Hotel & HospitalityClare BurnettWed 20 May 26
Parramatta League Club’s $350m Masterplan Greenlit
A major entertainment-focused masterplan to revamp the home of rugby league’s Parramatta Eels has been approved.
City of Parramatta planning officers approved the $350-million-plus redevelopment of the Parramatta Leagues Club late last month before it received formal endorsement from the Parramatta Local Planning Panel.
The plans for 1 Eels Place have come a long way in less than three years.
In 2024, early plans to redevelop the site were criticised as “the ugliest building in the Greater Sydney region” and an “eyesore”.
A major overhaul of the proposal was submitted in 2025 to develop a “world-class” tourism and entertainment, significantly upgrading the scope of the project.
The club will now be allowed to go ahead with the development of Parramatta Live, which includes a new four-storey clubhouse with a sports bar, restaurant, health and leisure centre and rooftop terrace.
The club plans to open this section in 2028 as part of stage 1, which also includes carpark alterations.
The third stage will deliver an eight-storey, 149-room hotel—a considerable step down from original plans for a 17-storey hotel—next to a two-storey restaurant and cafe facility.
The plans include a state-of the-art gym and health facilities, and a 450sq m youth hub.
There will also be public outdoor spaces connecting CommBank Stadium to the Parramatta CBD—providing a “missing link” between the Parramatta North urban renewal precinct to the stadium.
Planners Urbis collaborated with Cox Architecture and Aspect Studios on the project.
The Parramatta Live project will create an estimated 1396 construction jobs and act as a “true 24/7 destination” for Western Sydney, the club said.
Parramatta Leagues Club president Mark Jenkins said in a statement that it was a major milestone in the club’s 70-year history.
“Today’s approval is the moment our members, Eels supporters and the people of Western Sydney have been waiting for,” Jenkins said.
“This is our largest ever investment in our venue—a $350-million commitment that will deliver a new leagues club and integrated entertainment precinct that our members can be truly proud of, and a destination that Western Sydney can call its own.”
Parramatta Leagues Club will now finalise detailed design and construction planning. Stage 1 construction is targeted to begin in early 2027.
The club will remain fully operational throughout all stages of construction, it said.
