Two million attend Optus Stadium events in 2018

Almost two million people attended major sport and entertainment events at Optus Stadium last year, with the venue delivering a $129 million economic benefit.

A new Deloitte Access Economics report shows that while AFL was the most highly attended event category in 2018 - attracting 1.3 million people - the new business area was for major concerts.

A total of 120,979 people were at Ed Sheeran’s two shows at the venue, while Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour concert attracted 48,405 fans.

The report goes on to suggest that more than 57 million people will attend events at the venue in the next three decades providing $653 million of increased economic activity for Western Australia.

As well as AFL and concerts, cricket is also expected to feature heavily at Optus Stadium into the future, with the second Test between India and Australia in December last year attracting 81,104 spectators.

The one-day international match played between Australia and England in January was attended by 53,781 people, marking the highest attendance for a single-day cricket event in Western Australia.

The tourism benefit of the venue saw it attract 53,000 out-of-state visitors in 2018, spending $47 million, while, over the next six years, it is estimated more than 395,000 overseas and interstate visitors will attend events at the Stadium.

Welcoming the significant economic role of the venue, Western Australian Sport and Recreation Minister, Mick Murray stated “while the world-class sporting and entertainment acts speak for themselves, the broader underlying benefits to the State in terms of jobs, tourism and economic activity are sometimes less clear.

“Considering the cost of Optus Stadium and Stadium Station to taxpayers, it is only reasonable that they are given some insight into the broader benefits of the project.”

Deloitte’s report shows the economic benefits of Optus to the State have been, and will continue to be, significant showing “an average annual increase in economic output” over the next 29 years of $19.8 million.

It also advised that in 2018, 85.8% of all supplier spend at Optus Stadium flowed to local businesses - $42.5 million to 278 individual local companies.

Optus Stadium Chief Executive, Mike McKenna has also recently attended a ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in the French capital of Paris to receive the 2019 Prix Versailles for Sport.

For the first time in the history of the Prix Versailles World Architectural and Design Awards, a new category for sporting stadiums and venues was created with Optus Stadium being declared as the inaugural winner.

The Prix Versailles for Sports is a unique competition involving UNESCO and the International Union of Architects, among others, and sends a lasting message about the crucial, universal role played by those facilities in fostering social, economic and cultural exchanges. It awards annual prizes to the world’s most beautiful campuses, passenger stations, sports stadiums, restaurants, hotels, and other buildings of architectural merit.

The criteria used by the World Judges Panel to select the most beautiful sports facilities includes innovativeness, creativity, reflection of local heritage and energy efficiency.

Acknowledging the venue’s innovative design - a collaboration between architects HASSELL, Cox and HKS - McKenna stated “this award has confirmed what our fans have known for a while, that Optus Stadium is a beautifully designed world class venue, that people love attending to watch sport and entertainment events, hold meetings and enjoy gala dinners or just play in the parkland.

“Being recognised as the most beautiful sports stadium in the world will undoubtedly help attract more people to visit Perth, Optus Stadium and the Stadium precincts.”

Optus Stadium has received multiple accolades during its first year of operations.

In the coming months Optus Stadium will be the venue for legendary international bands Metallica and U2 and host the first ever day-night cricket test in Perth when the Ashes winning Australia take on cross Tasman rivals New Zealand.

Images: Optus Stadium by night (top) and Optus Stadium Chief Executive, Mike McKenna [at right] receiving the the 2019 Prix Versailles for Sport at UNESCO Headquarters in the French capital of Paris (below).