North Queensland Stadium

[theRainbowGame]

At the NRL Grand Final the North Queensland Captain noted very strongly that they wanted a new upgraded stadium.

With the knowledge that the football fans there may be getting an AFL side up there soon, should the AFL lobby the government for a stadium that could be upgraded to be an AFL stadium at a later date?

In my view they should construct a rectangular stadium at the moment, however construct it in a way such that one wing can be torn down, and one end be extended easily when the AFL decide to add a new team there (15 years away). That way the North Queensland residents get the best of both worlds, at minimum cost.

The alternative is to have an AFL ground in Cairns, and a league/union/soccer one in Townsville. This is better for fans but alot more expensive.

 

[Borussia Teeth]

No, there won't be an AFL team in Townsville or Cairns in the next 15 years, so no need to bother with a new stadium.

 

[Resistor]

There was some talk of a casino development up there somewhere with a 20,000 seat stadium attached to it. Not sure if it currently in the pipeline
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/busine...ort-developments/story-fnjpusdv-1226846618286

 

[The_Reaper]

Only chance is if CA plan to bring some Top End test backs (which they probably will on occasion) and some BBL games.

There weren't be a North Queensland AFL side for at least two decades

 

[Resistor]

Only chance is if CA plan to bring some Top End test backs (which they probably will on occasion) and some BBL games.

There weren't be a North Queensland AFL side for at least two decades

Plan for top end tests, 2017 winter

 

[Silent Alarm]

There was some talk of a casino development up there somewhere with a 20,000 seat stadium attached to it. Not sure if it currently in the pipeline
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/busine...ort-developments/story-fnjpusdv-1226846618286

This is such a classic North Queensland idea...

Thing is, there's a big divide up in that state so they don't get much funding. Having the 'capital' split between Townsville and Cairns isn't entirely helpful either, as both would want to stake a claim and possibly disagree with one town getting the definitive stadium. The issue is though, they only have one full time team. The Fury failed and soccer's scared off, the AFL won't touch the area for 20 years, 20/20 is the most likely but then then it isn't... so why would the government even half entertain the idea of a brand new stadium?

Best case, they get a new grandstand in an old part of the ground (like NIB in Perth). You really only need 20,000 up there and you could probably convert 1800-cuddles, or whatever the ground's called, fairly cheaply. It's hot, so no need for big concourses (they'd probably be a sweaty humid hinderance even with cash to waste), you can keep the ends grassed at the bottom and then have small seated stands at the top.

 

[Chuckie357]

Had to laugh with the OP saying they will be getting their own AFL team soon, this isn't soccer or rugby. Our structure actually has structure lol

 

[JD Tomahawk]

I wish an AFL team in Townsville would eventuate but it'll never happen. If it did id move back there instantly.Though Aussie rules is stronger than you would think up there.
Cowboys need a stadium, in or around the cbd. 1800smiles is a train wreck.

 

[tigerninja]

Not sure if tony ireland stadium is still the AFL stadium there but that area could be built into a super two stadium arena and it would be great. Haven't been back for 3 years but lived there for 8 and a long time just around the corner from smiles when it was dairy farmers. It really is an embarrassment that it is the stadium. Something needed to start being done years ago.

 

[Rob]

Zero chance of an AFL side, zero chance of a BBL side. Complete waste of time campaigning for one.

Before anyone steps in to tell us how much they love cricket up there, go and see the rainfall figures in December and January for North Queensland.

 

[Philosrog]

At the NRL Grand Final the North Queensland Captain noted very strongly that they wanted a new upgraded stadium.

With the knowledge that the football fans there may be getting an AFL side up there soon, should the AFL lobby the government for a stadium that could be upgraded to be an AFL stadium at a later date?

In my view they should construct a rectangular stadium at the moment, however construct it in a way such that one wing can be torn down, and one end be extended easily when the AFL decide to add a new team there (15 years away). That way the North Queensland residents get the best of both worlds, at minimum cost.

The alternative is to have an AFL ground in Cairns, and a league/union/soccer one in Townsville. This is better for fans but alot more expensive.

Have you been north of Hoppers Crossing?

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

Cairns is very different to Townsville and has an excellent AFL following and a very good standard of football. The impending development in Townsville will have no bearing on AFL in North Queensland. If there is a team one day, it will be 4 hours up the road in Cairns. It is a long way off at the moment.

 

[thegreig]

The AFL had plans for a North Queensland NEAFL team and were debating wether to have it in Cairns or Townsville, looks like they went with neither in the end...

I would have thought Cazaly's Stadium would have been the best location

 

[TGFC]

The AFL had plans for a North Queensland NEAFL team and were debating wether to have it in Cairns or Townsville, looks like they went with neither in the end...

I would have thought Cazaly's Stadium would have been the best location

townsville built a new stadium for cricket and AFL only 5-10 years ago. it would be perfect for a NEAFL team as there is a strong group of teams due to the ARMY base up there

 

[bombersfan4000]

Zero chance of an AFL side, zero chance of a BBL side. Complete waste of time campaigning for one.

Before anyone steps in to tell us how much they love cricket up there, go and see the rainfall figures in December and January for North Queensland.

I'll vouch for that. When it rains up there it rains for days on end non stop

 

[thegreig]

townsville built a new stadium for cricket and AFL only 5-10 years ago. it would be perfect for a NEAFL team as there is a strong group of teams due to the ARMY base up there

you don't happen to know what the name of the stadium is do you?
I would love to know what the future plans are for a NQ NEAFL, if there even are any.

 

[Resistor]

you don't happen to know what the name of the stadium is do you?
I would love to know what the future plans are for a NQ NEAFL, if there even are any.

Tony Ireland Stadium

 

[fumbler]

Just to let you all know.

The Townsvillains have 1300 Smiles Stadium

but want a new beaut Stadium built closer to town (so they don't have to drive that extra 10 minutes) It's to be or will be built on vacant land near where the V8's drive round.

How long until locals complain after the first game?
more info here as well.

Tony Ireland Stadium is more like a Melbourne suburban ground but newer, it's only part of a stadium similar to Cazaly's.

Cazaly's is sort of the main oval up here in Cairns, but we also have Barlow Park which is the bum sniffers ground. If the Casino does get the go ahead and they doe build the new ground out near Yorkey's Knob how long until they realise they did the opposite of Townsville and then need to build another ground closer to town?

 

[Rob]

Cazaly's is sort of the main oval up here in Cairns, but we also have Barlow Park which is the bum sniffers ground. If the Casino does get the go ahead and they doe build the new ground out near Yorkey's Knob how long until they realise they did the opposite of Townsville and then need to build another ground closer to town?

The idea of having a stadium in the middle of town is because the infrastructure that allows lots of people to get to the ground quickly and easily already exists there - ie train lines, big parking lots, that sort of thing.

Cairns and Townsville have virtually no public transport infrastructure, and their CBD couldn't handle 20k+ people without building additional, stadium specific parking. Which is difficult because it's harder to get space. You generally can't just have a massive green reserve next door for cars - because it's the middle of town. In the suburbs that's really easy to arrange.

Consequently I don't know why they're desperate to get a stadium near the middle of town. If anything it'll be harder for people to get to it.

 

[fumbler]

The idea of having a stadium in the middle of town is because the infrastructure that allows lots of people to get to the ground quickly and easily already exists there - ie train lines, big parking lots, that sort of thing.

Cairns and Townsville have virtually no public transport infrastructure, and their CBD couldn't handle 20k+ people without building additional, stadium specific parking. Which is difficult because it's harder to get space. You generally can't just have a massive green reserve next door for cars - because it's the middle of town. In the suburbs that's really easy to arrange.

Consequently I don't know why they're desperate to get a stadium near the middle of town. If anything it'll be harder for people to get to it.

The space where they want to build "Stadium Northern Australia" or what ever other s**t name they come up with has plenty of room around it for car parks and green space, it's basically a dead zone atm.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Zero chance of an AFL side, zero chance of a BBL side. Complete waste of time campaigning for one.

Before anyone steps in to tell us how much they love cricket up there, go and see the rainfall figures in December and January for North Queensland.

I'll vouch for that. When it rains up there it rains for days on end non stop

A retractable roof would solve the rain but obviously nobody's going to pay for that for 4 BBL games a year. A possibility if they get an AFL team in 30 years perhaps.

 

[JD Tomahawk]

If they did have an AFL team up there oneday (I like to imagine they will even though it won't happen) it could be North Queensland somethings and split between Townsville and cairns..
Cairns has cazalys and a bigger following of Aussie rules
But Townsville is expanding economicly and is the unofficial capital like it or not.

 

[thegreig]

If they did have an AFL team up there oneday (I like to imagine they will even though it won't happen) it could be North Queensland somethings and split between Townsville and cairns..
Cairns has cazalys and a bigger following of Aussie rules
But Townsville is expanding economicly and is the unofficial capital like it or not.

I'm pretty sure I remember reading somewhere that the AFL wouldn't base a new team in any city with a population less 500,000. So I don't think we'll be seeing any new teams anytime soon unless they go with some crazy New Zealand idea.

 

[Kappa]

I'm pretty sure I remember reading somewhere that the AFL wouldn't base a new team in any city with a population less 500,000. So I don't think we'll be seeing any new teams anytime soon unless they go with some crazy New Zealand idea.

There are zero New Zealand cities with 500k people

 

[thegreig]

There are zero New Zealand cities with 500k people

Auckland has 1.3 million