Gabba redevelopment: Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate’s Carrara solution to RNA Showgrounds debate
A senior councillor has revealed what it would take for him to back Mayor Tom Tate’s plan for a $50m upgrade of Carrara Stadium. FIND OUT HOW
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A senior councillor wants Mayor Tom Tate to call a special meeting to allow the plan for a $50 million upgrade of Carrara Stadium to be debated.
Mr Tate wants the state government to sign over control of Heritage Bank Stadium at Carrara to the council and nominate it as the temporary home of the AFL’s Lions and for major cricket matches, the Bulletin revealed this week.
Helensvale-based councillor William Owen-Jones, the City’s governance chair, has described the move as “audacious” but “not one without merit”.
But he added councillors had yet to discuss the Mayor’s latest idea of investing $50 million of ratepayer money in the Carrara redevelopment, which would require a northern stand increasing capacity to 32,000 fans.
Mr Tate has intervened after the government had announced it would spend $50m to turn the RNA showgrounds into a 20,000-seat AFL and cricket venue to replace the Gabba during the fours years it will take to build the new Olympic stadium.
When Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner ruling out committing any funds, he saw a political door opening with Carrara a potential better financial alternative.
Mr Tate said key to the deal was the transfer of the stadium ownership to the council.
“The deal is they transfer ownership. It was our land, anyway. The facility will require upgrade to world standard,” he said.
“I want to keep the facility top notch. So I don’t want it to run down. Not much I can do about it (at the moment), it’s not our asset. The key issue is transfer the asset.
“It’s bleeding money every year. Because they’re not sweating it. I’m saying: pass the asset over, I’ll turn it around.”
Cr Owen-Jones said: “I’ve got no problems supporting an idea that is financially responsible for our ratepayers. Good ideas survive.
“Rather than negotiate this one in the press, I would be far more supportive of the Mayor calling a Special Full Council meeting to formalise a proposal put to the State.
“Let’s put some flesh on the bones – if it makes sense, and we want to be successful in negotiating an outcome, let us be bold and allocate funding to a proposal.”
Cr Tate responded, saying he would not call a council meeting until the new year, after he has a chance to discuss the proposal with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
“Absolutely I intend to,” he said.
“What these councillors have to understand is that the first cab off the rank is the premier of our state and that’s who I will be talking to first.
‘If the Premier says they is merit in it and decides to fund the whole thing then what role does council have to come in and talk about it.
“Let’s see the landscape of the deal first before we take it to council.
“If we call an emergency meeting, what are we going to talk about? I have a dream, you have a dream, it’s not real.”
‘Best idea ever’: What AFL team says about $50m stadium plan
The plan to have an expanded Carrara Stadium play host to the Brisbane Lions and cricket tests during the Gabba upgrade has gained pace with The Suns on board.
An exclusive Bulletin report revealed Mayor Tom Tate wants the state government to sign over control of Heritage Bank Stadium at Carrara to the council and nominate it as the temporary home of the AFL’s Lions and for major cricket matches.
The government has announced it would spend $50m to turn RNA showgrounds into a 20,000 seat AFL and cricket venue to replace the Gabba during the fours years it will take to build the new Olympic stadium.
But Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner responded immediately, ruling out committing any funds – which has opened the door for Carrara as a potential better financial alternative.
Mr Tate on Tuesday said it was among “the best ideas I’ve ever had”.
Mayor Tate on Monday told the Bulletin of his plans, and 24 hours later after talks, City sources said Gold Coast’s AFL franchise the Suns supported the move.
“How could the Suns not want an extra 6000 seats regardless of whether the State or the council are paying for it,” a City source said.
“The Suns will be soon hosting home finals. That’s extra tickets that can be sold which mean an extra million dollars.”
City sources believe the AFL is warming to the move if a temporary home cannot be found for the Lions in Brisbane during the Gabba redevelopment.
Mr Tate said his proposal would see the northern end of Carrara “permanently closed in” ensuring capacity reached 32,000.
“Which means not just sporting games, it will open up other activities like boxing on the ground. Quite easily 50,000 can be there. It makes sense,” he said.
“Why spend $150 million on Royal Showgrounds for temporary when spend $50 million here for permanency.
“It’s a good plan B. What happens if the Gabba runs into a bit of problems. Then we have this capacity to have the opening and closing ceremony for the Olympics. It’s logical to do it.”
Sources within the Suns organisation said the team was keen to welcome the Brisbane Lions and Heat teams to their stadium.
“It makes plenty of sense and it remains a real option right now,” the source said.
“However the Lions would be concerned because their crowds would have to travel down here but the benefit of Carrara is that there is an existing facility which is in place and is ready.”
But Mr Tate said the key to the deal was transfer stadium ownership to the council.
“The deal is they transfer ownership. It was our land, anyway. The facility will require upgrade to world standard,” he said.
“I want to keep the facility top notch. So I don’t want it to run down. Not much I can do about it (at the moment), it’s not our asset. The key issue is transfer the asset.
“It’s bleeding money every year. Because they’re not sweating it. I’m saying, pass the asset over, I’ll turn it around.”
TUESDAY: ‘It’s beautiful’: Tate’s $50m solution to state’s stadium battle
Mayor Tom Tate wants the state government to sign over control of Carrara Stadium to the Gold Coast City Council and nominate it as the temporary home of the Brisbane Lions and cricket tests.
In a spectacular intervention into the growing rift between the state and Brisbane City Council over the controversial RNA Showgrounds redevelopment, Mr Tate has told both sides to look to the Gold Coast for a solution.
Mr Tate says the council would spend $50m to upgrade and expand Heritage Bank Stadium and create an extra 6000 seats if the state signed over control.
“What we have there (at Carrara) is a beautiful asset and my attitude is this: to accommodate all the requirements as they knock down the Gabba, they should do a deal with us, transfer ownership of Heritage Bank Stadium,” he said.
“We will spend $50 million closing it off which will attain another 6000 seats, that will take us up to around 40,000. And then that’s a great plan B in case something happens with the Gabba, we can run everything from there (Carrara). It’s a good safety net.
“In the interim we can do all the cricket there, and we can do a lot of additional AFL there, that’s a good size.”
The state government last week announce it would spend $50m to turn RNA showgrounds into a 20,000 seat AFL and cricket venue to replace the Gabba during the four-year period it will be redeveloped for the Olympic Games.
However, the proposal sparked a furious reaction from Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner who ruled out committing any funds the project.
“While we may consider a small contribution, what’s currently proposed is a blatant attempt to rip off ratepayers to help cover their Gabba blowout,” he said.
“It was the state’s decision to tear down the Gabba so it’s the state’s responsibility to find the Lions and Heat a home.”
Mr Schrinner withdrew support for the Gabba redevelopment and resigned from the Brisbane 2032 Games delivery forum.
Mr Tate cautioned the state against “wasting” money on upgrading the RNA Showgrounds.
“We will do it over here,” he said.
“They will have to transfer the asset. We’re not spending money on somebody else’s thing, we build it, we will do the cricket and the AFL, we will get so many concerts coming. The Suns will be upgraded right throughout the precinct. The state doesn’t have to put a cent in.”
The Gabba redevelopment is expected to occur between 2026 and 2030, in time for the Games to be held in July 2032.
This would mean up to five AFL seasons without the Lions’ home ground available.
Lions CEO Greg Swann in June confirmed the Gold Coast was a strong contender to be the team’s new home once the Gabba redevelopment begins.
“The Brisbane Lions continue to work with the state government to work through the viability of the four venue options; Brighton Homes Arena (in Springfield), Heritage Bank Stadium (Gold Coast), QSAC (in Nathan) and the RNA Showgrounds (in central Brisbane) while the Gabba is offline so we can settle on the option that provides the optimum outcome across all our stakeholders,” he said at the time.
Likewise, cricket’s Ashes series will be held in Australia during the 2025-26 summer and again in 2029-30, potentially allowing the Gold Coast to host up to 10 days of the international first-class cricket at Carrara.
The stadium already hosts T20 Big Bash games during the summer.
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