Allia exits nib Stadium management deal

Nick Tana’s Allia Venue Management has bailed out of its contract to manage the home of the Western Force and Perth Glory, nib Stadium.

VenuesWest chairman Graham Partridge said today that Allia had exercised its option to terminate the venue management contract.

Allia will operate the venue for the next six months, with VenuesWest to take on management after that time until a long-term solution is found.

Mr Partridge said taking on the stadium operations would not be a problem for VenuesWest, which had a strong management team across multiple venues.

“It is our priority to ensure Western Australia’s premier rectangular sports and entertainment venue delivers great customer experiences and we will work with Allia and their staff to ensure that happens,” he said.

VenuesWest has governed the facility since 2012, following a $95 million upgrade funded by the state government.

The news that Allia is stepping aside will likely be welcomed by Perth Glory owner Tony Sage, who said in 2010 that the refurbishment would not help the club, or co-tenants Western Force, unless the ground was managed exclusively by the state government.

Mr Sage made headlines in 2012 by claiming Mr Tana was ripping the Glory off by charging the same fees to operate the venue during the refurbishment, with the stadium only having a capacity of 9,800 rather than 22,000.

The state government's mid-year budget review showed Allia was paid $1.9 million as compensation for loss of earnings as a result of the construction of the new grandstand. 

At the time the refurbishment was launched, opposition treasury spokesperson Ben Wyatt said the government had missed an opportunity to renegotiate the management contract with Allia.

Allia had been managing the venue since 2004, at which time the Glory was owned by Mr Tana.

Mr Tana sold the club to Mr Sage in 2006.