Design & Development

Builder named for Adelaide Oval Hotel

The builder of the Adelaide Oval Hotel has been confirmed as Built Environs after the South Australian company won a tender for the Aus$42m (£23m/€26m/$29m) project at the iconic sports venue.

Built Environs will start working on the 138-room development immediately, with an anticipated completion date of mid-2020 ahead of opening to the public in September next year. The Adelaide Oval will then host six group matches and one semi-final during the International Cricket Council T20 World Cup, which runs from October 18 to November 15.

Initial pre-fabrication work will commence off-site, with on-site construction work beginning in August before major building work starts when the Australian Football League season concludes a few weeks later.

About 450 workers will support the project, with the hotel creating 120 jobs upon completion. The project will also comply with the South Australian Industry Participation Policy, which includes requirements for hiring local workers and using locally produced steel.

The development is taking place at a facility that is considered by many to be one of the most attractive sports venues in the world.

The hotel will be built on two elevated pods that follow the external curves of the eastern façade of the stadium and therefore will not encroach on the parklands or the plaza. None of the stadium’s existing access and egress points, including the plaza and atrium, will be affected by the development.

The stadium’s operator has pledged to minimise the impact of construction on fans entering the stadium’s East Gate on game days and also keep the venue’s two AFL tenants, Adelaide and Port Adelaide, “involved as the build develops”.

Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (SMA) chair Kevin Scarce added: “Built Environs has an excellent record of delivering quality projects in South Australia and we anticipate the same result for the Adelaide Oval Hotel.”

The design is being overseen by COX Architecture and project managed by Mott MacDonald, the same team responsible for the Adelaide Oval redevelopment, which was completed in 2014.

Built Environs managing director Daryl Young added: “As a proud South Australian company of 32 years, we are delighted to have been selected for the design and construction of the Adelaide Oval Hotel.

“This is an iconic project for our South Australian headquarters to be involved in and with our international footprint we are confident in our ability to deliver what is not only a first for Adelaide, but for Australia.

“The team have enjoyed the collaborative and professional approach shown by our client and the consultants at Mott MacDonald and COX Architecture. In partnership with Adelaide Oval, we look forward to delivering in a high-quality project safely.”

The project is being funded by a loan from the South Australian Financing Authority at 4.5%, which means that taxpayers will make approximately Aus$500,000 in interest each year as the loan is paid back by the Adelaide Oval SMA.

Image: Adelaide Oval SMA