ANZ Stadium will all also be getting an expensive facelift. The 75,000-seater stadium — which hosts everything from the rugby league games to Taylor Swift concerts — is undergoing a $810 million renovation which is slated to start in late 2019 and be completed by mid-2021.
Sydney Football Stadium is slated for completion in 2022.