AFL and cricket to push for new stadium at Victoria Park
One Olympic stadium idea is dead but another is about to roar to life on the whims of Queensland’s new Premier. But, writes Robert Craddock, the final call could well be the most significant of David Crisafulli’s entire term at the top.
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The Brisbane Olympics’ most controversial plan is dead but Queensland’s new government now faces a massive push to build a stadium it doesn’t want.
The departing Labor government’s much derided pledge to take the Olympics to the suburbs and make the QSAC venue at Nathan – up past Petbarn and Baby Bunting if you haven’t been there – the main Stadium has died a natural death with the change of government.
But, far from settling the issue, the LNP election victory is merely the starting gun for a fresh argument of a more spirited nature with a major push looming to build a new stadium at Victoria Park.
After three years of head scratching, things are about to get serious and the final call made by new Premier David Crisafulli could well be the most significant of his entire term at the top even though it will come in his first few months in the job.
The Brisbane Lions and Queensland cricket officials are in unison that Queensland needs a freshly built super stadium or face the bewildering prospect of being left behind in the interstate stadium wars even though the city is hosting the Olympics.
Crisafulli, who on Sunday confirmed his long promised 100-day review into the stadium issue, has ruled out QSAC and said previously he would not support a new stadium.
This leaves a renovated Gabba as the most likely call but neither cricket nor the AFL, who currently call the Gabba home, want this option with Test cricket legend Allan Border speaking out recently and calling for the Gabba to be knocked down.
The two sports strongly favour a new stadium at Victoria Park and organisers of the 100-day review are likely to get strong feedback saying as much.
The premiership winning Lions are costing themselves fans at the Gabba where most home games are sold out.
They crave a bigger venue and would wallow in a 60,000 seat stadium at Victoria Park.
Cricket officials are worried the Gabba has slipped to being the number five Test venue in Australia and in order to become a serious rival to fabulous stadiums in Adelaide and Perth, Brisbane needs a new venue.
Two separate investigations have branded the Gabba a stadium in decay with a limited lifespan that would make it unsuitable to host major sporting events by the time of the Olympics.
This leaves the Queensland government in a tricky spot because no matter what the Gabba’s long term fate it is likely to host cricket at the Olympics.
Even to do that the venue would require some fresh renovation but how much lipstick do you put on a pig?
Olympic great Raelene Boyle, who supports the Victoria Park project, said recently that Brisbane was starting to look “stupid’’ in the eyes of the world because of its stadium stutters.
The success or failure of the Olympics will define Brisbane’s reputation forever in the eyes of the world. If the stadium call fails, so does the Games.
Originally published as AFL and cricket to push for new stadium at Victoria Park
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