Premier Colin Barnett today announced further details of his plans for a new major sporting stadium at Burswood, and insisted that its budget and construction schedule could be met.
Global architecture company, Populous, has been appointed as consultant for the 60,000-seat stadium.
Mr Barnett reaffirmed earlier estimates that the stadium would cost $700 million and that transport upgrades would cost a further $300 million.
Despite this, he commented that no-one can put a price on the stadium yet, because it has not been designed.
"Can I emphasise this has yet to be designed. This is the start of the design process and there are a whole range of issues that need to be looked at," he said.
The stadium will be located on government-owned low-lying land on the Burswood peninsula, currently used for a golf course, and will require extensive piling.
The design for the stadium is expected to be completed mid-2012, with construction commencing in 2014 and due to be completed in early 2018, ahead of the AFL season. However, Mr Barnett said there is potential for the stadium to be finished in 2017, if all goes well.
Shadow sport and recreation minister Roger Cook said that Western Australians have a right to know what financial burdens they will have to bear in the building of the stadium.
"When the Premier announced his preference for the Burswood site in June, he told Western Australians it would cost around $1 billion,” he said.
“That figure now looks particularly optimistic given Freedom of Information documents revealed it would cost at least an extra $300 million to build the stadium. Despite being aware of the extra costs, the Premier withheld this information when he made the announcement."
Mr Barnett said he is confident the goverment can afford both the site preparation and still have funds to provide facilities for the stadium’s fans and supporters.
The land has previously been used as a rubbish tip, industrial wasteland, and as sewerage.
Sport and recreation minister Terry Waldron said that many stadiums are built on contaminated sites, or on swamp areas. He added that the site has undergone extensive studies and drilling tests.
The site will also need to be raised 3.5 metres, in order to be protected against flooding, which reports show could rise up to 3.2 metres from 100-year flooding which could occur in the next 50 years.
Currently situated on the site is the Burswood Park Golf Course, which will be scrapped to make way for the stadium, Mr Barnett confirmed.
The Belmont Park rail station will be upgraded, and a pedestrian bridge will be constructed over the Swan River linking the stadium to East Perth.
Mr Barnett said that 70 per cent of patrons were expected to arrive on foot. “This is not a stadium that you will drive your car to,” he said.
Mr Waldron said "the beauty of Burswood is that it gives us space around the site."
This space will "allow for the development of a broader sporting and entertainment precinct around the stadium," Mr Barnett said.
Populous senior principal and head of Asia Pacific region, Paul Henry, said the stadium’s design will combine the best and most effective components of stadiums around the world.
Populous has been responsible for the Yankees Stadium in New York, the Wembley Stadium in London, and the London 2012 Olympic Stadium.
In Australia, it has been involved with Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and the ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The Perth stadium is to become the second largest AFL stadium in the country.
Mr Henry said he was confident that the stadium was able to be finished within the four-year construction period.
