http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl ... 7163676240
NSW has announced it has $600 million to spend on sporting stadiums in Sydney.
Stadiums Queensland, which runs major sports facilities for the State Government, does not want to say what it plans to spend on Suncorp Stadium.
NRL DRAW A CON AIR JOB
Last month, the NRL publicly backed the NSW State Government’s decision to allocate $600 million for stadiums in Sydney.
This will start with a vast upgrade of Allianz Stadium in 2017 to as many as 65,000 seats from its current 44,000 capacity.
Stadiums Queensland refused to make anyone available from its organisation or Suncorp Stadium management last month and again last week when The Courier-Mail requested comment about future and recent investment in the 52,500-seat stadium.
An artist’s impression of a potential redevelopment of ANZ Stadium.
An artist’s impression of a potential redevelopment of ANZ Stadium.
The spectacular scale of the investment by the NSW government, flagged late last month, builds the suspicion that Queensland, which has been careful with sports facility spending under the LNP, could be left behind in sport’s arms race for major sports events.
Melbourne has a three-pack of modern stadiums between 25,000-100,000 and the Adelaide Oval redevelopment was a success for their two AFL clubs, as well as hosting the opening show of the Rolling Stones’ national tour.
Suncorp Stadium is reported to be firm favourites to host a pre-season visit next July by one of England’s most popular football teams, Liverpool.
There have been Sydney reports that the Queensland Government’s offer to bring Liverpool to Brisbane is as high as $5 million, but a visit would be a bonanza for the city’s hotels and entertainment businesses.
Hirers of Suncorp Stadium are not inclined to say what they know about infrastructure investment priorities by Stadiums Queensland.
Suncorp Stadium was upgraded internally after the 2011 floods and its website says $16 million was invested, including materials to mitigate against future flood damage.
In Queensland, an announcement has been anticipated for some weeks over a new 25,000-seat stadium planned for Townsville at an inner-city location to supersede Dairy Farmers Stadium.
In August, Peter Jourdain, then the CEO of the North Queensland club before his subsequent resignation, said that the NRL had assured the Cowboys that the Townsville stadium was in the NRL’s “top two infrastructure projects”.
The NRL is keen to make Allianz Stadium a more attractive place for fans. Pic: Mark Evans
The NRL is keen to make Allianz Stadium a more attractive place for fans. Pic: Mark Evans
Jourdain said that talks had occurred to try to gain federal funding in addition to state government, but he did not expect any announcement this year.
“I am getting more and more confident we will get a new stadium in the CBD — there are some hurdles to jump over but it’s looking very promising,” Jourdain said.
“The NRL has been helping us quite a lot with the various levels of government. There have been quite a few meetings, but we need to get the feds on the phone as well.”
But Townsville is not alone in wanting a new stadium.
The Central Queensland NRL bid team is lobbying hard for State Government funding for a new 20,000 seat stadium in Rockhampton for the city’s projected NRL team.
If the western corridor NRL bid were to be successful, a stadium in Ipswich would be a long-term preference.
But a second team playing at Suncorp Stadium is possible because legislation by the Bligh ALP Government from 2011 remains in place.
The legislation lifted a limitation on the number of big sporting events at Suncorp Stadium because of community reservations which needed to be allayed at the time of its 2003 redevelopment.
In 2011, the limit of 24 events with 25,000 spectators or more in a year was increased to 24 events of 35,000 or more.
The LNP government’s department of sport said in a statement: “These provisions remain in place. There hasn’t been a need for any further amendments to this point.
“We’re all about major events and getting big games to Queensland and should the need arise in future we’ll take a look at the situation.”
the insecure spactics are at it again
even though Townsville are getting a new stadium because their 14k average of the north QlD cocksucking cowboys in their current 25k seater is enough to warrant a new several hundred million dollar stadium.
the broke Titans had a new stadium built for them 10 odd years ago
the Broncos, currently have the best rectangular stadium in Australia last development was done in 2003
yet not enough is being spent!
if Central QLD get a team in the NRL the state government has promised money for a new stadium
FMD the NRL is a dumb insecure code.
god if only the AFL had money spent on their grounds like the NRL has 
liar extraordinaire 
