Gabba name up for sale as $100 million upgrade plans move ahead

The Gabba’s $100 million facelift is getting closer and it might be finished by 2024.

However, private sector enthusiasm is badly needed to drive the new-look cricket ground towards that ton.

Latest Gabba redevelopment plans 2018 after 2018 Master Plan released.

Two significant steps were announced on Sunday.

First, Sports Minister Mick de Brenni confirmed the state government is “about to go to the market” to test the sale of naming rights to the Gabba to raise money to redevelop the stadium itself.

While the word "Gabba" must stay, it could mean the "Optus Gabba" or "Telstra Gabba" or "Suncorp Gabba", Mr de Brenni said.

Second, Treasurer Jackie Trad announced $2 million to begin a business case to redevelop the “surrounding section” of the Gabba as part of the Cross River Rail project, as the Brisbane Times predicted in May.

“We estimate it [the total cost] will be around $100 million,” Ms Trad said.

“But we are going out to the market to test that,” she said.

She declined to say how much the Queensland government would contribute before talking to the business community.

Mr de Brenni labelled it “an outstanding announcement and a great day for Queensland sport and for this community.”

“This business case will ensure that the Gabba stadium is re-elevated to the number one cricket and AFL stadium in the world,” he said.

However, the redevelopment of the Gabba itself is extra to the $100 million mentioned by Ms Trad, his office confirmed.

The cost of redeveloping the Gabba stadium itself will not be revealed until the final report from Stadiums Queensland consultant John Lee is given to the Queensland government.

This is what the government has in mind for the stadium itself.

What has it got to do with Cross River Rail?

The Gabba is close to one of the future underground train stations now being built by the state government as part of the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project. 

Latest plans for the Gabba unveiled as treasurer announces $2 million for a business to draw in private sector bidders.

It is the third rejuvenation project linked to Brisbane’s underground rail project, which runs from Dutton Park to the RNA Showgrounds, to be announced by the Palaszczuk government.

In May Ms Trad announced the first: $5 million for a business case for the 17,000-seat Brisbane Live auditorium planned to revitalise the Roma Street Station.

A new underground train station will be built at Roma Street as part of the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project.

Then on August 2, Education Minister Grace Grace announced the second project: Brisbane’s newest inner-city state high school would be built at the Boggo Road EcoSciences precinct to offset the large growth at Brisbane State High School.

A new underground train station is being built at Boggo Road.

The idea is to deliver the improvements to the Gabba by 2024, Cross River Rail Delivery Authority chief executive Graeme Newton said on Sunday.

“But there is potential to do some preliminary development along the way and that is why we want to take it to the market,” he said.

What the new-look future Gabba could look like

Artist concepts show an overhead bridge across Main Street from where the demolished Goprint building site is today across to a revamped Gabba stadium. That looks similar to what is in place over Milton Road to get to Suncorp Stadium.

Woolloongabba’s Sunmap Centre and the old dental school on the old Goprint site will be demolished.

The land bridge leads directly to the main Gabba entrance through a new park.

The old Goprint site becomes a mix of commercial offices, government office spaces with some gardens and the entrance to the underground train station.

Latest plans for the Gabba unveiled as treasurer announces $2 million for a business to draw in private sector bidders.

Mr de Brenni, also the state’s Housing and Public Works Minister, said the plans included 300 low-cost apartments.

Ms Trad said the concept was to revitalise the area, not only the sports stadium.

“We always said that Queensland’s number one infrastructure project, Cross River Rail, would be the catalysts to transform the south-east Queensland region and our capital city, Brisbane,” Ms Trad said.

How will it be funded?

Ms Trad said the cost of the massive revitalisation exercise would be identified during the business case stage.

“We have done some estimations, but we think we need to test those with the market,” Ms Trad said.

“We know there will be a return of government investment in terms of this development because there will be opportunities for residential development and commercial development and also for key worker housing.”

The Queensland government will contribute some funds while the private sector will soon be able to bid for individual projects valued at around $100 million within the redevelopment area.