Adelaide Oval has unveiled plans to become the first stadium in Australia to feature an integrated hotel.
Designed by Cox Architecture, the 128-room boutique hotel proposal will be integrated into the Eastern Stand at an estimated cost of A$42m (US$30m) and is hoped to be open by August 2020, in time for the ICC World T20 tournament.
Details of the design reveal that it will feature two wings either side of the Oval’s East Gate linked by an elevated foyer and will be built as a ‘pod’, separated from the back of the Eastern Stand to not impact the seating bowl during construction.
Rooms when complete are described as having spectacular views, including St Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide Parklands and the city skyline. The Adelaide Oval Hotel will be built and managed by the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (AOSMA) and the project will be funded by a loan of up to A$42m from the South Australian Government Financing Authority (SAFA).
“A boutique hotel is an innovation that will not only help offset the ongoing costs associated with operating and maintaining the stadium but will also ensure we stay at the forefront of innovation in what is an extremely competitive international event market,” said Kevin Scarce, chair of AOSMA.
“There are numerous precedents at stadia around the world; indeed, the AFL announced similar intentions for Marvel Stadium earlier this year.
“As the joint venture partners, the boards of SANFL and SACA have undertaken exhaustive due diligence as befits the two organizations that carry the full responsibility for the Adelaide Oval.
“Having done so, it’s very exciting to now be at the point where we’re ready to go to the next step.”
Mott MacDonald will work with Cox Architecture to manage the project, both of which worked on the renovation of the Adelaide Oval back in 2014.
The design of the hotel has been extensively reviewed by the Office for Design and Architecture South Australia (ODASA) to ensure it complements the current outstanding Adelaide Oval design environment. Plans will now be lodged with the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) for approval ahead of a construction tender process early next year.
