Sydney stadiums debate finally over

Sydney's great stadium debate is finally over with plans to demolish Allianz Stadium scrapped.

The stadium at Moore Park will now be refurbished instead of rebuilt as part of the NSW government's $1.6 billion stadia strategy.

Under the plan, ANZ Stadium in the city's west will be turned into a 70,000-seat rectangular arena while Parramatta Stadium will also be rebuilt.

The decision is an embarrassment for Sports Minister Stuart Ayres, who had been pushing for the Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park to be pulled down and replaced with a new one next to the Sydney Cricket Ground.

But Premier Mike Baird on Thursday said he would not allow that because it meant building on Centennial and Moore Park trust land.

Mr Baird said he still had absolute confidence in Mr Ayres but confirmed that future responsibility for ongoing stadium policy would be given to Infrastructure NSW.