Melbourne needs bigger rectangular stadium

A new $190 million 20,000-seat soccer and rugby league stadium at Melbourne's Olympic Park is facing an overhaul before it is even built amid concerns that it is not big enough.

Melbourne Victory Football Club and the Melbourne and Olympic Park Trust are working on a plan for an alternative stadium for up to 30,000.

The State Government announced plans for a futuristic bubble-shaped stadium, to be built by 2009, in April.

The stadium was to initially seat 20,000 but be able to be extended to 25,000.

But fears are growing the stadium could be a white elephant -- virtually obsolete before it is even built.

Key tenant Melbourne Victory is averaging crowds of more than 32,000 a match in seven homes games at Telstra Dome this season.

Victory chief executive Geoff Miles would not reveal details of the alternative, but said the issue was likely to be resolved within "the next few weeks".

A spokesman for new Major Projects Minister Theo Theophanous said he had already met with Melbourne Victory.