‘All that remains’: Tassie’s $240m request as business plan unveiled for 19th AFL team

Round 1

Tasmania’s current proposal sees the state government committing $375 million, the AFL $15 million, the federal government $240 million and private investors $85 million. Combined with $26 million already spent, the total cost would reach $741 million.

In an effort to secure funding, the cost for the stadium has been reduced from its initial $750 million which was to include $375 million from the federal government.

The state’s commitment includes $60 million towards a high performance centre.

“All that remains” to lock in the stadium is the federal funding, according to premier Rockliff.

Funding for the stadium has been controversial at all levels of government with federal minister for sport Anika Wells arguing on SEN this week Tasmania deserves a team, but that it doesn’t need “to be conditional of having a stadium to get there. No one else had to do that.”

In Tasmania, the opposition parties – Labor and the Greens – plus federal independent representative Andrew Wilkie are against the stadium, on the grounds the money should be spent on health and education instead.

The business case claims the stadium would generate $85 million in economic activity each year – though the numbers on those sorts of studies are always fuzzy – with an optimistic claim 44 events would be held at the stadium each year.

With 11 AFL games locked in, and some number of AFLW fixtures likely included, other sports such as cricket, rugby league and union and the A-League plus concerts would make up the bulk of the figure – which seems unlikely, at least at first.