ACT chief minister Andrew Barr says soccer content is a sticking point for the viability for a new rectangular stadium in Civic, but plans will push ahead even if Canberra doesn't secure an A-League licence.
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But one of the major hurdles for the proposed $350 million venue to be built by the mid 2020s is the type of playing surface and whether the ACT Brumbies can Canberra Raiders will agree to a synthetic field.
The government is weighing up whether to invest in regular A-League fixtures in the capital or pool their money to lure marquee Socceroos matches in the coming years.
Barr is adamant there must be an ongoing relationship with soccer if a new stadium is to be built and flagged hopes for a long-term partnership similar to AFL club the GWS Giants agreement in Canberra.
There were rumours a private group was preparing a bid for Canberra to be considered for an A-League licence when the league expands in the comings years.
However, that seems unlikely and the government is yet to start negotiations with the Central Coast Mariners about returning to Canberra Stadium next year.
The Mariners launched a push into Canberra this season, investing in a pathway program and paying to play in the capital in the hope of a longer-term arrangement.
"We made $15,000 or a tiny amount of money on the A-League game with 5000 people in Canberra," Barr said.
"That doesn't work. The Central Coast lost money and we only made spare change, it's not a commercial proposition.
"The question for soccer in Canberra is what scenario will get more than 5000 people to a game?
"The experience with the AFL 10 years ago when we had a casual year-by-year arrangement where we didn't have a team, AFL crowds were at that [5000] level.
"There was no momentum. So we need to hear from Capital Football and from a potential bidder about what they're going to do.
"To put it in the simplest terms, the government is not going to spend millions and millions of dollars to invest and not make anything back if the crowds are only going to be 5000 people.
"We can follow two paths. Either go for major tournaments and the Socceroos and invest in that, or we can pursue an A-League path. But we can't do both."
Barr has floated the prospect of buying the current Canberra Stadium site off the Australian Sports Commission as the parties prepare to renegotiate the terms of a $350,000 per year lease.
The government says it is unlikely to invest significant money at Canberra Stadium to keep it up to date with the industry standard after changes to the lease, which raised the payment from $1 to $350,000.
It leaves Canberra Stadium at risk of falling further behind the rest of the venues in Australia and the government says it cannot afford to build a new stadium in Civic until at least 2025.
It is hoped the government can strike a partnership with ANU to build a 50 metre pool at the university to free up the land at the site of the Civic Pool.
However, the orientation of the proposed new stadium and whether its surface is real grass or synthetic could add massive costs to the build.
The Brumbies and the Raiders are keen for real turf given there are still concerns about player safety on a synthetic field.
But that would mean changing the direction of the stadium and impact plans to move Parkes Way.
"The playing surface issue is a problem, too," Barr said.
"Trying to get grass to grow in winter and not cook in summer in a greenhouse is an issue.
"So the orientation is significant and the advice I have does mean moving Parkes Way. If that costs hundreds of millions of dollars, that would add to the cost of the project and you'd have to look at other sites.
"We need to develop further work ... Neither rugby league or rugby union are prepared to commit to playing on an entirely synthetic surface."
