City of Newcastle welcomes the State Government’s announcement today that it will commit almost $15 million towards finalising the design of a new entertainment and conference centre at Broadmeadow.
The funding was the key plank of City of Newcastle’s NSW Pre-budget Submission shared with the Treasurer and local State MPs in February this year.
CEO Jeremy Bath and Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz met with local MPs and advisors at Parliament House last month to stress the regional benefit of the $499 million arena, which is forecast to entertain more than 640,000 people and generate almost $41 million annually for the local economy.
A new entertainment and conference centre will be designed to host international entertainment acts, as well as provide a home to professional basketball and netball franchises playing in national competitions.
Known as Newcastle Arena, the 12,000 seat facility will be located to the immediate north of McDonald Jones Stadium in an area already zoned for a multipurpose indoor arena.
City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath singled out Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley for championing the project for the past three years.
“In every meeting I’ve had with Minister Catley since the State election in 2023, she’s spoken about the need for a new entertainment centre at Broadmeadow,” Mr Bath said.
“I thank her for her dedication to this project and securing the necessary funds from the Treasurer and Premier to get Newcastle Arena to the shovel ready stage.
“This is the first domino to fall at Broadmeadow in what will ultimately become a residential and entertainment precinct that will be home to 40,000 people and up to 8,000 workers.”
Chair of City of Newcastle’s Infrastructure Committee and Hunter Park Advisory Member Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz said the new entertainment and conference centre will be a win for the region.
“The Newcastle Entertainment Centre was built 34 years ago and was only intended to operate for five years,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.
“Its condition is now at a point where our local economy is losing more than $20 million annually in missed events from artists and promoters who refuse to perform there.
“We know from ticketing data that 70% of all ticket sales to the existing entertainment centre come from the Hunter.
“Once the new entertainment and conference center is constructed, Newcastle will be able to secure touring acts that currently skip our city and require our region’s residents to travel to Sydney or Melbourne.
“I’d like to thank our local State MPs, Venues NSW Board Director John Quayle as well as councillors of the current and past term who have taken every opportunity to advocate for a new entertainment centre for our region.
“We need to keep the momentum going now by securing the $484 million needed to construct Newcastle Arena.”
Lord Mayor Gavin Morris said the positive momentum for Newcastle was unstoppable.
“Council staff deserve credit for delivering the Broadmeadow Place Strategy last year that gave the NSW Government the confidence to start investing in Broadmeadow,” Cr Morris said.
“My job now is to ensure they open their cheque books even wider. Our state is in the midst of a housing crisis and Broadmeadow is perfectly placed to deliver one of the largest residential developments anywhere in NSW.
“The detailed design for the new entertainment and conference centre is likely to take 12 months, meaning that if the Government and Opposition both commit to build the Arena before the State Election in March next year, the existing entertainment centre could be demolished by 2029.
“And once the existing entertainment centre is demolished, it frees the site for much needed new homes to be built at Broadmeadow right beside the train station.”
The demolition of the Newcastle Entertainment Centre will not include the showground ring or grandstands, which are local heritage items.