Adelaide Oval is set to become the first stadium in Australia to feature an integrated hotel as part of ambitious plans detailed by the venue’s management authority.
The 128-room Adelaide Oval Hotel will be built into the eastern façade of the stadium, with plans to open the space by August 2020 ahead of Australia’s hosting of cricket’s World T20 tournament.
The venue said that the plans will not impact the nearby parklands or the existing plaza. The project will be funded by a loan of up to A$42m (£23.7m/€26.8m/$30.5m), which will be provided to the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (AOSMA) by the South Australian Government Financing Authority at commercial rates.
AOSMA chair Kevin Scarce said: “We have a responsibility to generate funding to maintain and upgrade Adelaide Oval to the highest standard for the benefit of all South Australians. To do that, we must continue to create new and relevant business opportunities, and we have a proven record of doing so to date with innovations like the RoofClimb and the LED lighting upgrade.
“A boutique hotel is an innovation that will not only help offset the ongoing costs associated with operating and maintaining the stadium but will also ensure we stay at the forefront of innovation in what is an extremely competitive international event market.
“There are numerous precedents at stadia around the world; indeed, the AFL announced similar intentions for Marvel Stadium earlier this year. As the joint venture partners, the boards of SANFL (South Australian National Football League) and SACA (South Australian Cricket Association) have undertaken exhaustive due diligence as befits the two organisations that carry the full responsibility for the Adelaide Oval. Having done so, it’s very exciting to now be at the point where we’re ready to go to the next step.”
Plans will now be submitted to the State Commission Assessment Panel for approval ahead of a construction tender process early next year. The hotel has been designed by Cox Architecture, which was responsible for the redevelopment of the stadium back in 2014.
The hotel will not be operated by an external provider and will not feature any large-scale external signage. It will utilise current kitchen and restaurant facilities within the Eastern Stand and will be accessible via the stadium’s existing lifts and from the underground carpark.
Image: Adelaide Oval
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