City council objects to Adelaide Oval hotel proposal

Plans by the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority to build a boutique hotel at the famous venue, backed by the South Australian Government, have been unanimously rejected by the Adelaide City Council.

While the South Australian Government has previously declared the City Council’s objections won’t make any difference to the status of the $42 million project, Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor is to formally outline the Council’s position to Premier Steven Marshall.

While some Councillors have admitted their opposition to the proposal won’t hinder the Stadium Management Authority’s plan, Councillor Anne Moran advised the purpose of the vote “is to show just how wrong we think this is and how wrong our ratepayers think this is”.

Deputy Lord Mayor Houssam Abiad told The Advertiser that the $42 million backing from the Government would undermine city hotels.

Deputy Lord Mayor Abiad stated “in 2011 when the (Oval redevelopment legislation) was being taking to the Legislative Council and the Liberals were sitting up there, they would have 100% voted down an Adelaide Oval hotel if it was part of the lease.

“I’ll be saying this quite bluntly, it doesn’t feel like to me there has been a change of Government - we have seen this happen before a lot. Where we have seen specific business, specific institutions get preferential treatment over others. We’ve heard from the hotels association and we have heard from the hotels.

“The core business of a stadium is to hold sporting events, concerts and entertainment events, they are not hoteliers so unless they are going to bring in a third party hotel operator, which will make the lease interesting for council, I don’t know how they are going to do this.”

Adelaide City Councillor Robert Simms said if the project went ahead it would see the Adelaide Oval become “a moated community”, telling The Advertiser “I should also point out that the building itself is an icon for our city, and the idea that you mess with an icon by building on top of it is moving down the same path as we saw in Sydney where we see billboards on the Opera House.”

The South Australian Government argues that the hotel will be in the core area of the Oval under legislation that allowed its $535 million redevelopment

A South Australian Government spokesperson advised “this is a complying development that will ensure Adelaide Oval remains a world class stadium and will help grow South Australia’s visitor economy and support local jobs.”

A Stadium Management Authority spokeswoman said the hotel only had to get consent of the South Australian Government, adding “that notwithstanding, we recognise the role council has to play which is why last week we offered them the opportunity of another briefing to ensure they have a full and proper understanding of the project.

“Council is yet to take this offer up and we feel it would be disappointing if they discussed this matter tomorrow without taking this offer up first.”

Image shows an artist's impression of the Cox Architecture designed Adelaide Oval hotel.