Is a waterfront city stadium actually on the cards for Canberra?

After it was all but ruled out by the ACT government, a fresh pitch for a city stadium in Canberra has been floated.The proposal has been met with positive but cautious responses from lawmakers, and although it is likely to be popular among Canberrans, it does not yet have the required land, an owner or a builder.Here's what's known about the latest pitch for a city stadium.What is the proposal?A new city stadium is being suggested, based on the model of the Te Kaha Stadium in Christchurch — a rectangular stadium with a roof that holds 25,000 fans for sports events and 35,000 for concerts.That stadium cost about half a billion Australian dollars to deliver.Canberra's current rectangular stadium in the suburb of Bruce sits in the same precinct as the Australian Institute of Sport, but has drawn criticism in recent years due to its aging infrastructure and location, which means patrons cannot easily stream out to bars and restaurants or public transport.Where would the stadium be built?The proposed site of a new city stadium in Canberra is partially occupied by the Archbishop's House. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)The proposed stadium would be waterfront, sitting on the north shore of Lake Burley Griffin near Regatta Place.The area is a block of Commonwealth land that includes the Catholic Archbishop's house and the car parking next to it.Crucially, it would be near the next stage of light rail, with construction to take the trams to the lake's edge already underway.And the proximity to the city would give people the option to walk to Canberra's nightlife after an event.Who's behind the idea?A consortium of Canberra business heavy-hitters is behind the pitch, including Canberra Airport boss Stephen Byron, the founder of Canberra Data Centres, Greg Boorer, and other corporates.However, Mr Byron has clarified that the consortium does not want to build the stadium or own it.So, who will build it?That's not yet clear.The consortium is in discussions with the Catholic Archdiocese to buy the land, and said they would then hand it over for free to whoever runs the project.That would be either the Commonwealth government, a combination of the Commonwealth and ACT governments, or potentially a private company tasked with developing the stadium.When would it be built by?An artist's rendering of an all-event stadium in Canberra's city (Supplied: Canberra Airport)The business owners are optimistic the stadium could be complete by 2030.Their plan is to take six months to get the architect designs finished.That would then give the ACT government six to 12 months to consider the development and then, if approved, estimate it would take 2.5 years to build.How would parking work at the stadium?Canberra's rectangular stadium in Bruce is criticised for its location and age. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)The new tram stop would be 80 metres from the proposed stadium.Mr Byron also said he estimated there were already 7,000 car spaces north and south of the lake, while he said the current Bruce stadium "has about 1,700 car spaces".He also said he believed that if the lake could fit 120,000 people for Canberra's Skyfire fireworks show, then a live music concert with 35,000 fans, for example, should be fine.What does the government say?ACT Senator Katy Gallagher did not disagree with the idea of a lakefront stadium. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)ACT Senator Katy Gallagher said the idea was "potentially very exciting" and that the purchase of the Catholic Archbishop's land would be significant.ACT Treasurer Chris Steel said: "We certainly wouldn't rule out considering this proposal at this stage, we'll see what comes through this new study that's being proposed."However, he did raise questions about transport to the site, parking and game-day access.What about the pool?The ACT government has proposed a new pool be built at Commonwealth Park to replace Civic Pool. This is because the previous pool's site is slated for a new National Convention Centre.Mr Byron suggested the pool could be built next to the new stadium or at another site.The federal government will have a big say in the decisions because both proposals involve the use of Commonwealth land.So, Senator Gallagher said the government would have to weigh up the stadium proposal alongside plans for the convention centre and pool.