Queensland Firebirds ready to call their $44M new stadium home
From little girls at the grassroots of the game to Firebirds stars Gabi Simpson and Gretel Tippett, the sport finally has a one-stop shop of its own.
QLD News
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‘‘WELCOME home, netball.’’ From little girls at the grassroots of the game to Firebirds stars Gabi Simpson and Gretel Tippett, the sport finally has a one-stop shop of its own.
The $44 million Queensland State Netball Centre at Nathan will officially open Sunday, and it features a sunken showcourt with seating for 5000, with another seven community courts.
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After being nomads for their entire existence, the Queensland Firebirds get a dedicated locker room and meeting room, as well as an intimidating home court with two giant high-resolution TV screens and corporate facilities at either end of the state-of-the-art stadium.
Firebirds captain Simpson said it was a landmark day for the sport as a whole.
“This magnificent stadium represents more than just the 10 of us in the Firebirds dress,” she said. “We have a focal point for netball now that young kids can come and see their idols, and older girls can use it as their pathway.
“This is special. We are so grateful to now have something like this to call home.’’
“Lots of people have paved the way for our sport for many years and this is their new home too. It’s a new home for all Firebirds fans as well.’’
A gym with equipment from the Commonwealth Games, a physio practice, a players’ lounge with kitchen, a café, meeting rooms, study rooms and the offices of Netball Queensland can also be found inside the giant structure that sits next to the old QEII Stadium on Brisbane’s southside.
Brisbane’s largest park-and-ride carpark sits adjacent to the netball facility and Firebirds fans will also be able to use public transport to get to home games.
And the unmissable purple signage at every turn reinforces that this is indeed the Firebirds’ house.
Netball Queensland CEO Catherine Clark has been the driving force behind the venue’s creation and describes it as her “happy place”.
“This represents probably over 20 years of lots of netball people putting in a lot of work and a lot of lobbying,’’ she said.
“This building is more than a state netball centre. It’s a symbol that netball has truly arrived.’’
The Queensland Government provided $34 million towards the project with the Federal Government chipping in with $10 million and the Brisbane City Council donating the land.
The first elite level competition at the venue will be the Suncorp Super Netball pre-season tournament from March 8-10.
The Firebirds’ first official home game will be against Collingwood on Saturday, May 4.
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