The Tasmanian parliament has approved the construction of the $1.13 billion Macquarie Point Stadium in Hobart, paving the way for the Tasmanian Devils to become the AFL’s 19th club.

The 23,000-seat roofed stadium will now be constructed after long debate over the rising cost of the build and will now be ready in time for the Devils to start playing in the new facility from 2029. The club will officially join the AFL from 2028 where it will spend its first season playing at various grounds across Tasmania.

The AFL is putting up $15 million to the stadium, the Federal Government $240 million and Tasmania paying $375 million, with the rest to come from borrowings. Construction of the stadium will begin in 2026. The Macquarie Point Development Corporation (MPDC) will be responsible for overseeing the planning and delivery of the multipurpose stadium.

The vote on Thursday December 4 came down to key independents Bec Thomas, Casey Hiscutt, Tania Rattay and Dean Harriss who all voted in favour of the construction, with eight votes required from the 15-person Legislative Council which already included three Liberals and three Labor politicians to proceed. The final vote was 9-5 in favour.

The stadium, while primarily to be used for AFL, will also be intended for cricket and other major sports and is primed to become the first indoor venue to host a Test match.

Alongside the AFL’s commitment to the stadium, Cricket Tasmania is also preparing to shift elite cricket to the new venue once it's built, signing a landmark deal to move away from Ninja Stadium (Bellerive Oval) and play Big Bash League and international matches at Mac Point from 2029.

This deal also includes the construction of a turf centre of excellence at Seven Mile Beach to grow drop-in wickets for the stadium while also building a Tasmanian Cricket Centre for Excellence at the site which is located 20 minutes from the Hobart CBD.

Story: Nick Creely; Photo: Supplied.