Newcastle Labor councillors' call for the former Hamilton North gasworks site to be investigated for a basketball stadium has been criticised as "an election ploy".
Resident Jacqui Rosewood said the community was "cynical" of the councillors' move to write to the state government asking it to buy or acquire the Jemena site to accommodate the basketball stadium.
"It seems very pie in the sky to me," Ms Rosewood said. "I have to say with the election coming up they are probably thinking they're going to appease some people by making a suggestion but then if the state government say no then it's not their fault.
"We've all been in contact with the state government repeatedly through this process and there's been no indication that they're prepared to help with this or provide any money."
A spokesperson for the Office of Sport said the NSW government would review the suggestion as part of its due diligence.
"The selection of a site and subsequent development proposal is a matter for Newcastle Basketball," the spokesperson said.
Newcastle Basketball did not respond to the Herald's requests for comment. Chair Erica James told ABC radio the association was "not in a position to be demanding where we go" and was reliant on being allocated a parcel of publicly-owned land.
But Ms James said the gasworks site was a great suggestion and wanted "every possible site explored".
Ms Rosewood is the administrator of a residents group trying to fight an application to build a new basketball stadium on Wallarah and Blackley Ovals, with traffic, flooding and loss of green space among their concerns about the site.
She said she would wholeheartedly support the stadium being moved to the gasworks site, but did not believe it was likely to happen.
"The gasworks is in a brilliant idea and something that's been talked about for over 12 months mostly by members of the community," Ms Rosewood said.
"When I opened [the newspaper] up and saw 'New site suggestion for stadium' my heart skipped a little bit and I thought 'don't tell me something's actually going to happen'.
"But then I read further and thought well, really all that they're saying they're going to do is pass a motion to write a letter.
"If they thought this was a suggestion, why didn't they put it forward months ago.
"It's an attempt to grab for votes.
"The fact that the Labor bloc could go and get themselves to the gasworks and get a photo taken yet still haven't spoken to the residents in all of this time and couldn't turn up to the community meeting at the ovals the other week, it's pretty deflating."
The gasworks site was not available when the Lambton proposal was announced on the eve of the 2023 state election and Newcastle council has stated the ovals were the "only" site available that matched criteria.
But Labor councillors said the availability of the Jemena site only became public after the elected council released the Broadmeadow Place Strategy in May.
"Now that the gasworks site is available for sale, it is right that it be fully investigated," Labor ward three councillor Peta Winney-Baartz said.
"It would appear to be a sensible solution, ensuring land for housing, and a high quality indoor sports facility for our city."
Cr Winney-Baartz defended Labor councillors' representation on the issue and put the onus on the state government.
"This is a state government-funded project, on state government land being assessed for development by the state government," she said.
"For months now, Labor councillors have been leading serious conversations with state agencies regarding alternative locations.
"Labor councillors and the Member for Wallsend together met with the Minister for Sports. The City of Newcastle convened a site tour of Astra Street as an alternative location with senior representatives from the NSW government.
"Our actions speak to the work we've been undertaking to deliver a better outcome for all in our community, and the good faith we have shown in progressing genuine alternatives.
"The resolution of council, carried unanimously in May 2024, was clear that Labor councillor's preference is for Newcastle Basketball, PCYC, the showground and tennis to be accommodated within the Broadmeadow Precinct. This position has not changed."
If the stadium proposal goes ahead, it would be moved from Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery's electorate to Tim Crakanthorp's Newcastle.
Ms Hornery has been vocal in opposing the ovals being used for the new stadium.
A spokesperson for Ms Hornery said she supported "council finding a new venue for the Newcastle Basketball stadium per the agreement between City of Newcastle, Newcastle Basketball Association and NSW Office of Sport".
"Ms Hornery advocates to the government on behalf of the community on a range of matters and would certainly be willing to advocate for any solution that is raised to solve the Lambton Ovals issue following proper planning and consultation processes.
Mr Crakanthorp said he was "wholeheartedly in support of council finding a home for basketball, tennis and the PCYC".
"Where that will be, will be dependent on conversations between the City of Newcastle and the Ministers for Land/Sport and the Minister for the Hunter," he said.
Independent lord mayoral candidate Ross Kerridge said he would withdraw Newcastle council's support for the development of the Basketball Stadium on the Wallarah and Blackley Ovals site if he is elected and called for the ovals proposal to be abandoned.
"It's clear that this is a poorly thought-out proposal and that there are better options," he said.
"There are other sites that can be investigated.
"Whether it is the showground, in the Hunter Park precinct, the former gasworks in Hamilton North or even in another local government area, there must be other more reasonable sites where this stadium could go.
Dr Kerridge's candidate for ward three Mark Brooker said in his 10 years running a community newspaper he had never seen "an issue that has raised as much emotion and continuing activism in the community than this one".
Ward three councillor Katrina Wark said she did not support the gasworks site, which would result in further costs for the basketball association.
"The residents of Hamilton North and Georgetown would then have to suffer through increased traffic on their local surface roads that are already riddled with potholes and have terrible street lighting," she said.
