Tasmania advances stadium tender for new AFL franchise

The Tasmanian government has entered the critical assessment phase of the tender process for the proposed 24,000-capacity Macquarie Point Stadium in Hobart. Following the closure of the expression of interest phase, two major construction firms, Constructure Joint Venture and BESIX Watpac, are currently in contention for the contract.

In October, the process will move to stage two, where a preferred tenderer will be required to submit detailed modeling, capability frameworks, and a firm target price. The state government aims to secure a formal construction contract by the end of 2026. This milestone is a prerequisite for the AFL to officially ratify Tasmania’s 19th license before the team’s planned entry into the competition in 2028.

Construction of the stadium is projected for completion by late 2030, with the venue expected to host its first fixtures during the 2031 AFL season. Separately, Fairbrother Construction has been appointed to build the franchise’s high-performance training facility.