Test star says Queensland Cricket will lose $45 million in Gabba rebuild

Queensland Cricket will be “out of pocket” by $45 million when it leaves the Gabba for four years to be redeveloped for the 2032 Games, Test opener Usman Khawaja says.

“Talking to Terry Svenson, CEO of Queensland Cricket recently, it’s about $45 million we’ll be out of pocket over the four years,” Khawaja said on Monday.

Usman Khawaja says Queensland Cricket will lose $45 million in revenue from not being able to play at the Gabba.Credit: Getty

“To be honest if that’s the case, then I don’t know what’s going to happen – the cricket will be broke in three, four years time.”

A Queensland Cricket spokesman said Khawaja was speaking as a member of Queensland Cricket, but not for Queensland Cricket.

The state cricketing body and the AFL are expected to release statements about the state government’s RNA funding offer on Tuesday.

The Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat captain said sport was the backbone of Queensland.

He said covering Queensland Cricket’s $45 million loss should be the state government’s priority and “tough conversations” had to be held immediately.

“Queensland Cricket is absolutely going to struggle. People will potentially lose their jobs. There’s lots of consequences from this. If we don’t get help from the government we will lose $45 million.”

Tourism and Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe is on a week-long trade mission.

Discussions were continuing this week with stakeholders over the state government’s funding proposal, a departmental spokesman said.

The Queensland government on Friday announced the RNA Showgrounds would become a temporary stadium for cricket and AFL while the Gabba was redeveloped for the 2032 Games.

In better times as “a team player”, lord mayor Adrian Schrinner with Annastacia Palaszczuk.Credit: Fairfax Media

However, the funding bombshell was that the Queensland government would fund $47.5 million of the planned $137.5 million redevelopment of the RNA main arena, on land owned by the RNA.

The Queensland government expects the rest of the money to come from cricket, AFL, the RNA and Brisbane City Council.

On Sunday, Brisbane’s lord mayor Adrian Schrinner resigned from a key Games’ 2032 planning body, set up by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, saying it was “dysfunctional” and confidential information was regularly leaked.

This body was set up in March this year when consultant group Deloitte advised against an independent Games 2032 co-ordination agency, in favour of a body within government.

On Monday, Palaszczuk rang and invited Schrinner to a meeting over his concerns.

Khawaja said he supported the Gabba being upgraded.

“I love the idea of the Gabba being redone – I think it needs to [be done]. The Olympics are coming – how good – so I’m all for that.”

Khawaja said Queensland Cricket was “rightly concerned” about the loss of revenue and said a “handshake agreement” existed between the government and Queensland Cricket to cover costs.

“From what I know of, there was a handshake agreement that the state government would help with the cost that Queensland Cricket would incur and will incur not playing Big Bash cricket here, a lot of revenue from Test Matches here that we won’t get,” he said.

Khawaja said the association would prefer cricket be played at a revamped “spiritual home” of Allan Border Field with 10,000 seats and not at the RNA.

“We wouldn’t have any ownership of the RNA grounds, we would have nothing with the showgrounds at all,” he said.

“I think they were asking us and Brisbane Lions to put about $100 million into that, and you don’t even own the complex.

“It’s like renting a home for a $100 million and not actually owning the home.”

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