The owners of ANZ Stadium have casually asked for $250 million of taxpayers' hard-earned money to inject a soul into the leviathan sitting out there at Sydney Olympic Park.
Plenty to say: Sharks coach Shane Flanagan.
Plenty to say: Sharks coach Shane Flanagan. Photo: Getty Images
Sorry, but that's far too much when public money could go towards hospitals, schools, public transport and cheaper beer.
The issue of sporting stadia here in the Emerald City of Sydney is heating up ahead of the NSW state elections in March.
Yet more "artist's impressions" of how ANZ Stadium would look if it received a very expensive and elaborate facelift, including the obligatory image of the stadium with a clear roof on it, were released earlier this week.
The sprinkling of media who cared to attend the announcement – which boasts closer seating to the field of play and high-tech mood lighting for a more intimate setting – shrugged their shoulders and said, "So, what's new?"
Indeed, the pointier question is whether $250 million of public money should be added to the $100 million ANZ is prepared to pay out of its own pocket to fund privately owned infrastructure.
And should ANZ Stadium receive this money ahead of a long-overdue revamp of Allianz Stadium at Moore Park into a 60,000-seat facility and/or the construction of another 45,000-seat stadium somewhere in the Golden West and/or the redevelopment of Parramatta Stadium to a 32,000-seat arena?
These are questions for the Baird Government, but if you look at who ANZ Stadium is up against, it's already clear this bout is a likely mismatch.
Over there in the opposing blue corner is the SCG Trust, which boasts the city's heaviest hitters: chairman Tony Shepherd, broadcaster Alan Jones, Destination NSW chairman John Hartigan, businesswoman Katie Page and former Olympics boss Rod McGeoch.
If Sydney is to further assert itself as a sophisticated international city, Moore Park surely needs to become the same sporting precinct Melbourne boasts to anyone who will listen.
So what does that mean for the Olympic stadium where so many great moments have transpired, not least the nation-defining gold medal victory of Cathy Freeman?
In recent times, more than a few grim politicians have suggested they should just dismantle the bloody thing.
As multimillionaire John Singleton said six years ago: "The best thing Osama bin Laden could do to get the league fans on side in Australia is blow up Homebush Stadium. That's the greatest blight on sport. It looks like nobody's there."
When it was built for the Olympics in 2000, it was done so with the belief that Homebush would become the centre of Sydney.
Now, with the sprawl to the west growing out of control, the area is becoming an enclave of the inner west. By 2030, more than 51 percent of Sydney will live west of Sydney Olympic Park.
Parramatta appears to be the most likely place for a new multi-purpose stadium – or at least a Donatella Versace-like facelift of Parramatta Stadium – but where does that leave ANZ Stadium, which only reaches its 80,000-odd capacity on a sprinkling of occasions each year.
Around the world, and particularly in the US, there is a move towards smaller stadiums of about 60,000 to 70,000.
That's mainly because the deal struck between the NFL and its broadcasters insist a game cannot be shown live unless the match is sold out.
In terms of financial viability, stadiums need to be multi-purpose and useable more than 300 days of the year.
When it comes to ANZ Stadium, the same old tired cliches about transport and so on come up. But at the heart of it is atmosphere. It doesn't matter how many boutique bars and food outlets you put in, the stadium – with its long, sloping grandstands – is a terrible place to watch league, union and soccer.
If the crowd doesn't turn up, it can be as atmospheric as an RSL club on a Monday afternoon.
Of course, which area of the city gets which stadium or upgrade is likely to come down to the thing that matters most: where the votes are.
finally some one out of NSW with half a brain!
ANZ stadium is only 15 years old and apparently was state of the art that looked great on the design papers!
now apparently it needs another $250 million of taxpayers money for a revamp.
looks great on the design, build it, work out its a dump & keep wasting taxpayers money on it to make it look better! meanwhile around Australia hospitals & education systems keep dealing with budget cuts, just so the insecure & jealions nuffs of Shitney can a bigger & better looking stadium, all because SA & WA are finally getting decent stadiums
liar extraordinaire 