Ausgrid Stadium, formerly known as EnergyAustralia Stadium is the centrepiece of the Hunter Venues sports precinct. Originally it was known as the International Sports Centre and it was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 10th of April 1970. In 1992, local tyre outlet Marathon Tyres became the naming rights sponsor for the stadium, and it was renamed Marathon Stadium, which lasted until 2001 when the energy supplier EnergyAustralia took over the naming rights. In February 2011 it was announced that the Stadium would be renamed to Ausgrid Stadium after the following change of company name from EnergyAustralia to Ausgrid.
The rectangular multi-purpose outdoor Stadium is the home ground to the Hunter Region’s two flagship sporting franchises, the Newcastle Knights (NRL) and the Newcastle Jets (A-League). On the 1st April 2011 the responsibility of management changed hands from the Newcastle Knights, who had been running it since 1988, to today’s venue manager Hunter Venues.
The Eastern grandstand development commenced in 2003 and was finalised in 2005 and shortly after that redevelopment of the Western grandstand commenced. The redevelopment was completed in June 2011 and with top shelf Food & Beverage outlets, corporate facilities, upgraded venue space and the capacity to hold up to 33,000 spectators; Ausgrid Stadium is now competing on an international level. There are plans for stage four of the stadium redevelopment which would see the grassed hills at either end replaced by seating and additional facilities.