Burswood firming up as Perth stadium site
Burswood firming up as Perth stadium site
Fran Rimrod
September 5, 2010 - 2:14PM
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Will the Burswood peninsula house a new outdoor sports stadium?
The Burswood peninsula looks set to become the location for Perth's new outdoor sports stadium, shadow sport and recreation minister Kevin Travers said today.
Mr Travers said he believed an announcement on the new stadium site was imminent after rumours solidified when tourism minister Liz Constable told the crowd at a function last week to 'watch this space' when asked about where Perth is going to get a new stadium.
The location previously earmarked for the stadium was Kitchener Park in Subiaco, next to the existing oval.
Mr Travers said the Labor party wasn't fundamentally opposed to Burswood as the location for a new stadium, but said the Burswood peninsula would significantly increase the stadium price-tag.
"The construction costs are a lot more expensive, mainly because it is an old tip and they need to remediate the tip land but also because it is on the edge of the river they need to sink pylons down into the mud to get the foundation, and that's going to make it expensive," he said.
"The transport issues around that site are significantly greater than Subiaco, there is already a lot of infrastructure around at the railway station in Subiaco that isn't there at Burswood.
"Access roads for the stadium would also need significant upgrades."
Mr Travers said the stadium task force estimated that building at Burwood would add at least $300 million to the total cost of the stadium, bringing it up to more than $1.1 billion.
He said the task force expected building at Subiaco would cost around $800 million.
Mr Travers said the Labor party also supported building a new stadium, but was concerned that the Burswood peninsula would substantially add to the cost to the taxpayers at no real extra benefit.
"So if someone else, for example Burswood casino, was happy to pick up that additional cost, then we would have no problem for it being at Burswood," he said.
"Mr Barnett has a history of making comments on the stadium without examining the facts and it would be unwise to make a final decision using this cavalier approach.
"Labor welcomes the government working to deliver Western Australia a new stadium but this shouldn't be done without a detailed examination of the increased construction costs, transport issues and suitability for international events."
Premier Colin Barnett and tourism minister Liz Constable have been contacted for comment.
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/bu...905-14vt7.html
