ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has moved to temper the "over-excitement" about the prospect of buying Canberra Stadium, warning it could be another decade before any deal with the Australian Sports Commission is finalised.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The commission is considering some of its major assets as part of a plan to downsize the campus at Bruce and reshape the way the AIS is used by athletes, coaches and sports scientists.
But the plan has been continually delayed by the national sports plan and it is unclear when the commission, a federal government agency, will decide on the future of Canberra Stadium.
The ACT government pays $350,000 per year to rent Canberra Stadium for ACT Brumbies and Canberra Raiders matches. It also pays to use the AIS Arena and the AIS pool.
Buying the stadium instead of paying rent is viewed as a key move for a long overdue venue redevelopment or selling the land to fund a proposed new stadium in Civic.
"It could be another 10 years before anything is resolved because the Commonwealth own the facility. It's only for sale if they want it to be for sale, and we would only buy it if the price was right," Barr said on ABC Canberra.
"People could get a little bit over-excited with where this is at. There's been no further progress that has been reported to me so we're not anywhere near making an announcement. It's not a No. 1 priority for the government."
He added: "People should have no expectation that there will be a transaction. It's no done deal by any means.
"No [plans for a new stadium are not in limbo], but issues in relation to ownership of Canberra Stadium can be distinct from a new stadium."
The government will spend $1.3 million in upgrades on Canberra Stadium this year, despite not owning the asset. It's understood the government also had an opportunity to buy a new video screen from Subiaco Oval last year, but will instead buy a new scoreboard and replay screen for the 2020 season.
Canberra's bid for an A-League licence will have a major impact on the government's plans to build a new venue with a roof in Civic in the coming years.
Barr wants to ensure a new venue has content all year instead of just the winter months for rugby union and rugby league.
The Canberra A-League bid is one of 10 being considered as part of the FFA's plans to expand the competition. It launched a membership drive last week with a target of 5000. The group has already passed 3000 members.
