WIN Sports & Entertainment Centres (WSEC) have unveiled a vision for a new world-class sports and entertainment precinct in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
WSEC said the Minns Labor Government has committed A$17 million to unlock the next stage of planning to bring the project to life.
The plans include a new WIN Arena with a capacity of 9,500, nearly double its existing capacity of 5,300, located just footsteps from Wollongong’s famous beaches and thriving CBD.
Once complete, the redevelopment will also include a revamped WIN Stadium, featuring a new northern grandstand and an extended and reconfigured southern grandstand with improved player changerooms to support the growth of men’s and women’s sport in the region and across NSW.
The 23,000-capacity Wollongong Showground, known as WIN Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a multipurpose stadium located in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium officially opened in 1911.
WIN Stadium is one of the home venues for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing both the Illawarra and St George regions of New South Wales.
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said: “This is a once-in-a-generation investment in the Illawarra that will transform the region into a world-class destination for sport, entertainment and major events.
“Wollongong is one of Australia’s great regional cities, and this investment recognises its importance to NSW.
“By nearly doubling the capacity of WIN Arena and upgrading WIN Stadium, we’re creating a venue capable of hosting up to 150 events a year. That means more concerts, more sporting events and more reasons for people to visit, stay longer and spend locally.”
The Wollongong sporting and entertainment precinct will become the place to be, attracting up to 150 events per year, whilst delivering roughly A$550 million in additional economic activity to the local community.
The precinct will include a new beach-side complex including a café, kiosk and toilets and multi-purpose spaces for functions and special events to be enjoyed on game day and all-year round.
The game day experience for the St George Illawarra Dragons and other major events will be enhanced with modern upgrades to scoreboards, ribbon boards, sports lighting and the stadium sound system.
Both WIN Arena and WIN Stadium will offer improved food, beverage and merchandise outlets, modern corporate areas and function rooms, more toilets, and sitewide accessibility improvements, including new entry gates and wheelchair access to the hill redevelopment.
During construction, more than 600 full-time jobs will be supported and up to 1,100 roles during the life of the project.
Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said: “This is a game-changing announcement for the Illawarra region.
“The new world-class precinct will transform Wollongong into a global sporting and entertainment destination, attracting more tourism and investment to the already thriving region.
“The Minns Labor Government is putting the Illawarra on the world stage, with a new WIN Arena and redeveloped WIN Stadium right on the foreshore of some of Australia’s most iconic beaches.”
Minister for Sport and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “This is a landmark moment for the Illawarra. A new world-class WIN Arena and redeveloped WIN Stadium will turn the precinct into an all-year destination.
“A thriving sports and entertainment precinct in Wollongong will see more live events for the region, providing a boom for the local economy, tourism and jobs.
“This will be an iconic live entertainment site, set right on the foot of the beach. It’s time we realised its full potential.”
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