The NSW Government is seeking community feedback on the future of the ocean-side venue
Key points:
- The NSW Government is seeking feedback on plans to upgrade the Illawarra Sports and Entertainment Precinct
- It has provided $17 million to fund the next planning phase of the development
- The proposal includes a new Entertainment Centre that doubles the current capacity, and new grandstands and facilities at WIN Stadium
- The proposal also includes linking the eastern hill to a Wollongong foreshore enhanced by new food and beverage options, retail and commercial offerings, multi-purpose function facilities.
Wollongong City Council is encouraging the community to provide feedback on the NSW Government's plans to upgrade the Illawarra Sports and Entertainment Precinct into a world-class venue that will bring more than 150 events to our city each year.
Council has long advocated for the development of the Venues NSW-owned asset to transform it into a year-round home for major sporting and corporate events and bring hundreds of millions of dollars investment to Wollongong and the Illawarra.
In January 2026, the NSW Government announced $17 million funding for the next stage of planning for an upgraded precinct that would double the capacity of the WIN Entertainment Centre and see WIN Stadium redeveloped to include new southern and northern grandstands.
The proposal also includes linking the eastern hill to a Wollongong foreshore enhanced by new food and beverage options, retail and commercial offerings, multi-purpose function facilities, improved and accessible amenities, as well as paths and transport links to City Beach and the CBD.
Infrastructure NSW is currently gathering community feedback on the future of the precinct, with an online survey live on its website until 18 October.
Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown encouraged residents to fill out the survey and provide valuable input into the next phase of development.
"Wollongong is a major events city and that's been proven over many years," Cr Brown said.
"The venue is home to our two national sporting teams in the Illawarra Hawks and St George Illawarra Dragons, and countless other concerts, conferences and events each year. With its ocean-side location, it offers something few other venues in the world can match.
"It's perfectly positioned to activate our foreshore, as events like the UCI World Championships and World Tri have done so brilliantly and memorably. Those events have showcased Wollongong to the world and that will continue with the Rugby League World Cup headed our way in October.
"The role our community has played in building our reputation as a home of global events is proof that our city deserves a world-class venue and we will continue to work constructively with Venues NSW and the State Government to see it delivered.
"We are in the early stages, but I encourage all our residents to complete the online survey, as I have done, to provide that input to help shape the future of the precinct."
General Manager of Wollongong City Council Mr Greg Doyle said Council will continue collaborating with the state government to advocate for the development of the Illawarra Sports and Entertainment Precinct and the positive impact it will have for Wollongong and the wider region.
"Advocating for the development of the precinct is part of a broader commitment to boosting our night-time and visitor economy and driving investment in our city centre," Mr Doyle said.
"There are lots of exciting developments occurring within our CBD, including Council's plans to enhance hotel and accommodation options across our city to boost the tourism and events sector and support Wollongong's growth as a major events destination.
"Building a world-class sporting and entertainment precinct linking the CBD with our foreshore will help incentivise that development and investment in supporting infrastructure, while enriching the sporting and cultural life of our city.
"We welcome the holistic approach to activating the entire precinct, which aligns with our development of a new Lang Park Masterplan, to ensure the foreshore complements a broad event offering and can be enjoyed by our whole community as a vibrant and accessible public space all year round.
"We'll continue working with the NSW Government and all other stakeholders to progress this major project forward."
You can complete the survey and register for project updates at Infrastructure NSW's online project page
