In line with our first 100 day plan, discussions have commenced with the City of Launceston and the Clarence City Council regarding the transfer of Blundstone Arena and UTAS Stadium to be owned, managed, and developed by a new entity which will be established, Stadiums Tasmania.
We went to the election promising to secure Tasmania’s sporting future and we are delivering on that promise, with work already underway on legislation to establish Stadiums Tasmania that will help oversee the development and management of these important venues.
A Steering Committee, chaired by the Secretary of the Department, has been formed to oversee the legislative reforms, management, and delivery of this project, with Blundstone Arena and UTAS Stadium to operate alongside other State-owned assets such as the Derwent Entertainment Centre and the Silverdome.
This will ensure that Stadiums Tasmania is responsible for the management of stadium assets into the future, including revenues and expenditures, with capacity to borrow funds for stadium upgrades and developments.
We strongly believe Tasmania deserves to have its own Tasmanian teams in national competitions, and this will allow us to stay ahead of the curve and deliver the sporting infrastructure our State needs.
It will also allow us to better invest in contemporary facilities that will enable Tasmania to secure national and international events into the future, including a $200 million upgrade of UTAS Stadium.