News PeopleFirst (Bank) Stadium and Precinct

[Matchu]

^ this video is probably worth watching for those who have not yet seen the GCSLC. To date, the venue has hosted the 2017 Sudirman Cup (badminton) and a professional basketball game between the Chinese national team and the Brisbane Bullets. It's great to see a multi-use venue being used regularly.

Also worth noting that a new soccer team named Gold Coast Athletic FC will be based at the Croatian Sports Centre just 800m up the road from Metricon. GCAFC will be competing in the third tier of soccer in Australia and will have the opportunity to be promoted into the second tier (one step below the A-League) if they perform well. They are literally across the road from the KDV tennis and golf academy so there are plenty of sporting venues along Nerang-Broadbeach Rd these days.

 

[Mini GF]

^ this video is probably worth watching for those who have not yet seen the GCSLC. To date, the venue has hosted the 2017 Sudirman Cup (badminton) and a professional basketball game between the Chinese national team and the Brisbane Bullets. It's great to see a multi-use venue being used regularly.

Also worth noting that a new soccer team named Gold Coast Athletic FC will be based at the Croatian Sports Centre just 800m up the road from Metricon. GCAFC will be competing in the third tier of soccer in Australia and will have the opportunity to be promoted into the second tier (one step below the A-League) if they perform well. They are literally across the road from the KDV tennis and golf academy so there are plenty of sporting venues along Nerang-Broadbeach Rd these days.

Every true blue lover of the Beautiful Little City needs to lobby whenever possible for another A-League and NBL team and a BBL team.
We will be a Mecca.

 

[Matchu]

Every true blue lover of the Beautiful Little City needs to lobby whenever possible for another A-League and NBL team and a BBL team.
We will be a Mecca.

I'm not sure that's sustainable in the small Gold Coast market. The A-League, NBL and BBL seasons all run concurrently over the summer months, which means they are in direct competition with one another. Sure, they don't have to deal with competing against the larger and more established AFL and NRL teams but we've seen A-League and NBL teams exist on the Gold Coast before and both ran into issues. Venue rental costs hurt both the Blaze and Gold Coast United. Neither financial model was sustainable in those venues and neither team had a realistic secondary option. Have things changed? Is the GCSLC a realistic venue for an NBL team?

Although the GCSLC supposedly has a capacity of 5000, it would be the smallest primary venue of an NBL team if it were to happen. It's borderline but you might be able to justify it if there's no competition. As for soccer, I don't think the A-League has any intentions of returning to the GC after the Clive Palmer experience so that's most likely off the table. A BBL team seems the most realistic to me. The rent at Metricon is reasonable and there's currently no competition over the summer months. Plus, NRL and AFL fans could finally unite over a sport because people traditionally involved league or Aussie rules would play/watch cricket over the summer months. The interest is there.

 

[Mini GF]

BBL Metricon tick

NBL-next door at Carrara tick

Soccer-get a Chinese developer to bankroll a club as a condition of the next big high rise they want. Make them a feeder club of a big Chinese club like Melbourne City are with Manchester City.

 

[Iva Bigun]

Check out yesterday's A Current Affair story on the new theme park just up the road from Metricon. Australian Legends World was given approval to build recently and it's a pretty exciting project. Imagine going skiing at a theme park in the early afternoon and then walking a kilometre down the road to watch the Suns play at Metricon later that night. Hopefully it will also mean the council/state government will look more seriously at extending the light rail line from Broadbeach to Nerang, with a stop at Metricon along the way.

I only need to go to Chatswood to see that

 

[Matchu]

Athletics Australia to hold Commonwealth Games trials on the Gold Coast in February 2018

THE elite sport flood is set to continue on the Gold Coast next year with Athletics Australia to hold its Commonwealth Games trials at Carrara in February.

Hot on the heels of Swimming Australia’s announcement its national titles and Games trials would be held at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre at the end of February, Athletics Australia has revealed its trials will be held at Metricon Stadium from February 15-18.

The event will give Gold Coasters the chance to be among the first to see the revamped arena ahead of the Games, with stars including Sally Pearson, Eloise Wellings and Steve Solomon in action.

Australia’s team for the Commonwealth Games in April will be chosen from the event.

While work began today on laying the athletics warm-up track, the competition track and stadium works at Metricon will start after the Gold Coast Suns’ AFL season has finished and the Games trials are likely to be the first event held at the revamped venue.

The event also gives fans who missed out on Games tickets the chance to see Australia’s top athletes in action.

So both the athletics and swimming Commonwealth Games trials will be held on the Gold Coast in February. Exciting stuff.

This also means there is absolutely no chance of a BBL game being played at Metricon this summer. However, construction of a new athletics warm up track at Carrara sounds exciting and I'm sure will become a major asset for the Suns in the long run (no pun intended). I presume the warm up track is behind the new elite sports field but I don't actually know.

 

[SunsBhoy]

Athletics Australia to hold Commonwealth Games trials on the Gold Coast in February 2018


So both the athletics and swimming Commonwealth Games trials will be held on the Gold Coast in February. Exciting stuff.

This also means there is absolutely no chance of a BBL game being played at Metricon this summer. However, construction of a new athletics warm up track at Carrara sounds exciting and I'm sure will become a major asset for the Suns in the long run (no pun intended). I presume the warm up track is behind the new elite sports field but I don't actually know.

Saw that our old training ground has been ripped up yesterday , would that be where the warm up track would be?


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Matchu]

Saw that our old training ground has been ripped up yesterday , would that be where the warm up track would be?


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

I'd say your guess is spot on, mate. Good to see that oval is being transformed now that the Suns will be training on the new elite training field out the back of the GCSLC. No doubt the Suns will hold a lot of their running time trials there in the future and any other sports team that rents the facilities in the future. It's a little unfortunate that spectators will no longer get to kick the footy on that oval but it'll just mean more reason to have a kick on Metricon after the game.

The precinct is really starting to become quite impressive. Side question, where will they put the cricket nets when the city eventually gets a BBL team? I guess there's room where the old Suns training and admin facilities (AKA the demountables) were.

 

[Grandsun]

could an nbl team be based at carrara sports and lesiure center? Possily the suns having a suncorp super netball team to play there aswell?

 

[Grandsun]

the stands that they are building for the games at the scoreboard end, will they stay for AFL as well?

 

[Mini GF]

could an nbl team be based at carrara sports and lesiure center? Possily the suns having a suncorp super netball team to play there aswell?

Another NBL team and I'll wet myself

 

[Matchu]

Hey SunsBhoy, I decided to head down to the sports precinct and came across this...

It would appear the warm up track will be placed around the new elite sports field. Behind the gate in this picture you could see them ripping up the turf. I also went over to the old training oval and couldn't see any work being done. Perhaps I misinterpreted what you wrote yesterday?

 

[SunnerSS]

the stands that they are building for the games at the scoreboard end, will they stay for AFL as well?

I believe so.
When it was built back in 2011 I believed it was always intended to have capacity permanently expanded at the time of comm games

 

[Matchu]

I believe so.
When it was built back in 2011 I believed it was always intended to have capacity permanently expanded at the time of comm games

That's been talked about many times throughout this thread and unfortunately it's not the case. The club has confirmed the capacity will be decreased after the Comm Games.

 

[Matchu]

I saw something very interesting last night when I drove past the sports precinct in Carrara. The pillars out the front of the Sports and Leisure Centre (you can see them on the right in the picture below) were no longer lit up light blue. They were red and gold. It was a nice touch to see the precinct lit up in the Suns colours.

One day I'd like to see the roof of Metricon lit up red and gold like they do at the MCG or the new Perth Stadium.

 

[Grandsun]

I saw something very interesting last night when I drove past the sports precinct in Carrara. The pillars out the front of the Sports and Leisure Centre (you can see them on the right in the picture below) were no longer lit up light blue. They were red and gold. It was a nice touch to see the precinct lit up in the Suns colours.

One day I'd like to see the roof of Metricon lit up red and gold like they do at the MCG or the new Perth Stadium.

the image doesnt load

 

[GcSunsfan]

On Monday September 4, the GC SUNS will hand over the management rights of Metricon Stadium to Stadiums Queensland, who will manage the venue during the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Over the coming months, the Stadium will be redesigned, fit for an athletics meeting. Temporary seating will also be installed, increasing the Stadium’s capacity to 35,000 for the Games.

Chief Executive Mark Evans informed members of the changes ahead via email on Friday.

"The 2018 Commonwealth Games will be great for our city and we are all looking forward to them, however, there will be impacts on our club in 2018," he said.

"We are currently in discussions with the AFL about how the loss of Metricon Stadium and the Commonwelath Games in general will affect our 2018 fixture.

"We recently ran a workshop with the AFL talking through all the possibilities that have been canvassed and what we would need to do to activate those options.

"There will be a period of time, possibly ten rounds, where we will have to play games away from Metricon Stadium. As a result, we will try and push as many home games as we can into the back half of the season."

Mark Evans confirmed to members more information regarding the impact of the Commonwealth Games would be communicated over the coming months, with the final fixture announcement expected late October.


If you have any enquires relating to your membership please feel free to contact the team on 1300 784 436 during standard business hours.

 

[thegreig]

Where will the other home games be played? Is South Ports ground an option? Cazalys the GABA??

 

[SunsBhoy]

Where will the other home games be played? Is South Ports ground an option? Cazalys the GABA??

I reckon we will play 3 home games in the first 10 , one will be in China , one will be Cairns , 3rd not sure maybe Gabba .

 

[Iva Bigun]

Tom Tate was on the radio talking about the light rail extension through to Metricon and the Nerang train station beyond. Time there within the next 10 years

 

[SandyToes]

Tom Tate was on the radio talking about the light rail extension through to Metricon and the Nerang train station beyond. Time there within the next 10 years

They need to do something because the whole Armada of Surfside Buses thing is just nasty for a world class venue

 

[Matchu]

Tom Tate was on the radio talking about the light rail extension through to Metricon and the Nerang train station beyond. Time there within the next 10 years

Here's the GC Bulletin article on the matter:

Westworld: Gold Coast’s western suburbs set to be linked to beach with light rail connection

THE Gold Coast City Council has held talks with traffic engineers to create light rail spur lines to the city’s two biggest stadiums.

City leaders want trams to travel west to both Robina and Nerang, via Carrara, to service a projected population boom, national sports teams and the Gold Coast’s newest theme parks.

They want it completed by 2030.

With funding secured to complete planning for track to the border, Mayor Tom Tate said the council was fast-tracking two western routes to “fully integrate” the transport route.

The immediate priority is stage three from Broadbeach-Burleigh and to the airport at Coolangatta, with the western routes to follow.

The Robina route would likely run from the Gold Coast Highway along Christine Ave through Varsity Lakes with major stops at Robina Town Centre. It would terminate at the Robina railway station and Cbus Stadium, home of the Gold Coast Titans.

The Nerang route is expected to run along Nerang-Broadbeach Road, terminating at the Nerang railway station, with a major stop at Metricon Stadium.

Both are forecast to be completed within 13 years, with the Nerang line connecting from Broadbeach likely to be the first.

Funding for both is expected to come from all levels of government, in line with the first two stages. However, public-private partnerships could also be considered.

Cr Tate said completing the coastal spine was the city’s priority, but the western routes would be fast-tracked to support increasing growth east of the M1.

“This is now part of our long-term budget and the way we are looking ahead because it is a cost-effective way of getting around the city,” he said.

“The timing of both will depend on private investment in that area and in Robina this would turn Cbus Stadium in a much more viable location allowing people to get there.

“At Nerang, we are seeing a lot of building along Nerang-Broadbeach Road and we will also take the opportunity to speak with the developers of the proposed theme park at Nerang to see how much this would help them.”

Talks to progress the western route comes a month after the State Government committed $5 million to planning of stage 3A, which will run from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads.

Major projects planned or under construction along the expected Broadbeach-Nerang route include Sunland’s The Lakes housing development and Chinese billionaire Huang Qiaoling’s Songcheng theme park, the $600 million Australian Legends World.

In Robina, developer Walker Corporation has filed plans to build the $1.2 million Breakwater estate, home to more than 2000 homes.

Robina councillor and city economic development boss Hermann Vorster said the western light rail routes would be put to the public for consultation.

“There is a lot of excitement about bringing the trams west but we need to make sure the planning is done right and while a route along Cheltenham and Cottesloe Drive may seem straight forward, the zoning would not support it,” he said.

“Varsity Lakes and Robina already have a document parking shortage and we desperately need to support the struggling businesses there.

“This would give us the opportunity to link all three universities together to create a knowledge triangle unrivalled anywhere on the continent.”

Council hopes construction starts on 3A by 2020, with the airport link to follow.

The move has been backed by leading Gold Coast businessman and Gold Coast Suns chairman Tony Cochrane.

He said it would solve both transport and parking issues in the Carrara sports precinct.

“Currently the public are paying through the nose for a second rate transport system to the stadiums when the light rail would clearly alleviate these issues,” he said.

‘I like a lot of other Gold Coasters would like to see it go west before it goes to the airport because this is a logical place to be — the forward planning for the rail was pretty poor and bringing it our way would resolve the issues.”

It sounds like they would really like the Chinese company behind the new theme park in Nerang to fund a light rail extension to the Nerang heavy rail station. It is encouraging to read they prefer to extend to Nerang before Robina. This is really the first time a politician has pointed out that extending the light rail to a sports stadium is important. Fingers crossed it happens well before 2030!

 

[SunnerSS]

Here's the GC Bulletin article on the matter:

Westworld: Gold Coast’s western suburbs set to be linked to beach with light rail connection

It sounds like they would really like the Chinese company behind the new theme park in Nerang to fund a light rail extension to the Nerang heavy rail station. It is encouraging to read they prefer to extend to Nerang before Robina. This is really the first time a politician has pointed out that extending the light rail to a sports stadium is important. Fingers crossed it happens well before 2030!

Doubt that robina is one of the largest shopping and commercial districts on the coast combined with the NRL titans it will likely receive a push for funding first.

 

[SandyToes]

Here's the GC Bulletin article on the matter:

Westworld: Gold Coast’s western suburbs set to be linked to beach with light rail connection

It sounds like they would really like the Chinese company behind the new theme park in Nerang to fund a light rail extension to the Nerang heavy rail station. It is encouraging to read they prefer to extend to Nerang before Robina. This is really the first time a politician has pointed out that extending the light rail to a sports stadium is important. Fingers crossed it happens well before 2030!

Metricon and the surrounding precinct will be Sports Central for the Coast
Maybe add in a concert here and there and hopefully a BBL team
You're looking at 20-25 events year plus whatever goes on in the indoor stadium

 

[Matchu]

Doubt that robina is one of the largest shopping and commercial districts on the coast combined with the NRL titans it will likely receive a push for funding first.

I understand why you would think that but I have a feeling the new proposed theme park in Nerang is going to be a factor here. Also, the light rail will have just extended south down through the Burleigh stretch and onto Coolangatta so I feel there may be a push for the central suburbs to receive the next extension instead of three consecutive extensions down south. Presuming there are no hiccups in funding, I'd guess an extension to Burleigh will be complete around 2020, then a further extension to Coolangatta will most likely be finished around 2022/3. So you'd have to think an extension to Nerang via Metricon won't be an option until 2025 at the earliest.

That's where I think it's quite vital to convince the Chinese company building the new theme park to invest in a western extension to Nerang so it can become a reality well before 2025. The council/state gov recently tried to convince ASF to fund a light rail extension through Main Beach to make their casino dream a reality and I'm pretty confident ASF were willing to do it so they just need to do the same thing with the Songcheng Group.

Metricon and the surrounding precinct will be Sports Central for the Coast
Maybe add in a concert here and there and hopefully a BBL team
You're looking at 20-25 events year plus whatever goes on in the indoor stadium

The Suns and an inevitable GC BBL team would really benefit from a light rail extension to Metricon. I'm absolutely convinced it will make a big difference to the overall fan experience and will boost crowds. I often hear attendees complimenting the stadium but also saying that their experience was ruined due to the poor transport options in place. It has been an issue at Carrara going as far back as the Brisbane Bears days in the 80s so it needs to be rectified ASAP.

Right now the Oceania Weightlifting Championships are taking place at the GCSLC (new indoor arena) while they prepare Metricon for the Comm Games. Also, the Brisbane Bullets return to the GCSLC next month to host a regular season NBL game. So even though the Suns aren't playing, there's still action going on in the precinct.