Shane Richardson has launched a fresh stadium gambit, vowing to take Wests Tigers games away from Campbelltown Sports Stadium unless $50 million worth of upgrades are agreed to by June 30.
Insisting his threat to abandon one of the joint venture's traditional home bases was not "Trumpian", Richardson said Campbelltown was not up to standard as an NRL venue.
The Tigers chief executive successfully lobbied Inner West Council for upgrades to Leichhardt Oval last year and received a combined $40 million in guaranteed improvements.
Richardson said the Tigers had shown a commitment the entire Macarthur region, but is open to abandoning the venue if Campbelltown City Council does not stump up the cash.
The Tigers want a heads of agreement in place by June 30 this year that would guarantee that the venue has an increased seated capacity of up to 24,000 and improved corporate facilities.
"Unless it improves, it's a very simple thing - I don't do Trumpian threats - we won't play there, it's as simple as that," Richardson told the club podcast.
"At the moment, it's not a standard that's required to be an NRL ground.
"The opportunity for Campbelltown is that they've got a team that wants to play there.
"All they've got to do is provide a stadium so to a standard that we can actually make money out of."
Longer term, Richardson said Campbelltown - which is shared by A-League Men side Macarthur FC - would need close to $100 million in funding commitments.
The Macarthur area is one of the biggest nurseries of NRL talent but Wests Tigers have struggled to capitalise on the strong junior stocks as the Panthers have so successfully done in Penrith.
The Tigers have deals in place to split their home games between Campbelltown and Leichhardt until the end of 2026, with options for the 2027 season.
They are locked in to having home games at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta and a home fixture at the NRL Magic Round in Brisbane until the end of 2027.
Richardson said a refurbished Campbelltown would ideally host the majority of the club's games in Sydney.
This season Campbelltown is slated to host four NRL games as well as two NRLW fixtures.
"We want to lock in between seven to nine games (per season) over a period of the next five to 15 years," Richardson said.
"But I'm telling you clearly up front that despite the talk and the negotiation, the reality is chalk is cheap.
"We have no idea how much money is going to be spent … but the reality is the stadium must be locked in for an upgrade for us to lock in for any period of time."
