Tasmania Devils could play extra year in existing venues during Macquarie Point stadium construction

Tasmania's entry into the AFL is confirmed, but it is unlikely the Devils will be playing at their newly approved Macquarie Point stadium in 2029, as planned.

Instead, the club now appears likely to spend its first two years in the AFL playing home games at Bellerive Oval and a redeveloped York Park in Launceston.

"There's probably an assumption internally that we'll be playing [AFL] games in Hobart at Bellerive and York Park for probably two years," club CEO Brendon Gale said.

Mr Gale said the extension of the timeline had not yet been discussed between the club and the league.

"Not really. We've stayed in the moment and gotten through this milestone — and now we can move forward," he said.

Under the terms of the deal between the Tasmanian government and the AFL for a team, the Devils were to play their first season at existing venues.

The team will still enter the league in 2028, but if the new stadium is not half complete by October 2027 or ready for games by Round 1 of the 2029 season, the government is liable to pay the club $4.5 million for each milestone missed.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the AFL had driven a "hard bargain" but that the league had "shut the door in Tasmania's face" for decades.

He said while tough, the deal with the AFL was designed to ensure the Devils were sustainable.

"And yes, there are conditions attached, and we'll continue those conversations with the AFL," Mr Rockliff said.

But neither the government nor the club is likely to be overly perturbed by the situation, following the vote to approve the Macquarie Point stadium — which was a key condition of the Devils' provisional AFL licence.

Club chairman Grant O'Brien said the Devils' existence hung in the balance until Wednesday, when the result of the vote became apparent.

"We had to be prepared for a no vote," Mr O'Brien said.

"So from our point of view there's a feeling of great relief but [also] a feeling of great responsibility."

AFL hails 'historic' approval

The AFL has described the approval of the stadium as a "historic" day for the Tasmania Devils.

"What we want, and I know what the Devils want, is all of Tasmania to unite behind the team," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said.

The parliamentary approval of the stadium means the Devils can now progress a $120 million training and administration facility in Kingborough and officially enter the VFL and VFL women's competitions next season.

Major sponsors are expected to be green lit soon, while memberships are planned to be on sale from early next year.

List rules and conditions for the club's AFL Women's team are also being finalised.

Mr Dillon said while there had been ups and downs, he was always confident of the result.

"The people of Tasmania voted earlier this year, 70 per cent in favour of the candidate[s] who [were] in support of the stadium," he said.

Premier believes stadium costs won't escalate

The AFL has committed $360 million over 10 years in Tasmanian football funding and $15 million towards the cost of the $1.13 billion stadium.

As part of a deal struck between the government and independent MLC Bec Thomas, public expenditure on the stadium will be capped at $875 million.

Under that agreement, extra funds would be sought from the AFL, Cricket Australia, the federal government or private partners if that $875 million cap was breached.

Design tweaks or "value management" could also be implemented to curb costs, according to the government.

Mr Dillon would not specify whether the AFL would chip in if construction costs blowed out.

"$15 million is the biggest contribution we've made to any stadia in the country and that's our commitment at the moment," he said.

The federal government has committed to $240 million for the stadium precinct, and in a statement, told the ABC that its commitment remained capped.

Mr Rockliff believes the project costs will not escalate and the build will be thoroughly scrutinised.

"Which can I say is a bloody good incentive to get the job done and get it right and on time and on budget," he said.

Tenders set to go out tomorrow

Anne Beach, the chief executive of the Macquarie Point Development Corporation, said the cost estimate of $1.13 billion was backed by an official P90 costing.

"We've allowed for a risk allocation that gets us to a P90, and what a P90 is [is] that we're 90 per cent confident that we will fall within budget," she said.

Tenders for the excavation of the site and temporary removal of the Goods Shed on site will go out at the weekend.

Mr Rockliff said this showed work on the project had been progressing despite only gaining parliamentary approval yesterday.

"What's been evident throughout the debate over the course of three years, culminating into the marathon debate in parliament is how much due diligence, how much work, how much attention to detail has gone into the project at this point," he said.

An expression of interest process for the lead construction contractor will open in January.