Industry News

Optus Stadium general admission areas to sell mid-strength beer only

The soon-to-be-opened Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia will only sell mid-strength beer in general admission seats, it has been revealed.

The ruling, which is already in place at Perth’s WACA Ground and Domain Stadium, has been imposed by the Western Australia Director of Liquor Licensing.

Full-strength beer will be made available in corporate boxes at the stadium, with the drinks on sale to be decided by stadium operator VenuesLive depending on the length of events and the age demographics among spectators.

Optus Stadium chief executive Mike McKenna said, according to the WAToday news website: “Our number one focus is to ensure the comfort, safety and security of every fan and staff member at the stadium and surrounding Stadium Park.

“For every event at the stadium, a dedicated alcohol management plan will be developed which considers the type of event, its duration, audience demographics and the time of year.

“This plan will be submitted to WA Police for its review and endorsement ahead of the event taking place.”

In September, local craft beer manufacturer Gage Roads saw off international giants such as the owner of Stella Artois to win the contract to supply alcoholic beverages at Optus Stadium.

Gage Roads, based in nearby Palmyra in Western Australia, had to prove it could supply 5,000 kegs of different variety beers over a five-day period before securing the multimillion-dollar contract at the venue.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that a one-day international cricket match between Australia and England would open the 60,000-seat stadium on January 28 next year.

Project Director, Ronnie Hurst, will speak on the project at TheStadiumBusiness Design & Development Summit on 28-29 November, Barcelona.

Image: Perth Stadium