Optus Stadium, officially named Perth Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Perth, Australia. It is used primarily for Australian rules football and cricket matches, hosting the home games of the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers, teams of the Australian Football League (AFL), and cricket matches of the Australian national team.
Opened on 21 January 2018 with an exhibition cricket match between an Australian XI and an English XI, it replaced the WACA Ground. The seating capacity of the new stadium is currently set at 60,000, making it the third-largest stadium in Australia. The stadium was designed by Hassell, Cox Architecture and HKS, Inc. and was constructed at a cost of AUD 1.6 billion.
A category four stadium by the ICC and one of the biggest stadiums by capacity in Australia, Optus Stadium has hosted several prestigious cricket and football matches. It was awarded the most beautiful sporting facility in the world at the 2019 Prix Versailles Architecture and Design Awards. In its short history, Optus Stadium has already welcomed millions of spectators. The stadium is one of the potential venues for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which Australia is bidding to host.
While the previous Perth stadium was also officially named 'Western Australia Cricket Association Ground', both the old and the new stadia are invariably referred to by their unofficial name, Optus Stadium. Optus is the name of the telecommunications company that bought the naming rights for the stadium, which is located on the Burswood Peninsula, east of the Perth Central Business District. This unofficial name caught on soon after the original stadium's construction; the people of Perth used to simply call it Optus. Therefore, the stadium's common name became 'Optus Stadium', which is usually recognized as such internationally. This name, however, could be argued to be unusual, since Optus refers not to any geographical or historical feature, but to the original sponsor of the stadium: Optus ('Optus Telecommunications').
Optus Stadium was designed by leading architecture firms Hassell, Cox, and HKS, and built by a consortium led by Multiplex. The project began in 2014 and was completed in late 2017, ready for the 2018 Australian Football League (AFL) season. The stadium has a capacity of over 60,000, making it the third-largest stadium in Australia. The design allows for future expansion to 70,000 seats. The stadium also includes the largest LED lighting system of any stadium in the world.
Optus Stadium is a multi-purpose venue capable of hosting AFL, rugby union and league, football (soccer), cricket, and entertainment events. It also hosts major events such as the annual National Rugby League double-header, State of Origin matches, Bledisloe Cup matches, and big-ticket concerts. The stadium includes world-class facilities for players, officials, and media, as well as a range of food and beverage options, from premium offerings to more traditional stadium fare.
Since its opening, Optus Stadium has been recognized with a number of awards and accolades. In 2019, it was named the Most Beautiful Sports Facility in the World at the Prix Versailles Architecture and Design Awards. It has also been recognized as the best stadium for fan experience in the AFL and the best venue for international cricket in Australia. In addition to its sporting and entertainment functions, the stadium precinct includes a community sports complex, parklands, a playground, and a network of walking and cycling tracks.
A suitable location, with excellent access and ample space for future developments, was pinpointed in the Burswood locality. Being situated on the boundary of the Burswood and Victoria Park suburbs, the new stadium initially gained the moniker 'Stadium Australia'.
The intention was always for the facility to be owned and operated by the Western Australian State Government, with Optus securing the naming rights in a ten-year deal announced in November 2017. The concept for the sports complex was outlined as early as the late 2000s under the guidance of then Western Australia Premier, Colin Barnett.
Motivated by the government's commitment, taxpayers shouldered the financial burden of the construction costs for the new stadium, with large donations also received, and some even volunteering their time and skills to the project on holidays or weekends. There was even a 'seat campaign', where large quantities of seating were donated to the stadium.
Construction formally commenced on 7 December 2014. Less than three years later, and at a cost of $1.6 billion AUD, on 21 January 2018, a 110,000-capacity crowd filled the stadium for the inaugural open day event.
Optus Stadium is a multi-purpose venue capable of hosting AFL, rugby union and league, football (soccer), cricket and entertainment events. It is the third-largest stadium in Australia, and the largest sporting stadium in Western Australia with a crowd capacity of over 60,000. The stadium's design allows for the capacity to be increased to fit up to 70,000 spectators for rectangular sports such as rugby and soccer.
The stadium features the two largest video screens of any stadium in the Southern Hemisphere. It also provides a cutting-edge lighting system that uses more than 15,000 LED lights that can project team colours onto the roof. The stadium also has a bronze statue of Nicky Winmar, a former AFL player and an Indigenous Australian widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of his generation.
The stadium's design includes a lightweight fabric roof that covers 85% of the seats, and is designed to reflect live sport lighting, minimising spill light into the surrounding area. It also features a 'halo' roof that appears to float above the stadium, and its bronze facade reflects Western Australia's unique geology by day and, using state-of-the-art LED lighting, home team colours by night.
Optus Stadium (2018): Official website of the Optus Stadium, providing detailed information about the stadium's history, specifications, and events. https://www.optusstadium.com.au/
Optus Stadium (The People's Ground) – until 2021: An article from StadiumDB.com providing an overview of the Optus Stadium's history and key features. https://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/aus/perth_stadium
The Optus Illumination: A book detailing the architectural and design aspects of the Optus Stadium. https://www.primebooks.com.au/the-optus-illumination
Optus Stadium: A Glorious 3 Years - The Story 1: A book capturing the first three years of the Optus Stadium, including key events and milestones. https://www.sa.com.au/optus-stadium-a-glorious-3-years
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