Tasmanian football boss Ben Gordon says his A-League bid have interested financial backers and are currently securing funding for upgrading York Park to a rectangular stadium.
Tasmania have recently secured an NBL franchise and already have a BBL team, as the state currently undergoes "billion dollar" upgrades to key stadia and entertainment venues.
Tasmania's BBL side, Hobart Hurricanes, have averaged over 17,000 fans per match since their inaugural season.
Gordon is in conversations with state government and the bid's own financial backers to upgrade York Park to a boutique 12-13,000 seater rectangular stadium for an A-League side, with the added bonus of hosting World Cup games in 2023.
“I will be talking to the financial backers of the Tasmanian A-League team again next week, and they are still interested,” Gordon told News Corp.
“We are working proactively and cooperatively with the State Government about what needs to be done to make sure we’ve got the facilities where we could play A-League.”
"The first step is making sure York Park gets upgraded to rectangular stadium format like Marvel Stadium, where the seats come out into the ground so it’s rectangular,” Gordon said.
“That would allow us to play Matildas games in the lead up to the World Cup, as well as A-League games and Y-League games.
“It would be a lasting legacy for every sport that needs a rectangular stadium and it would also increase the seating for other sports as well."
Gordon hopes that the lure of hosting World Cup matches will be enough to secure state government funding, but insisted Tasmania needed a rectangular stadium or nothing will come down south.
He also said that his backers are interested in hosting matches across both Launceston and Hobart grounds, with York Park located in Launceston.
“We will not get the World Cup unless we have a rectangular format stadium. We are still working on an option for a rectangular stadium for Hobart," he continued.
A-League games would be played at both ends of the state.
“The proponents are keen on playing games in Hobart and Launceston, just from sheer economics, you get good crowds at both.
“But we do need a rectangular stadium in Hobart and it wouldn’t just be for the A-League.
“It could be a concert venue for 12,000 or 13,000 people, and we’ve had an international rugby game down here and we occasionally get an NRL game, and it would be used for events like that.
“But you don’t get those unless you’ve got the facilities. It would be quite a modest investment compared with the billion dollars that’s been spent on York Park and Blundstone Arena,” he said.
“We’ve got three locations and we are still working through that process.”
“We will not get the World Cup unless we have a rectangular format stadium.
“We are still working on an option for a rectangular stadium for Hobart.”
A-League games would be played at both ends of the state.
“The proponents are keen on playing games in Hobart and Launceston, just from sheer economics, you get good crowds at both,” Gordon said.
“But we do need a rectangular stadium in Hobart and it wouldn’t just be for the A-League.
“It could be a concert venue for 12,000 or 13,000 people, and we’ve had an international rugby game down here and we occasionally get an NRL game, and it would be used for events like that.
“But you don’t get those unless you’ve got the facilities.”
Gordon said the A-League group identified seven potential sites for a Hobart soccer venue, and the shortlist had been reduced to three.
“It would be quite a modest investment compared with the billion dollars that’s been spent on York Park and Blundstone Arena,” he said.
“We’ve got three locations and we are still working through that process.”
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