Gold Coast Suns’ Metricon Stadium rescue deal with Cricket Australia in jeopardy
STADIUMS Queensland is under fresh attack following revelations the Gold Coast Suns’ year-long negotiations with Cricket Australia to host matches could collapse due to exorbitant venue-hiring fees.
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STADIUMS Queensland is under fresh attack following revelations the Gold Coast Suns’ year-long negotiations with Cricket Australia to host matches could collapse due to exorbitant venue-hiring fees.
A Sunday Mail investigation has revealed the AFL club’s hopes of securing a financial lifeline by hosting Big Bash and international Twenty20 fixtures are hanging by a thread as CA baulks at hiring fees for Metricon Stadium.
CA has identified Metricon as the ideal regional venue for elite cricket, but fears Stadiums Queensland’s hiring fees will incur debt, a scenario that would further cripple the ailing Suns.
The Sunday Ma i l can also reveal the Suns have been offered a way out of their current Metricon deal, with a new deal now under negotiation.
Queensland Sport Minister Mick de Brenni will today announce that experienced sports administrator John Lee will head up a stadiums taskforce to address the concerns of clubs livid with venue hiring fees and levies.
The taskforce will examine hiring and lease agreements brokered with Queensland venues, including possible changes to current stadium systems or designs to lower the operational pressure on police.
However no changes that lessened public safety would be approved.
Currently the CEO of Sailing Australia, Mr Lee has major event experience through his previous roles as a director of the North Queensland Cowboys and CEO of the Sydney Roosters and Rabbitohs.
“John will lead a team of infrastructure, finance and commercial experts from within government and external consultancies, and I’m looking forward to receiving his expert advice,’’ Mr de Brenni said.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has slammed Stadiums Queensland, calling on the Government to hand over management rights of the $300 million Cbus Super and Metricon Stadiums to the local city council.
“I view cricket as a major event, and like any new event, you have to be willing to negotiate and meet the market. That includes stadium leasing costs,” Cr Tate said.
“I know if we secured these cricket formats for the Gold Coast, we would lure other events. That’s how it works.
“Stadiums Queensland has been mismanaged for years. It has left our Cbus Stadium as a white elephant.
“To be honest, if Stadiums Queensland was a private business, it would have gone bankrupt years ago.”
Originally published as Gold Coast Suns’ Metricon Stadium rescue deal with Cricket Australia in jeopardy
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