Wollongong City Council has pushed responsibility for reshaping the WIN Entertainment Centre and Stadium precinct back to the State Government, saying it needs to fund a masterplan for the area.
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The council's report comes two years and a month after then acting sports minister Geoff Lee vowed to make the next steps in upgrading the WEC a "priority".
Dr Lee later put the responsibility on Wollongong City Council (WCC) to "commence a planning process" for the precinct. This report represents that effort, including not just the WEC but the stadium and adjacent land, calling on the Government to fund Venues NSW to immediately commission a comprehensive masterplan.
Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the facilities in the area needed a rethink in terms of contemporary standards.
"Council's done its work; we've prepared this report," he said.
"We need to create a more holistic, integrated sports and entertainment precinct.
"Unless we have a masterplan that integrates the visions, the aspirations, and the contemporary needs for entertainment, sport, conventions, conferences and so on ... unless that's done you're not going to get anywhere. It's just going to be a piecemeal approach, a band-aid approach, and I don't want that any longer."
The demand for this report was criticised in 2020 as "yet another plan" but Cr Bradbery today said having a masterplan in place would make the path to delivery clear.
"We've been kicking this can down the road for a while, because we're just continually being thwarted on this," Cr Bradbery said.
"We're saying this is a bigger issue now; it's not something that can just be put in the too-hard basket. Those buildings, those facilities ... are all land and assets which are sitting there underutilised."
Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said the ball was "firmly back in the NSW Government's court to get on with it".
"The Government requested this report and it now has no further excuses to continue to delay the revamp of the WEC," he said.
"There is a Budget in June and there should be money in that budget to fund the detailed design and business case.
"Wollongong already has been the victim of buck-passing, hand-wringing and delays for the last two years."
Cr Bradbery conceded he may not see work start on the redevelopment during his time as mayor - he has said this will be his final term.
"I'll probably be looking back on it as something I was involved in at the beginning," he said.
"These things don't happen overnight but when you get a masterplan it's clear co-ordination of things over time.
"As long as the state is willing to come along and take the lead, because most of it is their property, it will be implemented over time."
A separate report commissioned by Business Illawarra would contain some of the next steps, including specific visions for different potential design strategies, and work towards a business case. It was not clear when this report will emerge.
The Mercury sought comment from NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres.
Instead, a response came from a Venues NSW spokesperson.
"We support and are contributing to the council's vision for the future of Wollongong City Centre," it said.
"We are an active part of the multi-agency steering committee chaired by Wollongong City Council's Greg Doyle.
"The council has already done an excellent job in attracting significant investment from the private sector and has identified a range of exciting future opportunities that will attract jobs and drive economic growth for the region.
"WIN Stadium and WIN Entertainment Centre are in an enviable location and we're talking to the NSW Government about progressing the master planning process.
"Revitalising our sporting and entertainment facilities, including at Wollongong, remains a key priority for Venues NSW."
The Mercury will continue to press the Government for its position.
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Ben Langford
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
