The Allan Labor Government is making sure more sport and entertainment stars are secured at Victoria’s world-class Marvel Stadium for generations to come, with upgrades to the precinct now complete.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos joined Australian Football League CEO Andrew Dillon to unveil the new features at the world-class venue, which is set to host a packed calendar of events all year round.
The Labor Government’s $225 million investment has transformed the stadium which now features two new eye-catching Stadium Square and City Edge plazas which will turn the precinct into a seven-day-a-week community meeting place and build a better link between the entire Docklands precinct and Melbourne’s city centre.
Stadium Square provides a year-round all-weather public space that can be used for community events and markets and is a gathering place for fans with permanent bars and restaurants – backing more local jobs and businesses.
City Edge features a new concourse space on the eastern side of the ground with new shops, bars and restaurants with Melbourne’s CBD as the stunning backdrop.
Fresh off hosting the Matildas in front of a sold out crowd of more than 54,000 fans and four huge P!nk concerts, the upgrades are set to be experienced by footy fans tomorrow with the first match of the 2024 AFL Premiership season between North Melbourne and Fremantle to be played at the venue.
More than 1,500 jobs were created across the lifetime of the project while backing local Victorian suppliers through the Government’s Local Jobs First initiative.
Since signing the project deed in 2018, the AFL has supported more multicultural, Indigenous and women’s football programs, bolstered investment into professional, semi-professional and community sports infrastructure and fixtured more AFL and AFLW matches across regional Victoria.
The agreement includes locking in the AFL Grand Final at the MCG until 2059 alongside other blockbuster AFL matches in the nation’s sporting capital.
As stated by Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos
“Marvel Stadium is one of our biggest drawcards to help pack our major events calendar every year. These upgrades make the venue better than ever for both fans and players at sporting or major events.”
“The project will create fantastic opportunities for the Docklands precinct, establishing better links to the CBD, creating event opportunities and providing the facilities to turn the area into a place Victorians can be proud of.”
As stated by AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Dillon
“On behalf of the AFL we sincerely thank the Victorian Government for their partnership in helping realise the dream of taking Marvel Stadium and the precinct from a place that just holds footy games and events and turning it into a destination venue that can and will operate and service Victorian’s and visitors 365 days a year.”
