The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is the home of Australian sport, a symbol of Victorian pride and international recognition. First opened in 1853, it is not only the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere but also one of the most storied and versatile sports venues in the world.
From hosting the 1956 Olympic Games and the 2006 Commonwealth Games to staging historic Ashes Test matches, AFL Grand Finals, and headline concerts, the MCG’s legacy continues to evolve with each passing decade.
Maintaining a stadium of such scale and significance is no small feat. The MCG presents complex challenges typical of major venues – balancing high-capacity crowds, ageing infrastructure, evolving technology expectations, sustainability goals, and the ever-increasing demand for premium spectator experiences. The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), custodians of the MCG since its inception, is responsible for preserving the ground’s heritage while ensuring it remains at the forefront of global stadium standards. The Club’s stewardship requires not only bold vision but trusted partners who understand the intricacies of such an asset.
Over 70 years of trusted advice
Leading international project advisory firm WT has stood alongside the MCC since the 1950s, helping to deliver and maintain the MCG’s world-class status through our independent cost management, planning and advisory services. From early feasibility studies to project delivery and asset maintenance, we have helped the MCC navigate strategic decision-making across generations of works.
Our role is to provide clear, defensible cost plans and comprehensive program advice before any shovel hits the ground. Once projects commence, our team delivers monthly and milestone-based cost and schedule reports to keep all stakeholders informed and aligned. We guide the MCC, identifying opportunities and mitigating risks, supporting value creation, cost control, and long-term operational resilience.
This enduring relationship has given WT a unique understanding of the MCG’s physical and operational layers, from back-of-house infrastructure and hospitality systems to the stadium’s integration with external facilities, precinct upgrades and public event requirements. That depth of insight enables us to offer advice that’s both strategic and grounded in experience.
From grandstand icons to modern digital integrations
Our involvement with the MCG began in the 1950s with the development of the Great Northern Stand, now known as the Olympic Stand, ahead of the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne – a project that laid the foundation for future stadium transformation.
In the 1990s, we played a key role in the redevelopment and refurbishment of the Great Southern Stand, now renamed the Shane Warne Stand. Our role ensured the project was delivered with clarity and control from the earliest design stages through to completion. We provided robust cost planning and risk analysis, as well as project scheduling, tender assessment, and procurement advice. We also supported the MCC’s project manager and design consultants throughout, offering detailed construction programming and monitoring services that helped keep the redevelopment on time and within budget.
The largest transformation in the stadium’s modern era came with the Northern Stand redevelopment, completed ahead of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. This extensive project replaced approximately 55% of the stadium and delivered a suite of state-of-the-art upgrades. We were engaged from the start of the project providing feasibility studies and strategic cost modelling that guided early decision-making. From there, we led cost planning, pre-tender budgeting, risk management and value assessments throughout the tender and documentation phases. Our programming and staging advice was critical during delivery, particularly in managing construction around year-round events such as the AFL Grand Final and Boxing Day Test.
More recently, in 2022, we supported the strategic business case for the redevelopment of the Shane Warne Stand. Our team prepared master programme options to test feasibility and staging assumptions, while also drawing on our quantity surveying expertise to identify key value drivers, construction sequencing risks, and high-level budget implications for future planning.
Enhancing the visitor experience through innovation
As stadium technology evolved, so too did the expectations of fans and operators. We supported the delivery of the smart stadium upgrade in 2015, which included new 330m2 video boards, themed LED signage, high-density wifi to the seating bowl and function spaces, and 800 new IPTV screens. This project was then supplemented with a new Public Address (PA) and Emergency Warning and Intercommunication System (EWIS) that included the positioning of 3,000 speakers throughout the seating bowl, function rooms and concourse areas to create a tailor-made sound system. These enhancements improved both safety and experience, ensuring the MCG could accommodate modern broadcast demands and real-time fan engagement.
In 2019, we supported the redevelopment of the Australian Sports Museum (formerly the National Sports Museum), transforming it into an immersive, interactive destination that celebrates Australia’s rich sporting heritage. Our cost management expertise helped bring to life a revitalised visitor experience that incorporates cutting-edge technology, inclusive design and storytelling elements that engage audiences of all ages.
In addition, we worked on hospitality and catering improvements, including food and beverage upgrades that enhanced the quality and efficiency of service throughout the venue. These works helped the MCG maintain its competitive edge, offering a premium experience in line with global standards.
Creating sustainable value beyond the stadium walls
WT’s relationship with the MCC extends beyond the MCG’s perimeter. We have delivered cost management and advisory services across the MCC’s portfolio of external sporting facilities, including Clive Fairbairn Pavilion, Glen Iris Valley Tennis Club, Kew Sports Club and Beaumaris Secondary College sports facilities, ensuring the same commitment to quality and longevity applies across all assets under the Club’s stewardship.
An enduring partnership for the future
The MCG is not just a stadium; it is a cultural landmark, a civic space, and a living piece of history. It holds a special place in the hearts of Victorians, woven into the social and sporting fabric of the state. For more than 70 years, we have been honoured to play a part in its ongoing transformation. By providing the MCC with our independent project advisory services, we continue to ensure that the MCG remains a global exemplar of stadium design, operation and heritage stewardship.
Images provided by the Melbourne Cricket Club (Copyright Melbourne Cricket Club)
