Stadium downgrade concerns as AFL chief meets in Tasmania

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon flew into the state on Wednesday to meet with Premier Rockliff to get a progress report on the $715 million project which was part of a deal with the league for a Tasmanian-based AFL and AFLW team.

The stadium is yet to be approved as a project of state significance, and construction needs to begin next year for it to be open in 2029.

Just this week, the government has announced the cost of port upgrades for the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels had escalated from $90 million in 2019 to $375 million this year.

This was blamed on an increase on material and construction costs.

Mr Willie said given the $715 million price tag for the stadium was already two years old, the project would be subject to the same cost increases.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Anne Beach last week said the project would strictly be kept within budget, and its design and inclusions would be reassessed if costs rose.

"Typically that means that we get a lower quality stadium over time because of inflationary costs of building and labour," Mr Willie said on Wednesday.

Government minister Jo Palmer said all major projects faced challenges.

"And what you do is face each challenge, work your way through it, and then have an outcome," she said.

"These are really big and exciting projects for Tasmania.

"There's two new Spirits and a stadium. This is taking our state forward."

The Tasmanian Greens characterised Mr Dillon's visit to the state as a "crisis visit".

"There are numerous hurdles to building a billion-dollar plus stadium at Macquarie Point, and these are not considerations that can just be brushed aside," Greens deputy leader Vica Bayley said.

"They are real and, in some cases, probably insurmountable.

"No one person in Tasmania, not even Premier Rockliff, can guarantee a Mac Point stadium will be approved, funded and built."