Mega Thread Port Forum General AFL Thread Part 29

[Holden Hillbilly]

Review finds Hobart stadium costs to 'exceed $1 billion'

A leading independent economist tasked with reviewing Tasmania's proposal to build an AFL stadium on Hobart's waterfront finds the project is "already displaying the hallmarks of mismanagement" and is likely to exceed $1 billion.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Andre]

Review finds Hobart stadium costs to 'exceed $1 billion'

A leading independent economist tasked with reviewing Tasmania's proposal to build an AFL stadium on Hobart's waterfront finds the project is "already displaying the hallmarks of mismanagement" and is likely to exceed $1 billion.

www.abc.net.au

Infrastructure project runs massively over budget and/or time.

 

[240volt]

Tassie’s want a stadium but can’t afford it.
I can’t see how this proposal will ever get passed in its current format.

 

[Festerz]

Tassie’s want a stadium but can’t afford it.
I can’t see how this proposal will ever get passed in its current format.

A Federal election is due in months. One predicted to lead to a minority government that will be totally reliant on on independents.

Join the dots on what you think will happen next. . Dutton and Albanese will be falling over themselves to give Tasmania all they need. Feck, the Hobart stadium might have multiple helipads and a spinning dome that can be seen from the Moon before it's finished.

The AFL always knew this was going to be the outcome when they forced the construction of a new undercover stadium as part of the deal to get a Tassie team in the AFL. It was all about leveraging politicians. Because the AFL couldn't be assed dealing with their own politics - specifically cutting back the number of teams, especially in Melbourne, to make the whole AFL more economically sustainable.

The announcement based on clearly BS numbers was made prior to the last Tasmanian election in early 2024. Nothing has changed - just that the rest of Australia's taxpayers will now be required to cover the shortfall and the new team will have to play games at the existing Tas AFL stadiums in Hobart and Launceston until the new stadium is complete.

But hey, what about that clever marketing campaign with the $10 stickers eh.

 

[Jonts]

Yeah economically that stadium will be a white elephant
Will hit 1.1 Billion I think

 

[Festerz]

Yeah economically that stadium will be a white elephant
Will hit 1.1 Billion I think

For a 23,000 seat stadium.

Bargain!

 

[240volt]

For a 23,000 seat stadium.

Bargain!

Sure is considering there public hospitals are totally fk’d.

 

[SonOfKek]

Expansion of the current stadium in Tassie is causing concerns for people who live in the area as parking demands would increase exponentially. A new stadium would offer parking and access to public transport but would cost a billy (thanks to inflation and a very weak economy).

There really is no fair and equitable solution for them, is there?

 

[VineValerian]

LOL.
Australia's batting duds have once again collapsed like a wet cardboard box when it really counts, and virtually gifted the Border-Gavaskar trophy back to the visitors.
Wouldn't bet on us to chase 120 in the final innings

 

[240volt]

LOL.
Australia's batting duds have once again collapsed like a wet cardboard box when it really counts, and virtually gifted the Border-Gavaskar trophy back to the visitors.
Wouldn't bet on us to chase 120 in the final innings

They bat scared, pushing and prodding.
it’s almost English like before Bazball came along.

 

[Port 2004]

They bat scared, pushing and prodding.
it’s almost English like before Bazball came along.

Bit like our mob in finals.

 

[240volt]

Bit like our mob in finals.

Very true, our bowlers have been carrying the side, they can’t keep doing it forever.
Our mids carry us they can’t keep doing it forever.
At the end of the day unless you have a total team effort your going nowhere.

 

[Steve Dore]

LOL.
Australia's batting duds have once again collapsed like a wet cardboard box when it really counts, and virtually gifted the Border-Gavaskar trophy back to the visitors.
Wouldn't bet on us to chase 120 in the final innings

Need Kenny Hinkley to rev them up.

 

[240volt]

Need Kenny Hinkley to rev them up.

At least he’d be hard to get out

 

[edgie]

At least he’d be hard to get out

K. Hinkley
26 runs
315 balls
Not out

Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using Tapatalk

 

[edgie]

Why didn't the Tassie government or footy club take the AFL to task over how unreasonable the condition of a new stadium was? I assume something to do with biting the hand that feeds them ie Victoria?

It was a bullshit request and the AFL was doing anything it could make it hard/easy for them to deny.

Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using Tapatalk

 

[240volt]

K. Hinkley
26 runs
315 balls
Not out

Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using Tapatalk

Boycott Hinkley !

 

[Festerz]

Why didn't the Tassie government or footy club take the AFL to task over how unreasonable the condition of a new stadium was? I assume something to do with biting the hand that feeds them ie Victoria?

Bread and Circuses mate.

Grand sporting arenas and pumping money into sporting events to keep the people happy, regardless of the budget impact, has been a thing for Emperors and political leaders for thousands of years.

Made up drawings of what a new sporting stadium will look like on the front page of the local rag, printed alongside inflated BS numbers on the thousands of jobs and 'economic benefits' created and grossly understated costings for getting them wins elections.

The Tasmanian Government happily went along with the AFL plan knowing this.

 

[Steve Dore]

Boycott Hinkley !

More Colin Cowdrey than Geoffrey Boycott.

 

[Festerz]

Expansion of the current stadium in Tassie is causing concerns for people who live in the area as parking demands would increase exponentially. A new stadium would offer parking and access to public transport but would cost a billy (thanks to inflation and a very weak economy).

There really is no fair and equitable solution for them, is there?

The last paragraphs of exec summary of the Gruen Report make absolute sense to me and is what should have happened in the first place, were short term politics and egos not the primary drivers:

'In the remarkable story of the JackJumpers, Tasmania has shown how positive such projects can be — and, in so doing, what the Tasmania Devils might be able to contribute to the state. They galvanise community action and, as they succeed, community pride. They can become an ornament to Tasmania and Australia’s national game. In signing over 200,000 introductory paying members already (even at the reduced rates charged) the Devils promise the same for the AFL.'

"Tasmanians, and all who wish to see a Tasmanian AFL team succeed, need to take the time to get the stadium right. That can be done by returning to the original timetable for the stadium proposed in Tasmania’s 2019 AFL Taskforce report, namely that the “first 5-7 seasons” be played at UTAS and Ninja Stadium at Bellerive while a proper process is put in place to locate, design, cost and build a new stadium."

 

[240volt]

More Colin Cowdrey than Geoffrey Boycott.

I don’t know, Cowdrey showed a lot of guts when he got a call to come to Australia to join the side.
He was in his 40s and had to face Thompson at his fastest.
Hinkley wouldn’t have answered the phone and hid under the bed.

 

[tribey]

A Federal election is due in months. One predicted to lead to a minority government that will be totally reliant on on independents.

Join the dots on what you think will happen next. . Dutton and Albanese will be falling over themselves to give Tasmania all they need. Feck, the Hobart stadium might have multiple helipads and a spinning dome that can be seen from the Moon before it's finished.

The AFL always knew this was going to be the outcome when they forced the construction of a new undercover stadium as part of the deal to get a Tassie team in the AFL. It was all about leveraging politicians. Because the AFL couldn't be assed dealing with their own politics - specifically cutting back the number of teams, especially in Melbourne, to make the whole AFL more economically sustainable.

The announcement based on clearly BS numbers was made prior to the last Tasmanian election in early 2024. Nothing has changed - just that the rest of Australia's taxpayers will now be required to cover the shortfall and the new team will have to play games at the existing Tas AFL stadiums in Hobart and Launceston until the new stadium is complete.

But hey, what about that clever marketing campaign with the $10 stickers eh.

If the SA government could give Cosi $400,000+ to build an AirBNB on his own land at a time when commoners were dipping into their Super to ward off foreclosure, some treasury beancounter will find the spare change for the Apple Isle Arena.

 

[El_Scorcho]

There's no such thing as an independent report.

Regardless, the Tasmanian government just need to get it done, lest they become the next Nerio Ferraro, ruining the chances of their state ever getting an AFL side. The bleating about return on investment is laughable. Stadiums aren't about ROI, it's an investment in culture. Just ensure that as much of the money as possible goes to Tasmanian businesses and workers.

The opponents of the stadium talking about alternative locations or longer timelines are lying, it's just kicking the can down the road so they can regroup and oppose it later. They'll attempt to block a new stadium in any format and in any location. Jacqui Lambie's entire schtick is complaining about what she sees as wasted government spending, she'll always oppose something like this because it's what wins her votes.

Remember all the dumb campaigners protesting against the Adelaide Oval redevelopment that revitalised the city?

 

[Andre]

There's no such thing as an independent report.

Regardless, the Tasmanian government just need to get it done, lest they become the next Nerio Ferraro, ruining the chances of their state ever getting an AFL side. The bleating about return on investment is laughable. Stadiums aren't about ROI, it's an investment in culture. Just ensure that as much of the money as possible goes to Tasmanian businesses and workers.

Yeah, let's be realistic. If Tasmania has played for 5-7 seasons at the existing grounds, the only two choices from that point, are they are wound up as a failed experiment, or they forever keep playing at them. There's no way they are playing those grounds, and then there's the support from all parties (AFL, State and Federal governments) for a stadium. The AFL has their team and there's not the votes in upgrading Tassie to a new Stadium.

It took one SA side on the brink of going under, the other slowly getting smaller crowds as well and eventually heading the same way AND getting SACA on board, to finally get AO going. Plenty of 'glory' for all the pollies involved in that, as the saviours of both Football and Cricket in SA.

The AFL and governments were right to effectively blackmail Tasmanian's into making the choice now. They either take a new stadium and an AFL team, or accept they aren't getting an AFL side anytime in the next 20 - 25 years, whether they deserve one or not. Those are the two choices, not 'wait and see' or 'something cheaper' (as if infrastructure costs are going to magically come down, rather than most likely continue outpacing inflation).

 

[El_Scorcho]

Yeah, let's be realistic. If Tasmania has played for 5-7 seasons at the existing grounds, the only two choices from that point, are they are wound up as a failed experiment, or they forever keep playing at them. There's no way they are playing those grounds, and then there's the support from all parties (AFL, State and Federal governments) for a stadium. The AFL has their team and there's not the votes in upgrading Tassie to a new Stadium.

It took one SA side on the brink of going under, the other slowly getting smaller crowds as well and eventually heading the same way AND getting SACA on board, to finally get AO going. Plenty of 'glory' for all the pollies involved in that, as the saviours of both Football and Cricket in SA.

The AFL and governments were right to effectively blackmail Tasmanian's into making the choice now. They either take a new stadium and an AFL team, or accept they aren't getting an AFL side anytime in the next 20 - 25 years, whether they deserve one or not. Those are the two choices, not 'wait and see' or 'something cheaper' (as if infrastructure costs are going to magically come down, rather than most likely continue outpacing inflation).

Absolutely. There's never going to be a magical time in the future where all of these people are okay with a new stadium. There will always be protests. The only way to get something like this going is to strongarm people into making a decision.

Similarly, it's insane to me that the QLD Govt didn't end up using the Olympics to update the Gabba, which is an awful outdated stadium desperately in need of refurbishment. It's a wasted opportunity which will end up being even more expensive to fix later. Despite how we in Adelaide have seen that a stadium refurbishment can revitalise a city, every time a stadium or stadium redevelopment is proposed, the nimbys will sook and certain politicians will see opposing it as wastage as a vote winner.