Allianz Stadium "could be knocked down" and work started on a new 45,000-seat stadium as soon as May, according to Andrew Webster of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. National Rugby League CEO Todd Greenberg told club execs on Friday to "prepare themselves for the likelihood of both Allianz and ANZ Stadium being out of action at the same time." Greenberg will on Monday meet with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who announced last week she was prepared to allocate more than the A$1.6B ($1.3B) set aside by her predecessor, Mike Baird, for a "much-needed overhaul of the city's stadiums." ANZ Stadium has "long been the priority" but there is a "renewed push" for work to start first on Allianz. NRL clubs have been told the "earliest that construction could start" on ANZ Stadium's A$900M ($712M) reconfiguration into a rectangular venue is the first quarter of '19. The Sydney Cricket Ground Trust told the government that Allianz is "ready to go as early as" May. But there are "also fears" a change of government at the state elections in March '19 could "prevent any funding coming to Allianz." Labor Leader Luke Foley said in the past that he supports an upgrade of ANZ Stadium ahead of Allianz, "with any surplus funding pushed to suburban grounds." The new stadium at Moore Park would cost about A$800M ($633M) to build on the existing site, meaning "it would not encroach on Centennial Park land." It is already being hyped as "the best rectangular stadium in the world" that could rival the yet-to-be-completed Las Vegas Stadium, which will be home to NFL's Las Vegas Raiders at a cost of A$2.4B ($1.9B).
CAUTION: Some Sydney clubs, however, "already fear the consequences" if Allianz and ANZ Stadium are out of action at the same time. NRL side Sydney Roosters, Super Rugby club Waratahs and A-League side Sydney FC would be "forced to share" the Sydney Cricket Ground with Australian Football League side Sydney Swans while Allianz is out of action. ANZ Stadium has "lucrative deals" with NRL sides South Sydney, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Wests Tigers, St. George Illawarra Dragons and Parramatta Eels. Greenberg "would not comment" on Sunday but a spokesperson for the NRL said that it was "working with the government on the schedule of stadium works" (SMH, 8/27).
