It has been revealed Souths CEO Blake Solly signed a contract acknowledging Accor Stadium would not be refurbished amid the club’s failed bid to make Allianz Stadium their new home.
The Daily Telegraph reported Solly knew Accor Stadium would not be developed, which is in contrast to his assertion that the NSW government broke an agreement with the club to refurbish their home ground.
“Our preference has always been to stay at Accor Stadium, but if the government is not going to upgrade it then we should be allowed to move,” Solly said on Thursday night.
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However, The Daily Telegraph revealed Solly knew Homebush Stadium would not be revamped and signed an agreement in November 2021 amending the venue hire in South’s favour “due to the cancellation of the proposed redevelopment”.
Then Premier Gladys Berejiklian scrapped plans for an $810 million refurbishment of Stadium Australia in May 2020.
However, the South Sydney Rabbitohs announced they were happy to stay at Accor Stadium on their website a few months later.
And on November 22, 2021, Solly signed the amended agreement, which gave the South Sydney club better terms because the refurbishment was not going ahead.
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“His calls to break his contract and move are extraordinary because he signed the deal knowing that the refurbishment was not going ahead,” a source close to the agreement told The Telegraph.
Solly hit back saying: “We had to sign it because we didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
The Telegraph understood Solly knew the revamp was not going ahead, but signed the contract believing government amendments: “were going to be more than just putting in a big screen and some LEDs”.
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“What we are asking for is a rectangular stadium that brings the fans closer to the action and refurbished corporate suites,” Solly said.
“A couple of hundred million dollars.
“We want to stay at Accor and we are the only people who believe in it and are fighting for the government to upgrade it.
“They have changed their minds four or five times, and are not giving us any response to our request.”
