Brisbane Lions’ Springfield Brighton Homes Arena attracts 316k visits in first year

After running seven AFLW games in its first year of operation, the Brighton Homes Arena is set for a further development.

An artist's imagination of the future Brighton Homes Arena. Picture: supplied

More than 316,000 people have visited Brighton Homes Arena in a year after it opened in November 2022, paving the way for expansion.

The $82 million venue hosted seven AFLW matches and a variety of community sport, programs and corporate events.

Fans pictured at the Brisbane Lions end of season fan day, October 2, 2023, Brighton Homes Arena, Brisbane. Picture: Josh Woning

Brisbane Lions chief executive Greg Swann said the Lions’ move to Springfield had opened the club up to the growing western corridor.

“We wanted to open the site up to as many people as possible and create an asset that can be used by the wider community, and these numbers show we’re doing exactly that,” Mr Swann said.

“Every day we’re seeing kids playing basketball onsite or people running laps of the oval, AFL Queensland are using the venue as a base for staff to service the wider area.

“To see the venue become a destination year-round, not just on game days, is a step in the right direction.”

Deven Robertson and Dayne Zorko at training on April 1, 2024. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

Mr Swann said the venue has hosted international sporting delegations from China, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Papua New Guinea.

“We’re putting Ipswich and Springfield on the map,” he said.

Mr Swann said plans were now under way to further develop the site with a childcare centre and more sporting facilities.

“We know access to green space across SEQ is a real challenge so we’re looking at how we further develop the precinct to deliver an MCG-sized playing field which could be accessed by community users and jointly service the nearby Hymba Yumba Independent School,” he said.

“We’d like to build out more community sporting facilities including some hard-court surfaces to provide our Lions wheelchair AFL team with training and match courts while adding a childcare centre to the precinct to further cement our place in the local community.”