Talk of a $6 billion roof over the MCG might grab headlines, but the real redevelopment conversation is centred on the Shane Warne Stand. A business case is already under way for a billion-dollar rebuild that would reshape the southern side of the historic ground.

Fox Sports reported the business case “to knock down Shane Warne Stand” is being considered as part of a broader plan to modernise the MCG. The stand, which opened in 1992 has long been flagged as the next stage in the ground’s redevelopment.

The Southern Stand project is both more modest and feasible. It would increase capacity to approximately 105,000 and put the MCG back into the top ten of the world’s largest sports stadiums.

Not everyone is convinced a full demolition is needed. Architect Peter Cole, who designed the original stand, has been critical of the scale and cost. “It works out at roughly $200,000 per extra seat, given a probable bill of about a billion dollars. It doesn’t pass the pub test,” he told The Guardian.

Cole warned against tearing down a structurally sound stand purely for the sake of expansion. “Part of my problem with it is that a premature demolition would be such a waste of embodied energy,” he said.

At the end of the day, it’s about priorities as much as price. Melbourne is fighting to stay on top for the biggest events, and the MCG’s size and facilities are what keep it in the global conversation. Blockbuster concerts only add fuel to the push for upgrades, Taylor Swift’s three Melbourne shows pulled in around $58 million each, $174 million all up, proof the ‘G turns into a cash cow when it’s packed and pumping.

For fans, the literal billion dollar question is whether a new Southern Stand actually makes their day better. For Cole, the risk is overdoing it. For the people in charge, it’s about keeping the ‘G number one without torching the budget.

Photo: supplied by the author.