Canberra Liberals put 'new city stadium' back on the agenda

The Canberra Liberals have revealed the Acton Waterfront as their preferred site for a new stadium as one of their ACT election promises.

ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee will build a 30,000-seat stadium, with a clear roof, in the West Basin precinct if she's voted into power at the election on October 19.

It's expected to cost $700-$800 million to build, but the Liberals would seek federal government assistance and explore public private partnerships as well.

It's put a Civic Stadium back on the agenda after ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr backflipped on his plans to build a new stadium where the Civic pool is.

Mr Barr's preferred option is to build the venue in Bruce, but after eight studies and 15 years he still hasn't decided on an exact location - although the old Canberra Raiders headquarters at the Canberra Institute of Technology is one option being examined.

Not only that, Ms Lee has pledged to start construction on the stadium in her first term in office - meaning it will begin before the end of 2028.

That would mean it would be finished earlier than Mr Barr's plans, with the Labor leader looking to replace the nearly 50-year-old current stadium by the middle of the 2030s.

Ms Lee said the venue would not only attract international sporting events, but "world-class music and entertainment" as well.

"A world-class stadium located at the Acton Waterfront, in close proximity to restaurants, bars and hotels will revitalise not only the city centre, but all of Canberra," she said.

"A new city stadium, delivered by the Canberra Liberals, will provide our local elite sporting teams such as the Raiders, Brumbies and Canberra United with a modern facility and will be a venue that attracts international sporting events, State of Origin and world-class music and entertainment."

The Barr government has earmarked the Acton Waterfront for luxury apartments, meaning any income derived from the sale of that prime real estate to developers would be lost if a stadium was built there instead.

But the Liberals have announced plans to build a new convention centre on the current pool site.

That would open the door for apartments to be built on the convention centre's current location instead.

Ms Lee said there were clear economic benefits from having a stadium in the heart of the city.

"There is a reason why cities all across Australia and the world build stadiums in the city centre," she said.

"The enormous benefits that come with an infrastructure project of this kind in the city has been proven time and time again.

"The Canberra Liberals have always been committed to building infrastructure projects that have the most economic, cultural and social benefit for Canberrans.

"A new stadium located in the city will signal to the rest of Australia and the world that Canberra is open for business - and open to host world-class events.

"The chosen site for the stadium at the Acton Waterfront does not require other buildings to be knocked down or excessive associated works as those put forward by Andrew Barr at other sites across Canberra."

While announcing she planned to begin construction during her first term in office, Ms Lee took a swipe at Mr Barr's stadium track record.

The Labor government first started talking about a new stadium in 2009 and was currently undertaking their eighth study into the venue.

"It is clear the Labor-Greens government has no interest in building a new stadium and Andrew Barr has strung Canberrans along for over a decade with broken promises and multiple feasibility studies," Ms Lee said.

"For too long Canberrans have been let down by a government that has failed time and time again to deliver infrastructure projects for the ACT.

"It is now abundantly clear that the Canberra Liberals are the only party that will build a new stadium for our city."