Senator David Pocock is adamant a new stadium close to the city centre is the project's only viable option to answer the changing demands of a fan's game day experience.
The Acton Waterfront is now at the centre of Canberra's stadium debate as the push to have a new venue in the city - as opposed to a site in Bruce - regains momentum.
Pocock says fans now expect more than just a game when they attend sporting fixtures, with a surrounding precinct crucial to luring people out of their living room and into a grandstand.
The National Capital Authority is open to the Acton Waterfront becoming the home of a new stadium in the city after the Canberra Liberals revealed the preferred site for a sports venue in an ACT election promise.
ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee will back a 30,000-seat stadium with a roof, expected to cost $700-$800 million, in the West Basin precinct should she succeed at the election on October 19.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr claims a new stadium would not fit on the Acton Waterfront site, having already attempted to kill off his own vision of a Civic stadium in favour of a new venue in Bruce.
But Barr is yet to settle on a preferred location despite 15 years of planning, with Pocock declaring a new venue in Bruce will fail to deliver the game-day experience fans yearn for.
"We've seen around the world, people are putting stadiums close to city centres. It's no longer good enough to have a game. The viewing experience at home is so good now, that people want an experience," Pocock said.
"They want a venue where you can feel like you're part of the action, and secondly, they want to be able to go out for a bite to eat beforehand, go out for a drink or dinner afterwards.
"Bruce just doesn't offer that. Everyone I've spoken to about creating a precinct out there says there is just not enough during the week to make that sustainable.
"My consultation, where I landed based on the feedback we got, was burying Parkes Way opens up space for a co-located stadium and convention centre. It's great to have ideas out there, and [the Liberals] have recognised the importance of having a stadium well located. It's a good part of the debate."
Pocock traded the blazer for a bib outside Parliament House on Thursday morning, joining a host of Olympic Games gold medallists for the Australian Sports Foundation's Pollie Relay Dash.
Swimming's golden girls Lani Pallister and Shayna Jack were among a group featuring bronze medal-winning boxer Caitlin Parker, BMX Freestyle star Natalya Diehm, politicians and schoolkids on hand for the event aimed at celebrating sports participation and philanthropy.
Pocock lauded the work of the foundation, which has distributed almost $700 million through its online fundraising platform and community sport grant rounds since its inception 37 years ago, but raised major concerns about investment in community sport facilities across Canberra.
"The Australian Sports Foundation do great work both supporting athletes but also finding ways for more investment in community sports facilities here in the ACT. We're so far behind when it comes to community sports facilities," Pocock said.
"Basketball, we have 500 people on a waitlist. Kids not being able to play sport, it's ridiculous, because of a lack of facilities.
"It comes down to investment and actually having a plan for it. Here in the ACT, you just hear from all the sports about the lack of planning for population growth, the lack of investment. Even things like women's change rooms, we're just so far behind actually stumping up and improving it."
