News Gabba Upgrade & Olympics News

[The Flying Belgian]

If this ‘new’ temporary stadium isn’t Metricon I’ll streak at the opening ceremony.

I know, I know, planning is underway but do we really see the Qld government (either party) redeveloping or building a new facility to house us for 3 years?? What are they going to do with it afterwards? It’ll get less use than the Rio Olympics swimming pool.

Agree, although it could well be some sort of hybrid solution: lower-drawing games at Springfield, marquee games at Metricon and maybe a few extra in Melbourne.

With all the talk of the RNA showgrounds and as good a location as it would be, it's also to be an Olympic venue and will have it's own downtime for rejuvenation. Hard to see that happening quickly enough for us to use it while the Gabba is ruled out.

 

[Dalions]

Agree, although it could well be some sort of hybrid solution: lower-drawing games at Springfield, marquee games at Metricon and maybe a few extra in Melbourne.

With all the talk of the RNA showgrounds and as good a location as it would be, it's also to be an Olympic venue and will have it's own downtime for rejuvenation. Hard to see that happening quickly enough for us to use it while the Gabba is ruled out.

No one will turn up if they put Marquee games at Metricon.
And doesn’t Metricon only hold about 25k anyway?

 

[M Malice]

With Andrew Wellington saying yesterday re Springfield > "We haven't ruled out that it could host home-and-away games, that's certainly a possibility," IMO that is where we will end up for our home games when the Gabba is out of commission.

25,000 capacity should be enough to accommodate our members that want to attend games, if not it will probably be done on a length of membership status as to who gets first access to games. I am Platinum member next year.

Maybe by late this decade the AFLW will have become more popular and crowds of up around the 20,000 mark are a regular occurrence and we will need a stadium with that sort of capacity anyway, IIRC expansion has been factored into the design of Springfield.

 

[Warwick]

No one will turn up if they put Marquee games at Metricon.
And doesn’t Metricon only hold about 25k anyway?

They aren’t going to build a temporary option bigger than 25k in Brisbane. Could you imagine the cost of a new or redeveloped 30k+ stadium?? You’re probably looking at it costing at least $200mill this day and age for 3 years use.

It’ll be a white elephant after we vacate.

As much as I love the lions, and hate Metricon, as a tax payer I’d be filthy if that was even an option.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Has there been any discussion about what’s happening to cricket during the rebuild?

 

[Lionwest]

Has there been any discussion about what’s happening to cricket during the rebuild?

No idea but my guess would be;
-> Allan Border Field - Domestic Cricket
-> Metricon - Big Bash and International One Day & T20 matches
....Test Cricket perhaps will not be featured during that period in Qld

 

[Dalions]

Has there been any discussion about what’s happening to cricket during the rebuild?

That is why they will be spending money on stands somewhere.
It won’t just be for us, surely.

 

[briztoon]

With Andrew Wellington saying yesterday re Springfield > "We haven't ruled out that it could host home-and-away games, that's certainly a possibility," IMO that is where we will end up for our home games when the Gabba is out of commission.

25,000 capacity should be enough to accommodate our members that want to attend games, if not it will probably be done on a length of membership status as to who gets first access to games. I am Platinum member next year.

Maybe by late this decade the AFLW will have become more popular and crowds of up around the 20,000 mark are a regular occurrence and we will need a stadium with that sort of capacity anyway, IIRC expansion has been factored into the design of Springfield.

It would be good to know how many full season Brisbane/SEQ based members there are.

My guess is it’s pretty close to 25k. I can’t imagine there’s too many more than that. Look at our smallest home crowds, and that’s probably close to how many full season members there are.

So full membership gets a seat at the temporary home.

 

[Walshawk]

Surely if they were going to do anything major at Springfield, they would have modified the design to allow for that. Reckon the only space for temp stands is where the adjacent carpark is. So it might go from 10k to 12k. Standing room actually allows for more fans in the same space, and there is no room for any substantial temp stands anywhere else. Can’t see how it could possibly go to 20k, let alone 25k.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Jake Anson in today's Roar Deal podcast confirmed that the RNA Showgrounds is the in-Brisbane site currently in negotiations to host Lions games in the Gabba interregnum.

 

[Son of Superboot]

Jake Anson in today's Roar Deal podcast confirmed that the RNA Showgrounds is the in-Brisbane site currently in negotiations to host Lions games in the Gabba interregnum.

New article by Fish Whiting just hit the AFL website, either Metricon, Springfield or Showgrounds

Metricon - cheapest, just challenging to get too
Springfield - limited capacity, even temporary grandstands will only get 2000-3000 extra seat, leaving capacity at 12,000
Showgrounds - a lot work to be done on surface and facilities

useless fact - The bombers are the only team to register a win at the showgrounds, in 1952

Four years away? Lions hunt for home ground during Gabba rebuild

Three venues in line to house club during Gabba's Olympic Games facelift

www.afl.com.au

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

useless fact - The bombers are the only team to register a win at the showgrounds, in 1952

I look forward to Rohan Connolly informing listeners that the Bombers haven't won at the ground in over 70 years when providing his tips for the first Brisbane v Essendon match there.

 

[BRAB]

Really think it has to be Metricon. Seems crazy to spend money developing the showgrounds when we've got a perfectly fine stadium ready to go.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Except it's not fine. The stadium itself is ok but 95% of attendees will be coming down the highway from Brisbane. It's too far away, public transport is barely acceptable and parking is terrible. And if there's an accident on the freeway you might as well turn around.

Developing the Showgrounds leaves a legacy that enables the ground to be used for the Olympics, benefits the RNA and allows it to used as a venue for other events as well.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

Really think it has to be Metricon. Seems crazy to spend money developing the showgrounds when we've got a perfectly fine stadium ready to go.

Never thought I'd see the day where you'd be advocating for a Nerang-based solution.

 

[dlanod]

Really think it has to be Metricon. Seems crazy to spend money developing the showgrounds when we've got a perfectly fine stadium ready to go.

Doubt it'll be our money...

 

[Nunez]

Never thought I'd see the day where you'd be advocating for a Nerang-based solution.

BRAB is a shadow of his former self. Rumour has it he's swapped his maroon, blue and gold for a Flagmantle jersey.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Really think it has to be Metricon. Seems crazy to spend money developing the showgrounds when we've got a perfectly fine stadium ready to go.

The Showgrounds have a long term use, they won't become a white elephant. If they plan it right, they can get Brisbane Roar to move in after we're done, also.

 

[Warwick]

I go past the Showgrounds everyday. Not a chance in hell they would be able to redesign that at a reasonable cost.

4 years without the Gabba would be so s**t. Hoping it’s 3 tops. And very wishful thinking, but wonder if they could get it serviceable in 2 years and build up the stands around us.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

I go past the Showgrounds everyday. Not a chance in hell they would be able to redesign that at a reasonable cost.

4 years without the Gabba would be so s**t. Hoping it’s 3 tops. And very wishful thinking, but wonder if they could get it serviceable in 2 years and build up the stands around us.

Sounds like the reality is though that it will need major redevelopment at some stage soon anyway. To be usable for the Ekka & other RNA events, it’s going to need a complete overhaul at some point in the next decade. Maybe not quite as expensive an overhaul as would be needed to host AFL/cricket, but probably not miles off either.

Makes a heap of sense to do it now as an Olympics venue when the Feds will cover 50% of the cost.

 

[HereIam86]

Jake Anson in today's Roar Deal podcast confirmed that the RNA Showgrounds is the in-Brisbane site currently in negotiations to host Lions games in the Gabba interregnum.

Do we get a free show bag?

 

[Dalions]

Really think it has to be Metricon. Seems crazy to spend money developing the showgrounds when we've got a perfectly fine stadium ready to go.

They wouldn’t be building a stadium specifically for us.
As mentioned in the pod in is the RNA that has put the submission in for the changes for the long term benefit of them.
Even if we were to play at the show grounds there would be a 3 week period in August where we wouldn’t be able to play there due to the Ekka.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

Got this from a mate earlier on. He’s not a real lions or afl follower so take it as you see fit.

“Yeah was talking to a mate who runs a consulting firm for qld Gov infrastructure the other day - she said it’s 99% lock for Ekka; they’re upgrading the surface and installing lighting towers and s**t already - Lions management prefer it and QLD cricket are happy if the upgrades are done”.

Reckons they’ll upgrade the seating to sit approx 25k and the cricket will go there for a few years as well. We know how much pull they have up here.

Personally would be happy if they go there, far easier to get to from the Northside than Metricon or Springfield.

The biggest problem might end up being the AFLW situation. Once we get used to going to the RNA for Lions games in a great location/boutique stadium/easily connected, I imagine many people mightn't find the idea of travelling out to Springfield for AFLW all that appealing when the upgraded RNA is sitting there unused.

Also wonder if we might look to play a couple of men's games there each year in the long term too. Lions vs GWS with 20k fans would be a much better atmosphere, for example, in a 25k RNA than a 50k Gabba.

The other thing that comes to mind is whether expansion could at some stage (probably not for a few decades, though) lead to a second Brisbane AFL team that could use that stadium.

 

[Squizz89]

I’d envisage the EKKA grounds hosting some events (equestrian or something maybe) during the Olympics so it was always going to probably need an upgrade for that anyway.

 

[Son of Superboot]

Sounds like the reality is though that it will need major redevelopment at some stage soon anyway. To be usable for the Ekka & other RNA events, it’s going to need a complete overhaul at some point in the next decade. Maybe not quite as expensive an overhaul as would be needed to host AFL/cricket, but probably not miles off either.

Makes a heap of sense to do it now as an Olympics venue when the Feds will cover 50% of the cost.

The more I think about it, the Showgrounds seems the best fit. It not just the Lions that need a new venue, its the cricket too. Test matches, ODI's, T20, the Bulls will need somewhere to play, apart from Allan Border field. And then there is the Heat in the big bash. A venue that is close to the city, and has good access, good public transport, where else fits the bill? They are saying no Gabba for 4 year, cricket will not be nomads. Where else could you play a test match in summer? And before the Gabba, they did play test matches their, in 1928. Bradman even scored a double ton. Where else to celebrate a century of test match cricket in Brisbane, than at the original venue!

But work would need to start soon for it to be any where near ready by 2025, but Olympic funding might help to cover it. They say is has a 25,000 capacity, still has old school wooden plank seating in the terraces.