Parramatta Eels homeless after knocking back $300m stadium offer
Related Story: Drone vision shows Parramatta Stadium in ruins ahead of new 'world-class' venue
The Parramatta Eels have rejected a deal to play home games out of the new $300 million Western Sydney Stadium next year.
Key points:
- The Eels say their home games would be marked as "TBC" when the NRL fixtures are released
- NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said he was still confident a deal could be struck
- The club has played home games on the site since 1947
The 30,000-seat rectangular venue is not due to host its first games until April, after a two-year rebuild replacing the old Parramatta stadium which was demolished in 2017.
The club has been negotiating with operators LiveVenues, run by the New South Wales Government, for six months.
Eels chief executive Bernie Gurr wrote to members saying the deal was unacceptable.
"The current proposal if accepted would adversely affect the ability of our club to invest in our football department, NRL team and junior elite football programs," he wrote.
"We are not prepared to accept a new agreement that will impact the club negatively for the next 25 years."
The club also fears the deal would impact the prices of food, drink and tickets at the ground.
"Therefore, when the NRL draw is released in the near future, the venue for the club's home games in 2019 will be marked as 'TBC' [to be confirmed]," Mr Gurr wrote.
Parramatta has been playing home games on the site since 1947.
Treasurer 'confident' deal can be struck
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the Government would continue negotiations.
"I'm very confident we will reach a compromise because why would you not want to play at one of the great stadiums that this country is going to have," he said.
"Western Sydney Stadium is going to be the envy of the west [and] is a world-class facility that will have world-class games played there, and I believe Parramatta will be a part of that story.
"It's going to be a great stadium the Wests Tigers are going to be playing there."
The club hired a consulting firm six months ago to investigate the deal they were being offered, and compare it to the ones struck by other clubs.
Parramatta said it would continue discussions with VenuesLive, in a bid to reach a "fair" arrangement.
The club's finances took a hit in 2016 after they were fined $1 million for breaching the NRL salary cap.
VenuesLive also runs Stadium Australia.
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