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Sydney FC Welcomes New Stadium But Fears Being Displaced During Construction

While the largest-drawing tenant at Allianz Stadium, A-League side Sydney FC, is "excited about the prospect of a new 55,000-seat stadium being built at Moore Park," it has "real concerns about the possibility of being displaced" during the venue's construction, according to Sebastian Hassett of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Sky Blues Chair Scott Barlow praised NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres for the "leadership he is showing in this area," but he stressed the urgent need to "resolve these issues quickly." The project is part of a A$1.6B ($1.2B) investment to "transform four Sydney sports venues" over the next decade. Barlow: "From Sydney FC's perspective we're extremely excited about the opportunity of running out and playing on a brand new state-of-the-art stadium at our spiritual home, Moore Park. Nevertheless despite this enthusiasm, we are eager to sit down with the minister over the coming weeks to understand what the transition arrangements will be for the teams playing out of Allianz." It is "unclear exactly how the existing tenants will be placated" -- whether they can continue at the venue "while it is being rebuilt or whether they will have to find new homes, be it next door at the SCG or at nearby suburban venues." While the Sky Blues have hosted matches at Parramatta Stadium and Campbelltown Stadium in the past, "those venues now fall squarely in the geographic domain of their arch-rivals, the Western Sydney Wanderers." When "asked directly about where the affected clubs would go," Ayres "did not answer directly" -- instead flagging "negotiations with nearby trusts as his biggest concern" (SMH, 10/8). In Sydney, Brad Walter reported National Rugby League CEO Dave Smith conceded that the game "will not meet its stated aim" of 20,000 average crowds until the NSW government's A$1.6B stadium upgrade is complete. Smith's revision of the '17 target comes as Ayres declared the survival of up to two Sydney clubs "would be in jeopardy if the government did not commit to a new 35,000-seat stadium at Parramatta," increasing the capacity of Allianz Stadium to 55,000 and upgrading ANZ Stadium within the next 10 years. Ayres: "My strong view is that suburban grounds, particularly in rugby league's case, will probably kill one or maybe even two franchises if we don't make the transition to a larger network [of stadiums]." The NRL had set the goal of averaging crowds of 20,000 for premiership matches in a five-year strategic plan released soon after Smith started in the job in '13, but he said on Thursday that attendances "were proving difficult to increase due to the poor facilities at suburban grounds" (SMH, 10/8).

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