newy.com.au – The NSW Government has committed almost $15 million to complete the design of a proposed new entertainment and conference centre at Broadmeadow, advancing plans for a 12,000-seat Newcastle Arena beside McDonald Jones Stadium.
City of Newcastle welcomed the announcement, describing the funding as the final design step needed to bring the estimated $499 million project to a shovel-ready stage. The commitment was a central part of council’s NSW pre-budget submission to the Treasurer and local state MPs in February.
The proposed arena would be built immediately north of McDonald Jones Stadium on land already zoned for a multipurpose indoor venue. It is being planned to host major touring acts, international entertainment events and conferences, while also providing a home for professional basketball and netball teams competing in national competitions.
Council says the venue is forecast to attract more than 640,000 people a year and generate almost $41 million annually for the local economy. City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath and Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz met with local MPs and advisers at Parliament House last month to argue the regional case for the project.
Mr Bath credited Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley with championing the proposal since the 2023 state election.
“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 Broadmedow,” 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 Broadmedow in what will ultimately become a residential and entertainment precinct that will be home to 40,000 people and up to 8,000 workers.”
Cr Winney-Baartz, who chairs City of Newcastle’s Infrastructure Committee and is a Hunter Park Advisory Member, said a new entertainment and conference centre would be a significant win for the Hunter.
“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.”
Cr Winney-Baartz thanked local state MPs, Venues NSW board director John Quayle and councillors from the current and previous terms for advocating for the project, but said the focus now had to turn to securing the remaining construction funding.
“We need to keep the momentum going now by securing the $484 million needed to construct Newcastle Arena,” she said.
Lord Mayor Gavin Morris said the Broadmeadow Place Strategy delivered last year had helped give the NSW Government confidence to begin investing in the precinct, which council sees as a major future housing and entertainment hub.
“Council staff deserve credit for delivering the Broadmedow Place Strategy last year that gave the NSW Government the confidence to start investing in Broadmedow,” 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 Broadmedow 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 planned demolition of the existing Newcastle Entertainment Centre would not include the showground ring or grandstands, which are local heritage items.
