Canberra sporting fans could have a chance to buy a "lifetime seat" at a new undercover rectangular stadium to be built in Civic by the end of the decade.
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Canberra's sporting community will get a glimpse of the future when the ACT Brumbies play the Otago Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Friday night.
The purpose-built venue with a clear roof in Dunedin is being used by the ACT government to design a proposed new home for the Brumbies and Raiders in Canberra.
As part of the City to the Lake initiative, officials are planning a new rectangular stadium to be built on the site of the Civic pool and ACT Sports Minister Andrew Barr is aiming for completion by 2020.
It is still subject to approval and government and private funding needs to be raised for the project, which will likely cost more than $200 million.
And while still in the initial stages, Barr said fans could be given the opportunity to purchase a lifetime membership to the venue and sit in the same seat for every event.
"It might even come down to people buying their own seat for life in the venue, it's those business models we're looking at to see who's interested in buying a lifetime membership," Mr Barr said.
"We're looking to sell corporate boxes up front, have car parking underneath during the week and club stadium memberships. It's all part of the issues and planning to see how best to generate revenue.
"The thing to watch for [on Friday night] is the atmosphere ... other people say a crowd of 10 or 15,000 is loud so it will be interesting to see how it comes across."
Government officials toured the Forsyth Barr venue 12 months ago to see if the design would suit Canberra.
It has a clear polymer roof with moveable stands at each end of the ground and a semi-synthetic playing surface.
The stadium - which can hold more than 30,000 spectators - can be used for rugby union, league, soccer, concerts, conferences and functions and has moveable stands at each end of the playing field.
Having a roof at the new stadium is an attractive prospect to help the Brumbies and Raiders attract large crowds even in Canberra's coldest months.
Mr Barr said the government would monitor Forsyth Barr Stadium and any deterioration before settling on a final design.
Officials have also toured AAMI Park in Melbourne to help them come up with the best boutique stadium design for the capital.
The Brumbies will get an up-close look at what could be their future home ground when they run on to the Dunedin venue to take on the Highlanders.
It's the first time the Brumbies have played at the ground after construction finished in time for New Zealand to host the 2011 rugby World Cup.
The Brumbies trained at the stadium on Thursday night and Brumbies coach Jake White said his team was keen to get a chance to run on to what Canberra's sporting landscape could look like in seven years.
"One of the things that has probably counted against the Highlanders is that it's such a fantastic stadium," White said.
"The old days Carisbrook [the Highlanders' former home] was such a daunting task and now all of a sudden players from around the world look forward to coming to Dunedin.
"It's a fantastic stadium for players to get excited about playing at."
The timeframe of the new Canberra stadium build is dependent on new work on Parkes Way and new swimming facilities in the city.
A crucial element of building a new venue is having the stadium earn revenue throughout the year, not just for sporting events, and that could include an on-site hotel.
"We know that not everyone supports the relocation [of Canberra's premier sporting venue], but we know that Canberra Stadium would need significant upgrades and it's well understood money needs to be spent," Mr Barr said.
"The question is now what's the best location and best business model to deliver a high-quality facility."
