(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The West Australian government has again changed plans on the indoor sports and concert stadium to be built in Perth.
The government was apparently deep in talks regarding a building contract with the Multiplex Construction Company, which had offered three possible designs for the project, according to AuStadiums.com. The site would have been run by Arena Management, which operates venues in Sydney and Auckland.
The government apparently dropped the talks, launched a new design competition, and will build, fund and operate the 14,000-capacity venue itself. Estimates showed the cost at approximately $160 million, although analysts have said it could be much more.
Exact reasons for the dealing falling through are not known, however the amount originally offered by the government, $50 million over 20 years, had already forced the original choice of the government, Mirvac Fini, to pull out. Reports indicate that this is possibly what drove away Multiplex as well, as they had hoped to receive more than $102 million in government contributions.
The stadium is supposed to be finished by November 2008, however, that deadline was set when construction was expected to begin in October 2004. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
