Calls for new Canberra Stadium to replace GIO Stadium

Concerns have been raised by Canberra Raiders Chairman Dennis Richardson about the existing GIO Stadium in Canberra being passed its use-by date and that its time for a new stadium.

Richardson pointed out in recent comments that a national stadium was part of the original Griffin plan in Canberra 120 years ago and that he was eager to work with both the ACT and Federal Government on the issue, advising "quite clearly as the national capital having a new stadium is an important priority."

Discussions on a new stadium in Canberra have been held for over a decade but recently the ACT Government made a decision to abandon plans for a new Canberra Civic stadium. A major redevelopment of GIO Stadium was also put on hold in 2014 until a decision was made on a new stadium, however plans for a new venue were put on hold later that year.

There was talk of a new $350 roofed stadium in 2018, however this didn’t progress.

The existing GIO Stadium offers little protection from the weather, one of the many aspects of the stadium that have led to the Canberra Raiders claiming that their home ground is “vastly inferior” to other NRL venues and which has a significant impact on attendance.

Richardson went on to state “most state governments around the country have in recent years built new stadiums,.

“Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, the Tasmanian government are speaking about constructing a stadium in Launceston or Hobart. We are a little behind on that front.

“But we do need to understand the ACT Government have a lot of competing priorities. And we need to work with them, not against them.”