The New South Wales government, under the Minns administration, is seeking development partners to redevelop the Moore Park Entertainment Quarter in Sydney into a world-class entertainment precinct anchored by a new 15,000 to 20,000-seat indoor arena and additional live entertainment, sport, and creative industry facilities.

A major revamp of Moore Park’s Entertainment Quarter is planned, featuring a 15,000 to 20,000-seat indoor arena designed to complement ICC Sydney and Qudos Bank Arena and boost nighttime entertainment and live performances.

officials emphasize a place-making framework to ensure commercial viability, increased visitation, new venues, heritage preservation, integration with surrounding parklands and sports facilities, and retaining significant public open space.

Current lease dynamics involve Carsingha Investments, which holds the lease with a conditional break clause and a 2036 expiry plus a 20-year option, while high-profile investors Gerry Harvey, Mark Carnegie, and John Singleton are associated with the consortium; past proposals included a 20-storey mixed-use plan that stalled after a 2019 unsolicited bid.

Carsingha Investments, the former leaseholder group including notable investors, exited the lease under confidential terms, and the government is seeking a new long-term lease, potentially up to 99 years, or a substantial public payout.

Historical context shows Carsingha’s proposals faced legislative changes requiring open tenders; the precinct currently hosts key venues but remains underutilized, aligning the redevelopment with broader efforts to reboot Sydney’s entertainment and hospitality sectors.

Stakeholders view the project as transformative: the City of Sydney and civic groups anticipate a cohesive precinct that blends entertainment, sport, heritage sites, parkland, and public space, with private capital helping to fill funding gaps in a tight fiscal environment.

A long-term lease process is being pursued to attract a development partner and provide investment confidence for revitalizing the Entertainment Quarter into a world-class hub for entertainment, sport, and the creative industries.

The redevelopment will proceed via a competitive tender, with proposals evaluated for the final 20,000-seat venue, programming, and precinct enhancements, and a timeline of at least three to four years before major shows occur.

Expressions of interest have opened to unlock the precinct’s potential, with the arena intended to bridge the gap between ICC Sydney and Qudos Bank Arena and bolster Sydney’s live-music and events scene after the 2016 closure of the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

The plan aligns with NSW’s broader push to lift live-entertainment capacity and establish a practical long-term lease framework to attract investment and development.

A place-making framework prioritizes commercial viability, increased visitation, new venues, heritage integration, and ongoing public space; while Hordern Pavilion and Royal Hall of Industries are on the State Heritage Register, the Entertainment Quarter itself is not listed.

Two initiatives underpinning the plan include the Entertainment Quarter revitalization and a separate $50 million South Moore Park program featuring a large park, a nine-hole public golf course, expanded driving range, mini golf, and enhanced park amenities.

NSW leaders, including Premier Chris Minns and Minister John Graham, aim to transform the precinct into a premier nighttime economy hub and address Sydney’s historic gap in large-scale live music and entertainment venues since 2016.