New Brisbane Lions stadium named Springfield Central Stadium and Brighton Homes Arena

Vast amounts of money have been invested into turning Ipswich into a future hub for AFL, with business set to benefit.

An artist’s impression of the new Springfield stadium. Construction is under way and should be complete by late next year.

The future home of the AFL in Ipswich has been christened, and just like the iconic Lang Park, it will go by two names.

Still under construction, the new home for the Brisbane Lions in the heart of Springfield will include a $70 million training and administration facility, along with a planned $100 million adjoining sport and leisure hub.

The Brighton Homes Arena, which will also be known by its gazetted name of Springfield Central Stadium, will be the new 10,000 seat home base of the Lions’ AFLW team, which is fresh from winning its first premiership earlier this year.

Construction will include a high-performance training and support centre for both the men’s and women’s teams.

The first sod was turned in mid-May and construction is set to continue until September 2022.

The arena will be built by Hutchinson Builders and Queensland home building company Brighton secured the naming rights after two years as an official partner of the Lions.

Mayor Teresa Harding said the name reflected the geographic location in the community, as well as its significance as an elite-level training and community facility.

“I’m delighted that council has given this new sporting complex a solid identity,” Ms Harding said.

“Springfield Central Stadium gives the under-construction facility a specific location on GPS systems, as well as a name befitting of the important role it will play as part of Ipswich’s sporting landscape.

“It will confirm Ipswich’s reputation on the national sporting map and is a stadium we will all be proud of. I can’t wait to hear it reverberate around radio and TV broadcasts, and see it splashed across game reports held there in the future.”

Ipswich City Council has contributed $20 million to the project, and will own the facility once complete.

The remainder of the funding of the project was shared between the state government ($18 million), federal government ($15 million) and the AFL and Brisbane Lions ($10 million).

In addition to supporting 190 jobs during construction, the facilities will bring significant opportunities for small businesses in Ipswich for years to come, Ms Harding said.