The Belconnen Community Council (BCC) calls on the ACT
Government to get on with building Canberra’s new stadium in Bruce.
Recent media reports have highlighted the escalating costs associated with building a
stadium in Civic, with consultants advising of a price tag of up to a staggering $2.9 billion.
In contrast, proceeding with a stadium in Bruce, for a cost reported to be between $989
million and $1.869 billion, presents a far more viable and rational option for the ACT.
As the Government’s preferred location, Bruce not only promises more than a billion
dollars in cost savings, but also offers a wealth of opportunities for the district and the
broader Canberra community.
This approach avoids the compromises and costs required for a Civic stadium, such as
lowering Parkes Way, and ensures Canberra remains a home for national sporting teams
and a destination for international sporting and entertainment events.
“Choosing Bruce is more than just about saving money — it’s about ensuring that
investment in Canberra’s future is strategic, and not wholly focused on the Civic centre,”
said Mr Lachlan Butler, Chair of the BCC.
“Bruce provides access to the ACT’s districts via major roads, and existing and future
transport connections makes it ideal for major events, and it would promote a vibrant
entertainment precinct outside the City, akin to Olympic Park in Sydney.”
“The potential is enormous. Bruce is uniquely positioned to host a world-class stadium,
well-connected, and with the opportunity for new businesses, jobs, and amenities that
support a vibrant entertainment precinct. This project builds on the legacy of the Bruce
Stadium, offering long-term benefits to the entire ACT.”
The BCC strongly advocates for the ACT Government to prioritise the delivery of
Canberra’s new stadium in Bruce. There must be a plan in place once the technical due
diligence and site analysis is completed in early 2025 – years of talk and inaction have
had a cost, and it’s time to deliver a modern stadium and entertainment precinct for the
ACT.