Canberra Airport hires BESIX Watpac to cost Regatta Place stadium

The airport says an early contractor involvement arrangement means the design is checked for buildability, sequencing and cost from day one, not after it is finished. Region Canberra notes the pairing is no surprise, as the Christchurch venue has been held up as the model for Canberra. Our earlier report covered the Chief Minister’s comments on siting a stadium beside the pool.

The airport says the brief is a stadium made for Canberra’s climate, site and needs, not a copy of Christchurch. BESIX Watpac is part of the international BESIX Group.

The numbers

Region Canberra reports BESIX Watpac has about 60 stadium projects behind it, including two Brisbane venues, Suncorp Stadium and the Gabba, plus Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium and the Gold Coast’s Cbus Super Stadium. Across the wider BESIX Group, the report cites Qatar’s Al Janoub Stadium, a 2022 FIFA World Cup venue, and Saudi Arabia’s Aramco Stadium.

The report gives no cost, seat count or construction timeline.

BESIX Watpac’s role covers co-leading concept design with Populous, plus construction methodology and sequencing. It will also produce a preliminary cost plan backed by a quantity surveyor, run constructability, value engineering and risk workshops, and bring in specialist structural, civil, services and pitch advice.

Airport chief executive Stephen Byron said the goal is a proposal that government and the community can judge on “credible, tested numbers, not estimates”.

What’s next

Region Canberra reports the concept design and costing will wrap up over the coming months. A preliminary strategic impact assessment of the economic and social benefits of a city-centre stadium will run in parallel.

BESIX Watpac chief executive Mark Baker said the company would focus on local businesses, trades and jobs as the proposal progresses.