Barnett briefed on US stadiums
Gareth Parker, The West Australian
January 1, 2011, 3:00 am
Premier Colin Barnett has received a personal briefing on more than $5 billion of new major stadium developments in the US as his Government prepares to reconsider the issue of a replacement for Patersons Stadium in Subiaco in the new year.
The briefing was the culmination of an October study tour of state-of-art stadiums in Texas, New Jersey and New York by the Department of Sport and Recreation director of strategic projects Ronnie Hurst and AFL stadium development manager Simon Gorr.
The pair were guests of South Dakota video and scoreboard designer Daktronics, which has installed big screens at dozens of US venues and has the contract for the new Gold Coast Suns AFL stadium.
Mr Barnett was briefed on the latest trends in stadium design that have been incorporated in the new homes of NFL teams the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New York Jets and baseball's New York Yankees and New York Mets.
The stadiums, which have all opened since April 2009 , place a premium on improved spectator comfort, premium corporate facilities and vastly expanded food, drink and retail options.
It is understood Mr Barnett was particularly taken with the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey, a $1.6 billion facility for 82,500 spectators that is shared by the Giants and Jets football teams.
The stadium, which opened this NFL season, has been designed so each team can "brand" the venue with its own team colours, symbols and memorabilia for home games.
More than 350 pieces of signage, including at food and beverage outlets, merchandise shops and 20 giant screens around the stadium's entrance points, are changed to home team colours between games, many automatically. Mr Barnett said he was "particularly impressed" with the technology.
Officials from West Coast, Fremantle and the WA Football Commission have also been briefed on the stadiums and were urged to consider how a new facility could generate fresh revenue streams and better opportunities for fans to engage with teams.
At the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, home of the Dallas NFL team and host of next month's Superbowl, fans are able to stand in the corridor that links the team's dressing rooms to the playing field and a 49m-wide screen - the biggest high-definition display in the world - hangs from the arena's retractable roof.
Cowboys Stadium, which holds up to 110,000 people, also features sideline-level boxes with couch-style seating, more than 3000 TVs in the stadium's boxes, club lounges and concourses so fans never miss the action.
Mr Hurst said Australian stadium developments had typically approached video screens as "add-ons" but the US experience had convinced him they were integral in the planning of a new venue and could enhance fans' experience.
The Government will put the stadium issue back on the agenda next month.
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