Sydney's new stadium loses 4000 seats - The Australian

Lady Gaga Concert at The Sydney Entertainment Centre / Pic: Noel Kessel Source: The Daily Telegraph

A PLAN to build a 12,000-seat stadium to replace the Sydney Entertainment Centre has been dumped in favour of an 8000-seat arena.

Infrastructure NSW is soon to present its plans for the new Sydney Convention Centre site to cabinet for approval after receiving proposals from two private consortia.

Defending the decision to downgrade the Darling Harbour venue, an INSW spokeswoman claims that Sydney already has Allphones Arena at Homebush, which seats, 13,500 for bigger concerts.

"It is proposed the new entertainment venue at Darling Harbour will have a minimum seating capacity of 8000 people," an Infrastructure NSW spokeswoman said.

"In the past decade, only a handful of events at the Entertainment Centre were for 8000 people or more.

"While the existing Sydney Entertainment Centre has a capacity of 12,000 people in sports mode, it seats 10,000 people in concert mode.

"The reason is that the stage and viewing angles reduce seating capacity during concert mode.

"Unlike other cities, Sydney will have the benefit of two entertainment venues (Allphones Arena) of different sizes that appeal to different markets, which is a huge competitive advantage for a city. It makes sense to provide an entertainment centre that meets the needs of the most popular market segment - that is, events that cater for 8000 or fewer people."

The spokeswoman said bigger events would be accommodated at Allphones, while the highest capacity events will continue at ANZ Stadium and Sydney Football Stadium.

Tourism and Transport Forum chief executive John Lee said there was an argument with The Star casino opening a 4000-seat complex and the Allphones Arena housing 13,500 that there needed to be a mid-sized venue.

"Promoters always want more, they want more quantity and the public want quality," Mr Lee said. "We have got Allphones Arena which is 13,500 in western Sydney, we have got The Star which will open New Year's Eve, a facility for 4000. In some ways this is like Goldilocks, one was too hot, one was too cold, this one is just right."

While the $1 billion convention centre will be downgraded, parliament will be upgraded with $5.5 million to be spent on new committee rooms. A development application is before council.