'It's a must-do': AIS Arena breakthrough but Canberra stadium stalemate lingers

Former NRL boss and current chief executive of the Australian Cricketers Association Todd Greenberg was an outspoken advocate for Canberra to upgrade its stadium during his time in rugby league.

Now on the outside looking in, Greenberg said it was more important than ever for Canberra to act as rival cities benefit from new and upgraded venues.

"Communities like the ACT need to consider what has happened in other parts of the country and it is incumbent on them to build facilities in order to attract big events into markets like this," Greenberg told The Canberra Times.

"It's a a must-do.

"It creates jobs, it creates a positive economic impact, and it brings people into these regions to contribute back.

"The Townsville stadium, AAMI Stadium in Melbourne, and the new stadium in Sydney are all world-class.

"Canberra has to invest and find ways to ensure those types of facilities are built.

"Whether it's music, sport or culture, you not only need government willing to partner with promoters and sports, but they need to provide infrastructure and facilities, and without that, sadly, we will fail."

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ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has met with Australian Sports Commission (ASC) chief executive Kieren Perkins to discuss a joint plan for redeveloping the existing AIS site in Bruce.

It's understood the government's preference now is to improve Canberra Stadium rather than build a new venue, and have it as part of an overall upgrade of the AIS campus.

Next week the federal government budget is also set to green-light funding for the AIS Arena to be re-opened, having been closed since 2020 when the ASC deemed the venue unsafe without significant upgrades.

The arena was used as a mass vaccination hub during the peak of the pandemic in recent years, but has not hosted any other events.

It comes as the AFL and Tasmanian government are set to lobby the federal government for hundreds of millions of dollars to be put towards a new 23,000-seat stadium in Hobart.

The bold proposal is all part of the state's long-held plans to secure an AFL team, and could be the final hurdle to being granted a licence as the 19th club in the competition.

The independent feasibility report used in the business case for the Hobart project claims the new stadium would host seven AFL games, seven NRL games, six A-League games, international rugby and cricket, Big Bash League matches and six concerts, with an average crowd of 16,000 over 44 events per year.

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