The Sydney Entertainment Centre is currently undergoing renovations as part of $1 billion makeover courtesy of the NSW Government, but part of the expensive facelift with see a downsizing in the new live music venue’s capacity with news that the 12,000-seat stadium replacement has been dumped in favour of an 8,000-seat arena.
News Ltd reports that Infrastructure NSW (INSW) is presenting plans to the state cabinet regarding the new Sydney Convention Centre in the affluent Darling Harbour, seeking approval on the 4,000 seat downgrade to the arena; defending the decision to gut capacity as offering an alternative ‘mid-sized’ venue for Sydney events.
An INSW spokeswoman stated that Sydney already has the Homebush located Allphones Arena, which seats 13,500 for large scale concerts (such as Coldplay’s recent sell-out show).
“It is proposed the new entertainment venue at Darling Harbour will have a minimum seating capacity of 8,000 people,” an Infrastructure NSW spokeswoman said. “In the past decade, only a handful of events at the Entertainment Centre were for 8,000 people or more.”
In its current incarnation the globally recognised Sydney Entertainment Centre can seat 12,000 people at sporting events, and – depending on the show – seats 10,000 in concert mode, where staging and viewing angles reduce the capacity. INSW reason that in reality, the reduction is more like 2,000 and should be seen as offering an alternative for events rather than competing with the large-scale Allphones Arena.“It is proposed the new entertainment venue at Darling Harbour will have a minimum seating capacity of 8,000 people,”
“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,” stated the INSW. “It makes sense to provide an entertainment centre that meets the needs of the most popular market segment – that is, events that cater for 8,000 or fewer people.”
Tourism and Transport Forum chief executive John Lee echoed the INSW’s opinions, saying that there needed to be a mid-sized venue between Allphones Arena’s 13,500 capacity and the soon to be opened 4,000 seat complex at The Star casino.
“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 4,000. In some ways this is like Goldilocks, one was too hot, one was too cold, this one is just right.”
The expansion and renovation of the Sydney Entertainment Centre is is expected to take three years, and the planned demolishment of one of the world’s most popular venues follows 30 years of events that have hosted some of the biggest artists in music, including Elton John, David Bowie, Pearl Jam, Dire Straits and many, many more.
The arena will close at the end of 2013, and is already set to play host to some of the biggest names (and shows) in rock early next year that will make the most of its 12,000 seat capacity. Including the long-awaited return of Black Sabbath, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, and monster sized double bills from Deep Purple & Journey (in their first ever Australian trip), and Kiss & Mötley Crüe.
