News Gabba Upgrade & Olympics News

[BrainOfMorbius]

You don't know where I live..

I get why Brisbane based supporters want the home ground to stay there, I'm simply providing some reasons why it may not be entirely to our betterment.

Do you recall that time during 2020 when Richmond played a home game at Carrara vs the Lions and the match had to be delayed half an hour because the Tigers' bus was stuck on the M1 in the traffic? Now imagine Brisbane supporters being expected to put up with that for every game.

I don't think anyone is saying Carrara has no redeeming features whatsoever, just that they are overwhelmed by the drawbacks.

 

[dlanod]

It's a short walk, courtesy buses could easily service the short distance as well. I've caught the train along there plenty of times, there's one every 15mins or so. I'm guessing you've never caught the V/Line, dinky old diesel service towing a few small carriages at scarce intervals.

2 km is not a "short walk" to most people (sadly). But yes, I've caught the V/Line. It's fine, I just plan ahead. I've caught the shuttle bus from Carrara too. It's just frustrating (same reason I walk from the 2 km from SCG to Central).

Ultimately, even when it's Brisbane v Gold Coast it's clear most Lions supporters won't travel down there. They don't even crack 15k for those games when we're getting 20k+ at the Gabba against them. The club really wants to rule out Carrara, because they think they'll lose more supporters than at the Showgrounds or even Springfield.

 

[rye]

is selling games to melbourne even feasible? most of the smaller melbourne clubs already have to sell games to regional centres to make a bit of extra cash - realistically how many supporters are you going to get at brisbane vs a non tenant at either of marvel or mcg? i thought we would be selling games to some regional ground like cairns or alice springs that need to pay significant amount to get the teams to actually go there and try to make up the money that way

Wikipedia has it at about 24,000.

Either way, I was explaining to a (presumably) Melbourne based Carlton supporter as to the lack of enthusiasm for Carrara by analogy. Following your logic, the Showgrounds are an even more attractive option then.

i think marcmurphy3 is a queensland based supporter - attended a brisbane training session or scratch match last offseason and wrote a pretty good report iirc

 

[dlanod]

is selling games to melbourne even feasible? most of the smaller melbourne clubs already have to sell games to regional centres to make a bit of extra cash - realistically how many supporters are you going to get at brisbane vs a non tenant at either of marvel or mcg? i thought we would be selling games to some regional ground like cairns or alice springs that need to pay significant amount to get the teams to actually go there and try to make up the money that way

The money you make is generally from the state government, not from admission. So I guess it depends whether the governments would come to the party (or I guess the AFL could, given they're the favoured tenant of the MCG plus the owner of Marvel).

 

[rye]

The money you make is generally from the state government, not from admission. So I guess it depends whether the governments would come to the party (or I guess the AFL could, given they're the favoured tenant of the MCG plus the owner of Marvel).

yeah this is what i was trying to get at - i would be surprised if the victorian government would pay for brisbane to come to victoria and have a home game at either of the two melbourne grounds

 

[Pacman82]

2 km is not a "short walk" to most people (sadly). But yes, I've caught the V/Line. It's fine, I just plan ahead. I've caught the shuttle bus from Carrara too. It's just frustrating (same reason I walk from the 2 km from SCG to Central).

Ultimately, even when it's Brisbane v Gold Coast it's clear most Lions supporters won't travel down there. They don't even crack 15k for those games when we're getting 20k+ at the Gabba against them. The club really wants to rule out Carrara, because they think they'll lose more supporters than at the Showgrounds or even Springfield.

Ok that's your take, very similar opinion to most of the Brisbane based heads, which seems to simply revolve around game day attendance. I think the difference in crowd number is negligible compared to the stability & routine our team would have if playing at their old home ground for the vast majority of home matches.

 

[M Malice]

Makes no sense whatsoever for a Brisbane team to play "home" games for 4 years in another city and would require for most spectators to get there using multiple bus/train connections.

I have done the Metricon trip a few times, I am on the inner southside of Brisbane and from the time you leave home until you are tucked up in bed post game you are looking at 5 + hours.

 

[dlanod]

Ok that's your take, very similar opinion to most of the Brisbane based heads, which seems to simply revolve around game day attendance. I think the difference in crowd number is negligible compared to the stability & routine our team would have if playing at their old home ground for the vast majority of home matches.

I'm going off the club's concerns. I don't really have a horse in the race, given I doubt I'll get into any of them from NSW. The club is concerned about losing members and momentum and dollars more than game day off-field capabilities.

Stability and routine could be had at ANY base as long as it's a consistent base. They'll still be training out at MVO. Showgrounds vs Carrara vs whatever it's called on the south side are literally just a game site - even in a normal year, half of them won't be at the Gabba. I completely agree we don't want to be migrating from site to site during this period.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Yeah 24k was the Princes Park capacity before the demolition of the Hawthorn Stand and removal of seating and standing room around that south-western flank. Wiki needs updating.

Wonderful ground when it was full, once upon a time.

 

[Pacman82]

Yeah 24k was the Princes Park capacity before the demolition of the Hawthorn Stand and removal of seating and standing room around that south-western flank. Wiki needs updating.

Wonderful ground when it was full, once upon a time.

Once upon a time indeed, such great memories going there every Saturday arvo!

 

[tony]

It looks like a decision has finally been made.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/queensland/rna-showgrounds-site-of-new-boutique-stadium-as-gabba-rebuilt/news-story/79977aa9de07816d9ff942cc3a787885?amp

RNA Showgrounds site of new boutique stadium as Gabba rebuilt​

A boutique 20,000-seat stadium will be constructed under a state government plan to host AFL and cricket while the Gabba is redeveloped for the 2032 Games.



A boutique 20,000-seat stadium will be constructed at Brisbane’s inner-city RNA Showgrounds under a state government plan to host AFL and cricket fixtures while the Gabba is redeveloped to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the government has offered almost $50m towards the estimated $150m construction cost – but with Brisbane City Council, the RNA and the two affected sporting codes being asked to pay the remainder for the project.

The subject of where last year’s AFL grand finalists the Brisbane Lions would play between 2026 and at least 2030 while the Gabba was redeveloped has proved a contentious issue, with Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Steven Miles telling The Courier-Mail’s Future Brisbane event last Friday a decision could still be months away.

But Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has revealed the state is willing to chip up to $45.7m for a permanent seating bowl below a temporary grandstand at Machinery Hill as part of a $137m main arena upgrade to also create a “lasting community legacy” to bring together the city and country – and offer somewhere for the country’s biggest codes to have fixtures during the redevelopment.



“Upgrading the RNA main arena means keeping the big games in Brisbane and supporting the visitor economy while delivering an Ekka legacy for uniting city and country,” he said.

“Most Queenslanders acknowledge cricket and the AFL will need somewhere to play during the Gabba redevelopment.

“With many families facing cost-of-living pressures, the upgrade of RNA’s main arena is a logical solution, representing the best value for money for Queenslanders.”

Mr Hinchliffe also acknowledged the support of Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner – who has been a vocal supporter of the RNA upgrade – and said he wanted to thank him for his “public backing for an upgrade of the historic main arena at the RNA Showgrounds and retaining the economic benefits of sport and jobs here in Brisbane”.

But under the deal, the government has also demanded the venue be only 12,000 seats in “legacy mode” after the Games – to ensure events are not taken away from the rebuilt Gabba, which is costing $2.7bn to redevelop.

It is understood stakeholders were only told about the funding proposal on Thursday and were shocked the government expected a further $100m be put forward towards a facility only required because of the Gabba redevelopment.



It is also understood council was in the dark about the move – given the RNA site is not a council facility.

A number of proposals have been raised for where AFL and cricket matches could be played during the multi-year redevelopment – including the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre in Nathan, the Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium and the Lions’ training ground at Springfield.

Mr Schrinner has previously said the redevelopment of the RNA was what tens of thousands of football and cricket fans want to see happen while the Gabba is being redeveloped, “so that’s what should be delivered”.

“From the options on the table, clearly the upgrade of the RNA’s historic arena is a no-brainer,” he said at the time.

“The arena already needs significant improvements to host events during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Getting this work done earlier so football and cricket can play at the RNA while the Gabba is out of action just makes sense.

“This will ensure the significant economic benefits of hosting big AFL and cricket games isn’t lost during this time.”

Mr Hinchliffe said work on the RNA main arena would need to begin by next year to be ready for the 2025-26 cricket season and the 2026 start of the Gabba redevelopment.

 

[Cousin Jed]

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news...t/news-story/79977aa9de07816d9ff942cc3a787885

Front page story today about RNA. Though state government asking everyone else to pay for it seems like a way to make it not happen

 

[Warwick]

While that’s great news, this says to me it’s a long way from becoming a reality:

“The Courier-Mail can reveal the government has offered almost $50m towards the estimated $150m construction cost – but with Brisbane City Council, the RNA and the two affected sporting codes being asked to pay the remainder for the project.”

Good luck.

 

[Viceregal]

And do they have at least an in-principal assent from those other bodies to provide the extra funds?

I would have thought that cost to keep running AFL and cricket during the rebuild would be part of the cost of the rebuild ...

 

[MSB ROYS]

December 1: TISM release a new song and we're going to the Showgrounds. What a day!

Edit: Just realised that the video for "I've Gone Hillsong" is shot from footage from their gig at the RNA....

 

[MSB ROYS]

This

 

[Mr Ripper]

Gummant playing the “let’s bankrupt the Gabba tenants before the Gabba reopens” card. Cluey.

 

[BRAB]

This is a soft no where the government gets to say that key parties were not willing to pay.

They can then offer their preferred option and base us out of Carrara for 4 years.

 

[POBT]

This is a soft no where the government gets to say that key parties were not willing to pay.

They can then offer their preferred option and base us out of Carrara for 4 years.

That's my read. I think it's reasonable to ask the RNA to stump up some funds (either directly or via grants) as they'll get the venue permanently but the sports? I mean, it's hardly a minor fitout for the tenants' purposes.

Shitty politics.

 

[Dalions]

Would certainly assume that the BCC and RNA will stump up the bulk of the cash. Lions/Afl and Cricket Aust will not have to put up too much.

You would have to think that full season members will be given first preference for membership at RNA

 

[Dalions]

No talk in the articles so far of an upgrade of facilities?

 

[Billy ray]

Poor heritage bank (the company). Article still refers to it as metricon.

Carrara it is for 6-7 games per season is my take. Other 4-5 at mcg marvel and maybe FNQ

Edit. Oh and also maybe one home game in Perth v eagles or dockers. Like the suns did in2018.

 

[Viceregal]

Poor heritage bank (the company). Article still refers to it as metricon.

Carrara it is for 6-7 games per season is my take. Other 4-5 at mcg marvel and maybe FNQ

Edit. Oh and also maybe one home game in Perth v eagles or dockers. Like the suns did in2018.

Well we still call it Kardinia Park, and sometimes Docklands, and I don't know if someone has the naming rights to the Gabba but if they do I not only don't use it but have no idea what it is supposed to be!

 

[BRAB]

Metricon snuck their way into the hearts of gold coasters everywhere and nothing can change that.

 

[M Malice]

Common sense has prevailed.... the money will be found.

Those images of a proposed redeveloped RNA look great with the heritage listed grandstands retained, will really give the ground a great feel to it.