News PeopleFirst (Bank) Stadium and Precinct

[Matchu]

Iva Bigun, a little bit more on the upgrade. The picture below shows the southern plaza with what I can only presume is the indoor basketball stadium to the left. You can see Metricon in the distance. It would appear they are going to remove the front car park (which also serves as a taxi rank at the moment) and replace it with a long strip of public space for people to walk around. As always, I hope they also install some restaurants and or bars/pubs in the area.

 

[Iva Bigun]

Iva Bigun, a little bit more on the upgrade. The picture below shows the southern plaza with what I can only presume is the indoor basketball stadium to the left. You can see Metricon in the distance. It would appear they are going to remove the front car park (which also serves as a taxi rank at the moment) and replace it with a long strip of public space for people to walk around. As always, I hope they also install some restaurants and or bars/pubs in the area.

Thanks Matchu I have had a good look at the available plans and think that the building is the new structure not the current bball stadium, due mainly to the distance to Metricon in the pic. I think the new building in this pic hides the current stadium. I guess time will tell but at the end of the day the team is going to have something very special on their hands. If they retain management rights as has been touted then it could be a very good money spinner for the team

 

[Experimental]

The main things I want to know are:

• Confirmation of car parking available over the road from Metricon (extremely important imo)
• Is there going to be a bridge linking the car park to the stadium?
• Is the seating upgrade going to be temporary, permanent, or half and half?

After this upgrade is finished, Suns are going to dominate in all areas.

 

[Iva Bigun]

The main things I want to know are:

• Confirmation of car parking available over the road from Metricon (extremely important imo)
• Is there going to be a bridge linking the car park to the stadium?
• Is the seating upgrade going to be temporary, permanent, or half and half?

After this upgrade is finished, Suns are going to dominate in all areas.

As I understand it

• The bridge was in the original design but I can't see it in the new art work
• The seating upgrade is temporary
• The car park area is in the new art work but doesn't look expanded

Matchu has been all over this project and giving great updates, I am sure more will come in the next few months

 

[Matchu]

so are there any plans for a future HQ as of yet?

Plenty of info on that in here mate. The plans have changed over the years but as we speak the spare land just north of the stadium (about 200 metres away) is going to be transformed into a $100 million training facility called the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre. It is understood the Suns will (have already?) contribute some money to this facility so that they can have management rights after the Comm Games. It will basically mean the whole facility is theirs and they can pick and choose who they rent it out to. They already have the management rights to Metricon Stadium so this isn't anything new.

The Suns are heavily involved in the creation process with the BVN Donovan Hill architecture group and are making sure it is being set up in a way that fulfils their needs once the Comm Games are over. The plans seem to show an aquatic centre and athletics track are also a part of the plans so it really will be first class. So there you go, contribute $10-20 million and you get a $100 million training and admin facility specially made to suit your needs. A real rags to riches story.

Timeframe appears to show that they may be able to move into the facility at some point in 2016 but will obviously have to evacuate in the lead up to the Games. Once the Comm Games are over it's theirs as long as they want it. The other pro sports team on the Gold Coast tried to strike a deal earlier this year which would allow them to share the facility but the Suns weren't interested.

Thanks Matchu I have had a good look at the available plans and think that the building is the new structure not the current bball stadium, due mainly to the distance to Metricon in the pic. I think the new building in this pic hides the current stadium. I guess time will tell but at the end of the day the team is going to have something very special on their hands. If they retain management rights as has been touted then it could be a very good money spinner for the team

I thought that too but that building in the picture looks nothing like the CSLC. The CSLC is coloured yellow where as that building appears to have some form of wrapping around it and is coloured white/grey (the colour of the basketball stadium). Having said that, I definitely thought the stadium looked too far away. I think the fact that the Suns rejected the Titans bid to share the facilities already proves they already have a deal in place for the management rights. If it was just purely the government making the decision then there is no way they would choose to spend on extra $7 million on a facility in Coomera. They would force the two parties to use the same building but obviously that hasn't happened.

 

[Matchu]

After this upgrade is finished, Suns are going to dominate in all areas.

Except ease of access to the stadium. This will be an ongoing issue but once the demand is high enough you will see the local and state govs have no choice but to do something about it. If there was an easy way to get from east Gold Coast out to Metricon then I think you would see crowds increase quite a bit but as it stands the club relies almost solely on buses. The options at this point are a light rail extension to Nerang station via Metricon and a ferry stop at Metricon. Both have been suggested in the past but neither look likely at this point.

 

[thegreig]

Plenty of info on that in here mate. The plans have changed over the years but as we speak the spare land just north of the stadium (about 200 metres away) is going to be transformed into a $100 million training facility called the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre. It is understood the Suns will (have already?) contribute some money to this facility so that they can have management rights after the Comm Games. It will basically mean the whole facility is theirs and they can pick and choose who they rent it out to. They already have the management rights to Metricon Stadium so this isn't anything new.

The Suns are heavily involved in the creation process with the BVN Donovan Hill architecture group and are making sure it is being set up in a way that fulfils their needs once the Comm Games are over. The plans seem to show an aquatic centre and athletics track are also a part of the plans so it really will be first class. So there you go, contribute $10-20 million and you get a $100 million training and admin facility specially made to suit your needs. A real rags to riches story.

Timeframe appears to show that they may be able to move into the facility at some point in 2016 but will obviously have to evacuate in the lead up to the Games. Once the Comm Games are over it's theirs as long as they want it. The other pro sports team on the Gold Coast tried to strike a deal earlier this year which would allow them to share the facility but the Suns weren't interested.


I thought that too but that building in the picture looks nothing like the CSLC. The CSLC is coloured yellow where as that building appears to have some form of wrapping around it and is coloured white/grey (the colour of the basketball stadium). Having said that, I definitely thought the stadium looked too far away. I think the fact that the Suns rejected the Titans bid to share the facilities already proves they already have a deal in place for the management rights. If it was just purely the government making the decision then there is no way they would choose to spend on extra $7 million on a facility in Coomera. They would force the two parties to use the same building but obviously that hasn't happened.

Excellent, hope they can achieve big things up there on the coast

 

[SandyToes]

That parcel of land on the corner of Bermuda and Hooker has just been sold and earmarked for major development (Sunland I think)and I think they're putting a big housing development into the farm at the Gooding Drive Nerang-Broadbeach roundabout next to Clear Island Waters
If they go ahead, a light rail spur up from the terminus at Pac Fair would seem more likely adding in a link to Nerang heavy rail

 

[Matchu]

Excellent, hope they can achieve big things up there on the coast

They will. The Gold Coast isn't your stereotypical Queensland city. Aussie rules has a strong following on the GC and it is growing at a fast rate already.

That parcel of land on the corner of Bermuda and Hooker has just been sold and earmarked for major development (Sunland I think)and I think they're putting a big housing development into the farm at the Gooding Drive Nerang-Broadbeach roundabout next to Clear Island Waters
If they go ahead, a light rail spur up from the terminus at Pac Fair would seem more likely adding in a link to Nerang heavy rail

Definitely. The route is somewhat underdeveloped at the moment so the more they build the better. Once the two developments that you have mentioned along Hooker Boulevard are complete it'll just be the Nerang-Broadbeach Road stretch that needs to be developed. There are a few pockets along Nerang-Broadbeach on the western side that could be developed and I'm sure that will be looked into in the future. The eastern side of Nerang-Broadbeach facing the Nerang River is quite developed but that isn't surprising given lots of people like to live on the water. The spare land on the north-east side of Nerang-Broadbeach has been bought a Chinese group looking to make a five star hotel and a local developer trying to build a 17 storey high rise. The big one is the land directly across the road from Metricon that still has no plans. I think something similar to the Q Super Centre would be perfect for that pocket.

 

[Experimental]

If all of these developments take off as planned, there will no doubt be a Woolworths of Coles built somewhere close too. The more developments the better.

 

[Matchu]

If all of these developments take off as planned, there will no doubt be a Woolworths of Coles built somewhere close too. The more developments the better.

Already happening. A Coles will be built about 1.5kms from Metricon.

 

[SandyToes]

There's already a Woolworths just past the roundabout at the back end of Carrara Markets where the old Drive-in theatre was
Light rail past Carrara Markets is another win

 

[Matchu]

Here is an interesting part of history that people may not know about...

GAMES BID WOULD AID COAST PUSH

Australian Fotball League heavyweight Gillon McLachlan says the AFL 'welcomes and supports' the ambitious plan to develop the much-maligned Gold Coast Stadium into a 60,000-seat extravaganza, reports The Gold Coast Bulletin.
.
Titans chairman and rugby league warhorse Paul Broughton revealed in yesterday's Gold Coast Bulletin the plan to bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Under the proposal, a state-of-the-art 60,000-seat stadium at Carrara would be commissioned for a massive redevelopment.

McLachlan, the AFL's chief broadcasting and commercial officer, said it would be sensational for all Gold Coasters if the plan went ahead.

"It really is a great vision for the Gold Coast and we strongly welcome and support it," he said.

"It would be a first-class stadium, which is what we are after up there.

"It would also be able to hold concerts and other big events."

The AFL Commission has instructed McLachlan and fellow league executive Andrew Catterall to return to the board by the end of the year with a blueprint for a permanent presence on the Coast.

The biggest hurdle standing in the way is the much-needed Carrara redevelopment, which the AFL is working on.

The State Government has been asked by the AFL to assist in funding the Carrara project. But if Broughton's bold proposal went ahead there would be a much greater call for assistance from the State Government and perhaps even the Federal Government.

The AFL wants a full-time team based on the Gold Coast by 2010, which McLachlan reiterated yesterday.

As it stands, the AFL's current plan is to redevelop Carrara into a boutique 25,000-seat stadium. But obviously the AFL knows a 60-000 seat stadium would better cater to the growing population of the Gold Coast in the long-term.

Even if the AFL goes ahead with its original plan, McLachlan said the stadium could still be further upgraded to comply with the Commonwealth Games bid.

"If you look at stadiums like Skilled Stadium in Geelong, there has been a continual phased approach and room for a second stage of development," he said.

"That would be the same case here."

AFL Queensland chief executive officer Richard Griffiths agreed with McLachlan and said the idea was a 'great vision'.

He said the lure of funding support was particularly appealing.

"It would certainly have the potential to attract significant external funding through Federal or State Government," he said. "It is an interesting proposal, but in terms of the AFL anything that would assist in the development of the facility would be welcome."

That article was released in late 2007. So there you go, a 60,000 seat stadium in Carrara was once in the works and the AFL was supportive of the idea. We now know that didn't eventuate but the AFL's plans for a 25,000 seat boutique stadium became the reality. I guess the most interesting aspect of those plans were that it would have become the biggest stadium in Queensland and able to host both oval and rectangular sports. What could have been...

 

[Matchu]

Drove past Metricon earlier today and saw the light towers for the soccer fields had been taken down. I can only presume this is a permanent removal in the lead up to the construction of the new Sports and Leisure Centre.

 

[Matchu]

The GC600 event on the weekend saw a surge in crowd numbers that has been explained mostly by the creation of the light rail system. Over the three days there were more than 184,000 people who entered the racing precinct which is the highest it has been for five years. Makes you wonder if a tram extension out west to Metricon and Nerang train station could have similar results...

 

[CQSUN]

The GC600 event on the weekend saw a surge in crowd numbers that has been explained mostly by the creation of the light rail system. Over the three days there were more than 184,000 people who entered the racing precinct which is the highest it has been for five years. Makes you wonder if a tram extension out west to Metricon and Nerang train station could have similar results...

I think that is undoubtable. It really is ridiculous that it isn't on the cards for the comm games.

 

[Matchu]

I think that is undoubtable. It really is ridiculous that it isn't on the cards for the comm games.

It's hard to fathom considering how successful the GC600 event just was. They are going to be relying on buses alone to move people to and from Metricon during the Comm Games. Anyone who has been to Metricon knows the bus system is already a hassle and that's with crowds of around 15k. A crowd of 40k for the opening/closing ceremony will be a nightmare.

 

[Experimental]

In 2018, are we getting kicked out of Metricon if the games are starting in August?

 

[Matchu]

In 2018, are we getting kicked out of Metricon if the games are starting in August?

The Comm Games will be held April 4-15, 2018. So the Suns will definitely miss two rounds through that. Given it is pretty early in the season (around round 3-4) it would be very unlikely that the Suns would be able to play a home game at Carrara in the first 3-4 rounds of the season. So you're looking at a situation where Metricon is unavailable for at least the first 6 rounds and restoration hasn't even started. Now it took the MCG four weeks from the end of the Comm Games to begin playing AFL games there again. So if this is anything to go by, the earliest the Suns can play a home game at Metricon will be round 10.

Very similar situation to the one the club faced in 2011 where they played 3 home games at the Gabba and played their first home game at Metricon in round 10.


Here is another interesting article about the light rail success during the GC600. The most interesting part is where the V8s CEO says the Gold Coast is capable of hosting international events now that the light rail exists.

Almost 100,000 light rail trips taken over the Gold Coast 600 weekend as the fans take to the track

ALMOST 100,000 light rail trips were taken over the V8 Supercars weekend — with race fans using the tram to make tracks to the track.

An extra 41 security staff were recruited to keep passengers safe — and it worked, with no safety incidents reported.

The first day of racing on Friday saw about 27,000 passenger trips taken, with 37,000 taken on Saturday and 34,000 on Sunday.

It was the first and busiest test of the trams since their launch in July, with Schoolies Week looming as the next challenge for operators.

“Significant planning between TransLink, event organisers, police and relevant authorities occurred in the lead-up to the (V8) event to ensure tram services were delivered safely and efficiently,” a TransLink spokeswoman said. “In addition to the light rail security and customer service staff, 41 extra security personnel were deployed across the weekend.

“Standard light rail operating procedures were slightly modified to address the increase in tram service frequency.”

The service will be thoroughly reviewed to see whether any improvements can be made in 2015.

The GC600 crowd was up by more than 10,000 on last year, with 184,732 through the gates over three days.

Organisers attributed much of the increase to the light rail, which offered free travel throughout the event and ran at capacity for much of the weekend.

V8 Supercars chief executive James Warburton had hoped for 180,000 people — and said the light rail gave the city another dimension when it came to hosting major events.

“The Gold Coast is just an international event city — the scale of this, the way the city looks, the light rail — it shows the way the city can turn on amazing events,” he said.

Even as the chairs and fencing were packed away and the traffic disruptions continued through Surfers Paradise yesterday, the trams remained a viable alternative to braving the single-lane crawl.

 

[RodneyMaynard]

The Comm Games will be held April 4-15, 2018. So the Suns will definitely miss two rounds through that. Given it is pretty early in the season (around round 3-4) it would be very unlikely that the Suns would be able to play a home game at Carrara in the first 3-4 rounds of the season. So you're looking at a situation where Metricon is unavailable for at least the first 6 rounds and restoration hasn't even started. Now it took the MCG four weeks from the end of the Comm Games to begin playing AFL games there again. So if this is anything to go by, the earliest the Suns can play a home game at Metricon will be round 10.

Very similar situation to the one the club faced in 2011 where they played 3 home games at the Gabba and played their first home game at Metricon in round 10.

Rather than play at the GABBA, would be a great opportunity to play some games in regional QLD, in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton etc to help develop the code.

 

[Experimental]

Rather than play at the GABBA, would be a great opportunity to play some games in regional QLD, in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton etc to help develop the code.

I wouldn't be against that, provided we already had a premiership under our belts

 

[Matchu]

Rather than play at the GABBA, would be a great opportunity to play some games in regional QLD, in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton etc to help develop the code.

I get what you're saying but I think the heat would be an issue. Cairns and Townsville average around a high of 30 degrees in April with humidity around 65%. Brisbane's conditions are less demanding with an average of 27 degrees and humidity at 54%. There's a reason why the Suns always play in Cairns between June-July and that's because they are the most bearable conditions all year for that area. If you take a look at this photo below you get an idea of where the Suns might be able to play to develop the game in their zone.

Rockhampton is the most southern major city of the northern area so I guess that is an option for one game. The northern NSW is the better bet in my opinion. Maybe somewhere like Lismore? Then the third game could be played at the Gabba.

 

[SUNS]

3-4 games at Southport Sharks against the lowest drawing teams

 

[Experimental]

3-4 games at Southport Sharks against the lowest drawing teams

What's the capacity of the Sharks stadium? This would be a great idea.

 

[SUNS]

What's the capacity of the Sharks stadium? This would be a great idea.

At the moment you can squeeze in abou 6-8,000 people. But would be possible to boost that number with some relatively cheap temporary stands.

Although 10,000+ is not very high, for a couple of low drawing teams it should be ok. Would still sell out quickly, but will do in a pinch and keeps the games on the Gold Coast