Plans to demolish Sydney’s Olympic Stadium to make way for a new venue have reportedly been put on hold after a fierce backlash from the public.
The venue, also known as ANZ Stadium, was used as the centrepiece during the Australian city’s hosting of the 2000 summer Olympic Games, but the New South Wales government is keen to demolish the stadium to make room for a new football venue.
However, the Australian newspaper has now reported that the project has been “pulled” from the agenda at a planned meeting of the New South Wales state cabinet today (Thursday).
New South Wales had been due to approve part of the project this week, but is now reportedly keen to consider its options amid public demand for the current venue to remain in place.
A spokeswoman for New South Wales sports minister Stuart Ayres told the Reuters news agency that they “would not comment on cabinet processes”.
In November, the New South Wales Cabinet gave its approval to the plans, which forms part of a wider project that also includes rebuilding the Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The overall initiative is expected to cost approximately Aus$2bn (€1.27bn/US$1.57bn/£1.13bn).
Development work on the Olympic Stadium, which does not currently have a permanent tenant, had been due to begin in 2019.
Image: Adam.J.W.C
