Tasmanian Premier hopeful on $305m stadium funding backlog

In the North of the state, the government is asking for at least $65 million to complete a $200 million upgrade of UTAS Stadium.

The fate of the Macquarie Point stadium and a Tasmanian AFL team rests on a further $240 million from the federal purse, while the NBL is reportedly seeking federal input to increase seating capacity at the JackJumpers' home court in Hobart.

Asked about the likelihood of the federal government coughing up more than $300 million towards the projects, Mr Rockliff said he was a "glass half-full" person.

"I've had discussions with the PM - I know the Prime Minister is enthusiastic about supporting Tasmania," Mr Rockliff said.

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As revealed in The Examiner on Tuesday, the state government has pulled the trigger on upgrades at UTAS Stadium.

Work will begin this year to add 1000-plus seats to a new Eastern Stand, erect a new entertainment facility, and refurbish players' and umpires' changerooms.

Those upgrades - which take the stadium's capacity to 20,500 - would be followed by a $65 million, federally-funded upgrade to the Western Stand, boosting the ground's capacity to 24,000.

A $70 million third stage would deliver a new indoor sports and events facility capable of hosting basketball and netball.

Exactly how this stage will be funded is not yet clear.

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"For stage two, the Premier's having very positive and ongoing collaborative discussions with the PM and federal government," Construction Minister Guy Barnett said.

"And stage three, we will have further discussions with the federal government and likewise be working very closely with Launceston City Council."

The three-stage redevelopment largely reflects the $208 million plan set out by City of Launceston in 2021.

It is understood that cost was a major factor in the decision to scrap plans for retractable seating, which would have better-equipped the venue to host top-flight soccer.

City of Launceston mayor Danny Gibson said he was happy to see planning for the redevelopment under way, and hoped it would quell fears Northern Tasmania would be overlooked should the state get its own team.

He said council would continue to advocate for the second and third stages of the redevelopment.

"We know that the temporary structure [the Eastern Stand] that will be replaced in stage one is in need of a significant upgrade," he said.

"We also know, as was clearly documented in the Carter report, that the opportunity to increase the number of patrons we can have at UTAS Stadium will be a significant game changer.

"This has the opportunity not only to bring great things for football, but important for other sports, entertainment and for a variety of different users if we can get stage three up and running."

The first stage will be completed by mid-2025.

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