The NSW Government will spend $28.9 million to build a new western grandstand at WIN Stadium, Premier Nathan Rees announced in Wollongong today.
The 50-year-old grandstand will be replaced with a new two-tiered stand, boosting capacity at the ground by 3758 seats to 23,150.
The project, which will take three years to complete, will include a small refurbishment to the southern grandstand and new corporate facilities.
AUDIO: Nathan Rees announces the upgrade. Wayne Bennett reacts
Construction will not impact on Dragons games at WIN Stadium.
The funding announcement follows a long community fight for the replacement of the dilapidated grandstand.
"This massive investment will bring WIN Stadium up to a world-class standard and allow Wollongong to compete for a new range of national and international sporting and entertainment events," Mr Rees said.
Mr Rees said the State Government would ask the Federal Government to contribute $14 million towards the $28.9m project, however the project would go ahead regardless of the outcome.
St George Illawarra Dragons coach Wayne Bennett, who joined Mr Rees for today's announcement, said Wollongong was a great sporting town that deserved top-class facilities.
"The grandstand certainly is in need of repair and replacing, and so I'm obviously elated, being the coach here and living in this area for the last 12 months and feeling part of it that the Government sees it fit to put the money into the project to make it a facility that I think the Illawarra deserves quite frankly, it's a great sporting town," he said.
"It's important for the fans, they're the ones that pay the money to come here and they've got a wonderful team.
"It also shows St George's commitment to come to this area as well. When the joint venture was done a long time ago there were a lot of questons asked.
"This is just another step along the way to ensuring that St George Illawarra is here for the long term."
The new grandstand option had been favourably received by the Government after a Treasury review rejected a grander $47 million plan, which included a hotel and walkway to the Steelers Club, earlier this year.
Last month, Wollongong Sportsground Trust chairman Chris Christodoulou said the Government needed to move quickly on making a decision so the trust could meet "a whole lot of deadlines".
"The trust would ideally like to see a decision on this before Christmas in order to allow the go-ahead of the seven NRL games of the 2010 season as part of the agreement with the St George Illawarra Dragons," Mr Christodoulou said.
"We have been in consultation with the Dragons, but if a decision to go ahead is made after Christmas the trust can't plan with any certainty."
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