Is a waterfront city stadium actually on the cards for Canberra?

A new proposal for a waterfront city stadium in Canberra has emerged, despite previous dismissal by the ACT government. The suggestion, modeled after Christchurch's Te Kaha Stadium, would feature a 25,000-capacity sports venue and a 35,000-capacity venue for concerts. The stadium would be built on the north shore of Lake Burley Griffin near Regatta Place, an area with Commonwealth land that currently includes the Archbishop's residence and parking lots adjacent to it.

Close proximity to the planned light rail extension would allow attendees easy access to the city's nightlife post-event. A consortium of prominent Canberra business figures, including Canberra Airport boss Stephen Byron and Greg Boorer, founder of Canberra Data Centres, is leading the pitch. They are in discussions with the Catholic Archdiocese to acquire the necessary land, which they would then donate to the project for free.

The stadium could potentially be completed by 2030, with the design phase taking six months and construction taking 2.5 years. The current Bruce stadium, located in the same precinct as the Australian Institute of Sport, has aging infrastructure and limited access to public transport and nightlife. Senator Katy Gallagher and Treasurer Chris Steel have expressed interest in the proposal but raised concerns regarding transport, parking, and game-day access.

The federal government will play a significant role in the decision-making process, as both the stadium and new pool project would utilize Commonwealth land.