Kardinia Park Stadium Trust investigates GMHBA Stadium’s maximum capacity

Works are currently going on at GMHBA Stadium to identify its max capacity in a bid to make it a go-to venue for big name music acts.

American rock band Foo Fighters perform at GMHBA Stadium in March, 2022. Picture: Brett Schewitz / Frontier Touring

The managers of GMHBA Stadium are currently identifying the ground’s maximum capacity for major concerts in a bid to become a go-to venue for visiting, big name acts.

The Kardinia Park Stadium Trust is currently undertaking works to make the venue “concert-ready” when big promoters came calling.

It would allow the trust to provide specific details for promoters, including the maximum capacity for the venue.

This masthead understands the figure is somewhere between 45,000 and 48,000 in “concert mode”, with the bigger the number, the bigger chance of landing a major act.

The ground has a reported capacity of 40,000 for sporting events.

However, a maximum in the 40,000s would put it roughly in the same ballpark as the Adelaide Oval, which has routinely hosted big names such as Ed Sheeran (60,000), Adele (70,000), AC/DC (41,569 and 50,000) and Queen (42,484).

The Foo Fighters played at Kardinia Park back in March, 2022, for an exclusive, one-off gig and was the first full capacity stadium show by any international music artist since the pandemic hit, with about 33,000 in attendance.

Dave Grohl performers to around 33,000 at GMHBA Stadium in March, 2022. Picture: Rick Clifford / Frontier Touring

Kardinia Park Stadium Trust chief executive Gerard Griffin said it was committed to ensuring the ground continued to offer diverse content

“As part of this, we are currently undertaking work to inform the stadium’s capacity in different event modes, which is key to our development and ensuring we can continue to pitch to promoters for future events for Geelong,” Griffin said.

“No numbers have been confirmed at this point.”

Trust chair John Eren said he was determined to see the stadium and the wider park be the best it can be.

“We want to ensure that we get the best content and that Kardinia Park stadium continues to be used for a multitude of diverse community and professional sporting and entertainment events,” Eren said.

“To do that, we need a collegiate understanding broadly from all key stakeholders.

“(The trust) continues to engage in discussions to ensure Kardinia Park stadium is the best it can be, and it remains Australia’s best regional sports and entertainment venue.”

Kardinia Park masterplan ‘scrapped’

The management of Geelong’s premier sporting precinct could change hands, with the local council open to future discussions.

Amid reports the council’s masterplan in its current format for the site has been “scrapped”, following a meeting with stakeholders last week, this masthead understands the approach towards attaining a blueprint had shifted.

“There are too many competing interests,” one stakeholder told this masthead, who had seen multiple plans for the site over numerous decades.

This masthead understands the two main ovals outside the stadium will be the main focus moving forward while the Geelong Central Netball Association had been told that no courts would be moved.

It was revealed last year, under a draft proposal, just four courts would be left.

The City of Greater Geelong currently maintains and manages almost three quarters of the park, which is Crown land, including its aquatic centre.

Kardinia Park stakeholders met at a special meeting last week. Picture: Alan Barber

Meanwhile, Kardinia Park Stadium Trust oversees GMHBA Stadium, the new Barwon Regional Cricket Centre, the plaza areas and the car park at the southern of the stadium.

However, this masthead understands the trust was approached by senior council management recently, indicating their desire to discuss a potential handover of responsibility.

It comes as a council-managed masterplan for Kardinia Park was put on ice in mid-August last year ago with a local election looming in October.

The masterplan has been billed as a key document, aiming to set the vision and direction for the park, spanning more than 22 hectares, over the next 30 years.

The park is currently home to the Geelong Football Umpires League, St Mary’s Football Club – which has plans to realign the oval’s dimensions – Geelong Cricket Club and the Kardinia Senior Citizens Centre.

New Kardinia Park Stadium Trust chair John Eren with Geelong MP Richard Marles: Mark Wilson

Several stakeholders at the park have expressed their concerns with the council’s draft plan with this masthead, revealing just four netball courts could be left at the site under a proposed blueprint.

A boutique sports stadium, which could cater for AFLW and VFL games for up to 8000 fans, has also been proposed for the site while a basketball stadium had been pitched during meetings.

The Geelong Football Club has plans to build an underground car park and indoor training centre in an existing car park.

Trust chief executive Gerard Griffin said Kardinia Park was the country’s premier regional sports and entertainment venue and it would ensure a collaborative approach to the site’s future.

“It is important that any future planning for the stadium balances the needs of many stakeholders, including the City of Greater Geelong, Geelong Football Club, event promoters and the community, and we continue to work collaboratively with these groups to understand their needs,” Griffin said.

This masthead revealed the Cats’ plans for a MCG-sized alternative training ground and indoor centre at Kardinia Park in 2014, while the council flagged its “new masterplan” for the entire site.

Kardinia Park was first proclaimed as a public park in 1872.

The City of Greater Geelong was contacted for comment.

Originally published as Kardinia Park Stadium Trust investigates GMHBA Stadium’s maximum capacity