News Gabba Upgrade & Olympics News

[Grasshopper17]

Agree. Look at all issues docklands had when it opened re the surface. I know it was partly the orientation but it was also the hardness factor particularly injuries.

It was both the hardness factor, resulting in muscle fatigue (hamstring injuries in particular) as well as the shifting surface caused presumably by a horrible (or non-existent) root structure, over-compensated for by painted sand (!!) which also resulted in serious joint injuries. That surface was singlehandedly responsible for almost completely derailing Brisbane's 2003 season. Disgraceful.

 

[Bjo187]

Why is the underground parking even a priority?

Dunno I just thought that was part of the reason for a full demolition, to build a carpark under the ground. It helps with more people getting into and out of the ground and for corporate hospitality, which brings in the bulk of the money to stadiums. If the parking isn't under the ground and just under the stands, it won't effect the surface.

 

[Viceregal]

Agree. Look at all issues docklands had when it opened re the surface. I know it was partly the orientation but it was also the hardness factor particularly injuries.

nods ... we want the Gabbatoir to be a reference to the place were teams are eaten alive by us not to the place where ACLs go to thirve!

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Prediction: despite his stated preference to not knock down the Gabba, Premier Miles is "reluctantly" forced to accept the taskforces findings that despite being slightly more expensive, taking a long-term approach a total knockdown of the Gabba is the best use of funds. That way he gets to look like he's siding with the masses but not forcing his opinion.

 

[BRAB]

Gold Coast can sell out a home Brisbane match.

Looks like the Brisbane fans can make the trip.

Sweet home Carrara.

 

[notliondown]

Prediction: despite his stated preference to not knock down the Gabba, Premier Miles is "reluctantly" forced to accept the taskforces findings that despite being slightly more expensive, taking a long-term approach a total knockdown of the Gabba is the best use of funds. That way he gets to look like he's siding with the masses but not forcing his opinion.

100% nailed it.

This is about looking to be sympathetic to the whole media circus regarding costs in an election year and pressure coming from everywhere. An LNP mayor leading the review silences the opposition, the independence silences the rest. He knows there are little to no alternatives that make sense.

There are a couple of things people need to remember. In really simple terms

- The Gabba is no longer fit for purpose. The access for emergency services is non existent. The ability to provide adequate protection and access for heads of state is zero. The serviceability of facilities including food and drink, disability access, toilet and washroom facilities are sub standard.

- The Gabba as it stands is almost single purpose - it exists as a pure sports stadium for AFL and cricket. That no longer represents value for money. The upgrade allows for additional use for concerts and various other functions meaning more use, more value.

- The costs for the Gabba build includes amounts allocated for bridges, rail tunnels and stations, road crossings and platforms. The cost has always been inflated to help cover other projects - this was about dispersing costs across multiple projects and apportioning some of those costs as the Gabba benefits from them .

- From what I understand there has also been an increase cost in this rebuild due to making these "the greenest Olympics ever". The cost of recycling, breaking down the existing concrete and steel on site in a dust free, noise free manner for example adds costs not normally factored in to standard builds.

Apart from a lot of hand wringing and political maneuvering all this review will do most likely is waste 60 days. The LNP won't object however because it makes it an non issue rolling into the October election.

 

[Grasshopper17]

The ability to provide adequate protection and access for heads of state is zero.

Hold it right there.

We're still gonna be allowed to boo heads of state after the redevelopment aren't we??

 

[dlanod]

Hold it right there.

We're still gonna be allowed to boo heads of state after the redevelopment aren't we??

You'll have to register ahead of time and submit credentials for a background check.

 

[Dalions]

You'll have to register ahead of time and submit credentials for a background check.

BOOOOOOO!

 

[Elixuh]

View attachment 1888553


Gold Coast can sell out a home Brisbane match.

Looks like the Brisbane fans can make the trip.

Sweet home Carrara.

Imagine how many tickets to this match Brab has bought* to sell it out and make this point.

You’re not fooling anyone buddy.

*with stolen credit cards of course

 

[Warwick]

Imagine how many tickets to this match Brab has bought* to sell it out and make this point.

You’re not fooling anyone buddy.

*with stolen credit cards of course

How many tarps does BRAB own?

 

[Section 5]

Some BF posters have predicted the demise of the Brisbane Lions if The Gabba rebuild goes ahead.
It will be a difficult time for the club and members, but i see financial assistance coming the Lions way in some form or another from the AFL. The most likely source is the AFL's yearly Club distribution.
I have a lengthy post on this thread somewhere stating why i don't think it will be a long-term problem.
Lose short-term, gain long-term type of thing.
...................................................................
For those thinking they would prefer The Gabba to be rebuilt in stages, i thought i would have a look at how that may be done.
I can see why it would be dearer or on a par $ wise than a complete rebuild.

Just my calculations and timeframe. Happy to be corrected as i have mentioned below.
I think members will have just as bad a time with this situation as with a complete rebuild.
You may be lucky, and your seat section may be spared until the last stage.
Either way, 1/3 of members will be asked to move for 2 years over the 6-year period.
Thats assuming there is a seat to move to.
....................................................................

Let's assume they can safely do a very good upgrade in 3 stages.
I am allowing 2 years for each stage, starting January 2026, that being the present Gabba rebuild start date.
I am not in the building/construction industry, so it is a guess on my part, that 2 years for each stage is doable.
Anyone on BF that works in the industry can set me straight on whether 2 years is too much or too little a timeframe.
That timeframe of 6 years will have it just ready for the Olympics. The proposed Gabba rebuild is only 4 years (2026-2030)
You will note on the timeframe below it will take 4 years to just reach a 33,333 capacity.

To do it in three stages you would have to reduce the Gabba capacity by 1/3 for each stage.

At present The Gabba holds 37,000 maximum seats. That's 12,334 seats x 3 coming down = 37,000.
Then you have 3 x 16,667 seats going up = 50,000

You gain 4,333 extra seats in stages 2 & 3 (+16,667 new - 12,334 demolished)
You lose the greatest seat numbers in stage 1 (-12,334) and gain the largest seat numbers when finished (+16,667)

Stage 1: Start Jan 2026- end Jan 28
In stage 1 you lose the greatest number of seats being 12,334 making the new Gabba capacity just 24,667 for the next 2 years.

Stage 2: Jan 2028- Jan 30
The new Gabba capacity increases by 4,333 to 29,000 (24,667 previous capacity + 4,333 new seats) also for 2 years.

Stage 3: January 30- Jan 32
The new Gabba capacity increases by 4,333 to 33,333 (29,000 previous capacity+ 4,333 new seats.) also for 2 years.

Project Finished: By Jan 32 the Olympic Year, the last stand completed and opens.
The new Gabba capacity increases by 16,667 to 50,000 (33,333 previous capacity + 16,667 new seats)
........................................................

Assuming my figures are close, a 3-stage renovation will only reach a 33,000 capacity by Jan 2030.
The Gabba capacity will stay on 33,000 until the last section is finished in 2032.

In comparison The Gabba rebuild will have 50,000 seats by January 30 that being 2 years earlier.

 

[wantok]

Prediction: despite his stated preference to not knock down the Gabba, Premier Miles is "reluctantly" forced to accept the taskforces findings that despite being slightly more expensive, taking a long-term approach a total knockdown of the Gabba is the best use of funds. That way he gets to look like he's siding with the masses but not forcing his opinion.

Predictionremier Miles takes this decision to the Election and spends every day of his return to his previous Career as a Union Organiser having lost the unlosable seat of Murrumba wondering why he hadn't just listened to the people.

Get out and about and you quickly realise this knock-down is toxic. It has become emblematic of Govt waste. It's got a life of its own now.

Nb. As a side note I visited the Mater Private on Vulture St today at 4pm. I am not getting that 30 minutes in stationary traffic back. One illegally parked car in The Right lane had traffic back to the bowels of West End and even to the William Jolly Bridge. I wondered how Brisbane could cope with 5 years of this on both sides of the Gabba ground during the great Knock-down. I did not think about the infrastructure necessary to adequately protect foreign heads of State.

On SM-A525F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Grasshopper17]

One illegally parked car in The Right lane

Probably a (non-Lions supporting) Victorian waiting for a hook turn or something.

 

[weevil]

Get out and about and you quickly realise this knock-down is toxic. It has become emblematic of Govt waste.

It is if you are badly informed about or deny the realities of the different options. Which to be fair most people are because of AP’s awful communication skills.

If the new review suddenly finds substantially different realities to the previous reviews, then things would obviously change. But if the previous reviews are ballpark correct then no amount of NIMBY tubthumping and chest-beating will miraculously change the basic facts as we know them

As things currently stand, it will cost more to build a new stadium and the required infrastructure somewhere else, a refurb will cost nearly as much and won’t deliver a workable solution, the school is gone soon anyway.

It would be genuinely great if a new review could find a way to make something else work. But if not, then we have to make the best of what we have rather than trying to pretend that magic-thinking, miracle solutions exist.

 

[acuguy]

As stadium goes, the Gabba compares well to all the stadiums in Australia i have watched sport at. The only difference being our food options are shit. #NEWCATERERS

 

[Viceregal]

Hold it right there.

We're still gonna be allowed to boo heads of state after the redevelopment aren't we??

Probably depends on the political leaning, race, gender and number of nuclear warheads possessed compared to whoever is the govt if the day... oh and the composition of Queenslanders to southerners in the stands!

 

[T Rick]

As stadium goes, the Gabba compares well to all the stadiums in Australia i have watched sport at. The only difference being our food options are s**t. #NEWCATERERS

Love the Gabba and as a long time member and user I find it perfectly functional with fantastic viewing of the game. Catering is appalling and toilets very ordinary and easily fixed without a demolition and rebuild - about the same standard as what I experienced at the MCG and the GF. The nonsense about the need for underground parking beggars belief. Set a budget of $1billion and imagine what could be improved.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Set a budget of $1billion and imagine what could be improved.

I think that's the problem. People's imagination rarely meshes with reality.

 

[Bucking Beads]

We're gonna be playing out of the Gold Coast for a few years I'd reckon. The government is stuffing around with things instead of making a decision and getting things done.

 

[wantok]

It is if you are badly informed about or deny the realities of the different options. Which to be fair most people are because of AP’s awful communication skills.

If the new review suddenly finds substantially different realities to the previous reviews, then things would obviously change. But if the previous reviews are ballpark correct then no amount of NIMBY tubthumping and chest-beating will miraculously change the basic facts as we know them

As things currently stand, it will cost more to build a new stadium and the required infrastructure somewhere else, a refurb will cost nearly as much and won’t deliver a workable solution, the school is gone soon anyway.

It would be genuinely great if a new review could find a way to make something else work. But if not, then we have to make the best of what we have rather than trying to pretend that magic-thinking, miracle solutions exist.

Perception v Reality. The perception that this Government is wasteful is the political problem they are desperately trying to manage. The chosen option will need to be a politically palpable solution. It may not be the best or most expensive. This is a fight to remain in power. They will do anything to ensure that happens.

On SM-A525F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Walshawk]

The current capacity is 37k. You will lose 1k - 2k minimum extra media space the Olympics requires. If no stands are rebuilt, is 35k sufficient for an Olympic Games?

The budget Olympics would have the opening ceremony at Suncorp, and the athletics at Metricon with 40k (temp stand back up). I believe the IOC was OK with this.

 

[Warwick]

The current capacity is 37k. You will lose 1k - 2k minimum extra media space the Olympics requires. If no stands are rebuilt, is 35k sufficient for an Olympic Games?

The budget Olympics would have the opening ceremony at Suncorp, and the athletics at Metricon with 40k (temp stand back up).

I bloody hope not. I understand it is more of a SEQ bid, than 'Brisbane' Games, but I do hope the big-ticket items such as athletics and swimming are in the city itself.

 

[GC2015]

We're gonna be playing out of the Gold Coast for a few years I'd reckon. The government is stuffing around with things instead of making a decision and getting things done.

Doesn't help your cause that tonight's Heat game at Carrara is sold out and they will probably sell out the stadium again on Wednesday if the Heat progress to the GF. Either Heat fans in Brisbane are willing to travel to the Gold Coast for this game or Gold Coasters have embraced the occasion. Neither outcome helps the Lions when the Queensland government is currently in the process of looking for a suitable temporary venue for the Brisbane teams. They'll just look at the tonight's crowd number and think travelling 1hr is not an issue.

 

[BRAB]

The traffic in to Carrara is absolutely insane this afternoon.

#heatwave has hit the Gold Coast all the way from Brisbane.

Fans are willing. Let’s make Carrara our home during the rebuild, it’s absolutely the right choice.