BESIX Watpac awarded $1.13 billion contract to build Hobart's Macquarie Point stadium

BESIX Watpac secured the tender to build the $1.13 billion Macquarie Point stadium in Hobart, beating a rival consortium headed by Italian firm WeBuild, which had been under scrutiny for alleged safety violations in New South Wales. A fixed-price contract is slated to be signed before Christmas, though the exact cost remains under negotiation and will be finalised in the coming weeks. The project, overseen by the Macquarie Point Development Corporation, must adhere to a state funding ceiling of $875 million, with any overruns to be managed via value-management, scope cuts, or additional contributions from the federal government, AFL or Cricket Australia.

Site preparation started in July, and the stadium is scheduled for completion in December 2030, a prerequisite for the Tasmania Devils' entry into the AFL and AFLW from 2028. BESIX Watpac recently delivered Christchurch's One New Zealand Stadium and, in partnership with John Holland, won the contract for Brisbane's new Olympic stadium. A Greens motion called for an updated cost estimate, but officials have not released new figures, citing procurement integrity concerns.