Theres been reports, business cases, feasibility studies, and several elections which have determined how we got to this point in the stadium saga.
Current Situation
Tasmanian Government
“I don’t want to get too technical about this … to ensure that that planning approval can commence with the stadium, and many people will talk about the stadium at all it will bring and bring to life, not about our economy and the social capital, all sorts of things.
“I’m not going to talk to the benefits, because you all know that, but the main objective was, of course, seeing our own Tasmanian AFL team.
AFL Position – 29/10/2025
“The AFL’s continued position is a clear component of the licence bid from the Tasmanian taskforce was a new roofed stadium at Macquarie Point with a capacity of at least 23,000.
It is a condition for the grant of the 19th licence and that position has not changed.
The AFL look forward to the vote on the stadium in the coming weeks and the state continuing to build on the momentum and progress already made by the Tasmania Devils and their 214,000 members.”
Cricket Tasmania – 15/09/2025
CEO Dom Baker – ““We’re ploughing forward as if the stadium is happening, and we’re investing a lot of time and energy making sure that cricket is going to be there,“
Genesis
The Tasmanian AFL Taskforce issued its report with two of its core recommendations dealing with the stadium concept.
In the “Critical Success” section the report notes that A ‘Clean Stadium’ changes the game: Redeveloping UTAS Stadium as the initial primary football venue, but seeking a longer-term Hobart CBD-based, roofed stadium in an
appropriate entertainment precinct, would mitigate much of the financial risk of Government. Modelling and precedent suggest the potential elimination of the need for any State support post implementation.
Section 3 of this report also deals with the idea of the roofed venue
While outside of its Terms of Reference, the Taskforce also considered the national stadium landscape and associated merits of a ‘clean sheet’, roofed stadium. This would require a separate economic and qualitative investigation beyond our scope, but the benefits in areas of membership, attendance, and economic stimulus have clear precedent which require consideration in any stadium review.
The Taskforce also notes that any discussion relating to facilities (training, playing and location) must
align with a ‘world’s best’ approach to attract and retain playing, coaching and administrative talent,
keystones in the long-term viability and indeed prosperity of a licence in Tasmania.
Equally, the clean, roofed stadium concept will support positive AFL fixturing for the Devils concept
through avoidance of concerns around the negative impact of weather on attendance and product
quality.
Later in finance modelling, it notes that a key to success as presented in this business case has been the access Clubs have to fit-forpurpose ‘CBD’-like stadiums encapsulated in proximity to entertainment precincts: Adelaide Oval, Marvel Stadium, and Optus Stadium have provided material economic benefits to the local Clubs, the State football and cricket affiliations, and the AFL. The income benefits associated with an equivalent Tasmanian stadium have not been factored into our model.
The 2023 AFL-Tasmania Club Funding and Development deal (The Contract)
Section G deals with the stadium development.
While Schedule 10 deals with the specifications
Reference
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