Sydney Football Stadium to shut for remediation work, taxpayers won't foot bill, premier says
The $828 million venue in Moore Park, home of Sydney FC, the Sydney Roosters and the NSW Waratahs, will close for 10 weeks after the Wallabies take on Argentina on September 13.
Over the past 12 month the field of play "has not been draining as intended", with a report finding it was due to contamination in the drainage layer dating back to when the stadium was rebuilt in 2022.
"The clay and silt had mixed with coarser sand to severely reduce drainage rates to 40mm per hour.
"This is unacceptable for a sand-based sporting field, which should drain at 300mm-600mm per hour."
Most impacted will be Sydney FC, with the A-League club having to move its first games when the season starts in October.
Premier Chris Minns said it was concerning the stadium wasn't "up to scratch" and that the surface had been impacting teams.
"So we need to get on it. Obviously that can't happen while football's taking place, and we need the stadium as we head into the final season," Mr Minns said.
"It's important that as a showpiece stadium, one of the best in the country, if not the world, that it's as good on the playing field as it is in the stands."
The final cost of the fixes have not been confirmed, but the premier said the government and Venues NSW were aligned in "believing there's been an error in the original construction".
"So I don't anticipate any cost for NSW taxpayers. The understanding, for want of a better expression, is it's still under warranty," Mr Minns said.
"I mean the thing's brand new. So we would expect the builder to fix it up."
American artist Kendrick Lamar will be among the first performers to use the grounds in December. New turf will then need to be laid for A-league fixtures after those events are completed.
A spokesperson for Sydney FC called moving its home games during the first three months of the season "hugely disruptive" and "financially detrimental".
"We are working closely with Venues NSW and our Members and Partners to minimise this disruption and ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone," Sydney FC said in a statement.
"Having a playing surface suitable to host top level professional football is of paramount importance to Sydney FC."
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