The Tasmanian government's plans for a $750 million stadium on Hobart's waterfront have been welcomed by AFL heavyweights, but there are questions over where the money will come from and how many games would now be played in the north of the state.
Premier Peter Gutwein announced plans for the stadium — which is part of Tasmania's bid for an AFL team — in parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
Designs show it would be within walking distance of the CBD, located on reclaimed land on the banks of the River Derwent and encompassing the regatta grandstand and foreshore below the Hobart Cenotaph.
The stadium will only proceed if Tasmania is granted an AFL licence later this year.
Mr Gutwein told parliament the state needed a "bold vision" for elite sport and the stadium would put Tasmania on the national and international stage for sporting events.
"A southern stadium supports the aspirations for Tasmania securing its own AFL team, which would be based in Hobart, and will also be able to host rectangular sporting codes which will support ongoing discussions about an A-League football licence."
The stadium would have a retractable roof and seat 27,000 people, or hold 30,000 people for major events or concerts.
Tasmania's two biggest existing stadiums — Bellerive Oval and Launceston's York Park — hold about 20,000 people.
Adelaide Oval has capacity of more than 50,000, while the Gabba holds more than 40,000.
In 2019, a Tasmanian AFL taskforce report outlined the state's need for a new inner-city stadium if it were to be granted an AFL licence.
The chairman of the taskforce, Brett Godfrey, said York Park and Bellerive Oval did not currently have the capability to host large sporting events.
"It's certainly been, from day one, a key requirement per the report that we put back in 2019, that the two stadiums themselves would not be up to scratch come 2025 to 2027, and so it was either an upgrade or a rebuild of those stadiums."
Mr Gutwein said cricket games would remain at Bellerive.
Plan 'shows Tasmania is serious'
Former Collingwood Football Club president and commentator Eddie McGuire said the announcement was fantastic.
"It sets the tone and starts to make sense when there's real investment in the competition.
"It's all about stadia, it's all about community and it's all about big-time situations.
"The location, not that I'm an expert on locations in Tasmania, but for someone who'd want to come in and watch a game of footy, it sounds perfect for me."
Mr McGuire said the stadium would set Tasmania up for the next 30 to 50 years of sporting events and concerts.
North/south divide a hurdle
One of the biggest cultural stumbling blocks to a Tasmanian AFL team has been the small state's north/south divide and the question of whether a Tasmanian footy team should be based in Hobart or Launceston.
Mr Gutwein's announcement of a stadium in Hobart came with a $25 million commitment for Dial Park in the state's north-west, where he said he wanted to see AFL, AFLW and A-League games played as well as in the south and north.
There is already a proposal for a $200 million upgrade of York Park in Launceston.
Mr Gutwein said about 11 home games a season would be split between the south and the north.
Launceston Mayor Albert Van Zetten said while his council had always understood a new oval might be built in Hobart, the plan had been for marquee games to be played in the north.
"The ramifications obviously of a 'you-beaut' stadium, and one that's got a roof on it, could mean less big games up here, and that's something we're very concerned about," he said.
Mr Van Zetten said he hoped the upcoming federal election would make it easier to secure funds for the York Park upgrade, in the marginal seat of Bass.
Stadium reliant on federal funding
Mr Gutwein said funding for the new stadium would need to come from "all levels of government", the private sector and equity raising.
Mr Godfrey said it was "not uncommon that these things" were built with both federal and state funds.
"We would assume that the federal funding would be quite significant," he said.
"You've got every state in the country with phenomenal facilities and, frankly, we have missed out and this is one of the things that we need to do to get the AFL across the line."
In a statement, a spokesman for the federal Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, said the Australian government was committed to a range of investments in partnership with the Tasmanian government.
"We look forward to AFL granting a licence for a Tasmanian team and a place in the national competition, and discussions with the Tasmanian government regarding associated infrastructure to support a Tasmanian team."
During the 2019 federal election campaign, Labor pledged $25 million for a Tasmanian team, while Mr Colbeck said the Coalition's priority was not to put millions into a football team.
With another election looming, federal Tasmanian Labor MP Brian Mitchell said the stadium plan was nothing more than a "flashy headline" for the Liberals.
"The Liberals three years ago went to the public and said Tasmania couldn't afford $25 million to even look at a stadium," he said.
Asked if federal Labor was ruling out funding for the stadium if it won government, Mr Mitchell said the ALP's priorities were health, housing and aged care, and Mr Gutwein's plan was a "thought-bubble".
Mr Gutwein said he had not spoken to the Hobart City Council about funding from local government.
Stadium could be reconfigured for other codes
Matt Bulkeley, the chief executive of soccer body Football Tasmania, said he was pleased the proposed design would allow for a rectangular configuration.
"We welcome the fact that the government acknowledges Tasmania desperately needs a facility that can host elite-level football, rugby union, rugby league and other sports played on a rectangular pitch.
"Tasmania is next in line to receive an A-League licence and obviously a suitable facility will be needed to take full advantage of that opportunity."
Design could expose 'a whole lot of problems'
Hobart architect Robert Morris-Nunn told ABC Radio Hobart the proposed stadium would block the uninterrupted water views from the Hobart Cenotaph.
The stadium would also be on reclaimed land.
A decision on a Tasmanian AFL team is expected about August this year.
