Ballymore Redevelopment

[drewprint]

Interesting article here about further funding needed for the development to be up to Olympic hockey requirements, but also that the Roar are in negotiations to shift to Ballymore for the next A League season. I’d love to see this happen.

Less is Ballymore: Capacity to be capped at 8000, short of Olympic needs

Another Games venue could end up costing more than anticipated, with revelations Brisbane 2032’s hockey ground needs more work than previously thought.

www.brisbanetimes.com.au

 

[Cymru]

Interesting article here about further funding needed for the development to be up to Olympic hockey requirements, but also that the Roar are in negotiations to shift to Ballymore for the next A League season. I’d love to see this happen.

Less is Ballymore: Capacity to be capped at 8000, short of Olympic needs

Another Games venue could end up costing more than anticipated, with revelations Brisbane 2032’s hockey ground needs more work than previously thought.

www.brisbanetimes.com.au

Roar have told fans - all women's games at Ballymore next year, about three/four mens games. Pitching them as family fun games.
I suppose we can assume they'll come full time once the new lights are up.

From Facebook:

Roar Supporters Federation​

·
The Den, The Roar Corp and The RSF Committee met with Chris Fong and Brisbane Roar last night for an update on the club.
Report from President Neil Ballment covering some news to come out of meeting.
1) Games will be back in Brisbane next season (contracts to be next few days) most games at Suncorp and some at Ballymore - Ballymore has one new grandstand another to be demolished and rebuilt and there will continue to be a Hill. Anticipated Ballymore will be heavily promoted as family fun days.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

As long as they pay their bill this time good news for QRU to get some extra $$$ in.

 

[Adam84]

Roar fans are surprisingly warm to the idea also. I’d half expected an uproar that Perry Park wasn’t selected as a certain BrisbaneTimes reporter would have you believe, but most seem content with the idea

 

[Cymru]

Roar fans are surprisingly warm to the idea also. I’d half expected an uproar that Perry Park wasn’t selected as a certain BrisbaneTimes reporter would have you believe, but most seem content with the idea

Looking forward to watching Dick Marks spontaneously combust.

 

[Adam84]

Brisbane Roar set to make Ballymore announcement tomorrow

 

[Wilson]

Brisbane Roar women's side to play all their home games out of Ballymore for the 23/24 season:

Hockey moves to 'protect its legacy' as Ballymore declares itself home of women's sport ahead of Brisbane 2032

Ballymore pitching itself as the "home of women's sport" ahead of Brisbane 2032, but Hockey Australia wants its own venue.

www.abc.net.au

It looks like the men's side will be playing a few games there too but it's not clear how many. Possibly waiting for the Eastern stand to be replaced/restored before coming over more permanently.

 

[SouthernX]

the reds better open the new stadium before the soccer crew ruin our pitch with some type of ceremonial fixture….

 

[Adam84]

Roar aiming to make it their own
Making it a multi-sport facility is absolutely the way forward

 

[Wilson]

Yeah, the home of women's sport (not just rugby) in Australia is an excellent branding strategy from the QRU, particularly with regard to keeping the government funding flowing. Bringing the roar in should really help secure that next stage funding for the eastern stand well in advance of the Olympics and ideally the home women's rugby world cup.

 

[liquor box]

Brisbane Roar women's side to play all their home games out of Ballymore for the 23/24 season:

Hockey moves to 'protect its legacy' as Ballymore declares itself home of women's sport ahead of Brisbane 2032

Ballymore pitching itself as the "home of women's sport" ahead of Brisbane 2032, but Hockey Australia wants its own venue.

www.abc.net.au

It looks like the men's side will be playing a few games there too but it's not clear how many. Possibly waiting for the Eastern stand to be replaced/restored before coming over more permanently.

The new 'McLean Stand' at the stadium would soon be completed as part of the first stage that, once completely redeveloped, will result in a "boutique" stadium with a capacity of up to 15,000, the Roar said in a statement.

Is a 15000 sell out at Ballymore a better spectacle than 16000 at Suncorp?

I wonder if poor drawing games for the Reds will be moved?

 

[Rusted]

Is a 15000 sell out at Ballymore a better spectacle than 16000 at Suncorp?

I wonder if poor drawing games for the Reds will be moved?

I think the smaller grounds concept you see in English Premier football proves a packed out ground, regardless of numbers, beats an empty cavernous stadium any day. I believe the Reds should bite the bullet and move back to Ballymore and rebuild their supporter base. Would look good for TV too. Reds can always use Suncorp for bigger games such as finals. Personally I have found going to Suncorp lately or watching on TV very depressing compared to seeing crowds supporting the other codes.

 

[drewprint]

I'd love to see it. Even start with a single Back to Ballymore round or something similar. It'd be a hot ticket.

 

[LeCheese]

I'd love to see it. Even start with a single Back to Ballymore round or something similar. It'd be a hot ticket.

Wasn't there a "Back to Ballymore" round in the late '00s? I'm pretty sure I had a t-shirt from it...

 

[PhilClinton]

I'd love to see it. Even start with a single Back to Ballymore round or something similar. It'd be a hot ticket.

I think a few games in the next season back at Ballymore would be a good start to feel it out.

But does retreating from Suncorp come off as a symbolic death kneel for rugby in Brisbane? I'm really torn about this because I have fond memories of Ballymore and the atmosphere, and I can't wait until the QPR finals are hosted there again.

But rugby wants to 'play with the big boys' still and there is a reason why Suncorp Stadium and the Caxton precinct is so coveted.

I think a lot of fans will quickly fall out of love with the Ballymore game day experience. The renovation looks great, but it doesn't change the fact there are limited public transport options in the area and absolutely zero pre/post game spots within close walking distance. It would be a killer for corporates looking for an easy way to entertain some clients. Nothing worse than waiting for an Uber/Taxi after a sports game to keep the vibe going.

 

[Wilson]

I think a few games in the next season back at Ballymore would be a good start to feel it out.

But does retreating from Suncorp come off as a symbolic death kneel for rugby in Brisbane? I'm really torn about this because I have fond memories of Ballymore and the atmosphere, and I can't wait until the QPR finals are hosted there again.

But rugby wants to 'play with the big boys' still and there is a reason why Suncorp Stadium and the Caxton precinct is so coveted.

I think a lot of fans will quickly fall out of love with the Ballymore game day experience. The renovation looks great, but it doesn't change the fact there are limited public transport options in the area and absolutely zero pre/post game spots within close walking distance. It would be a killer for corporates looking for an easy way to entertain some clients. Nothing worse than waiting for an Uber/Taxi after a sports game to keep the vibe going.

I don't think there's anyway a super game goes back to Ballymore before the Eastern stand is redone and I can't see how that would be ready by next season. The loss of corporate dollars alongside a crowd capped thousands below our smallest of this year is unlikely to present enough money to make it worthwhile.

I do think we'll see non-super rugby Reds games played there to an increasing degree though - e.g. trial matches and visiting sides like Saitama later this year (and hopefully others in time). Once that Eastern stand is repaired or rebuilt and the capacity is pushing 15k, it's much more likely we see a game or two of super there. Hopefully at that stage public transport links will be improving in the lead up to the olympics.

 

[RugbyReg]

Wasn't there a "Back to Ballymore" round in the late '00s? I'm pretty sure I had a t-shirt from it...

2010? Reds v Blues when Suncorp was unavailable for a soccer game? Pissed down all night which really put a dampener on the occasion.

 

[Ignoto]

2010? Reds v Blues when Suncorp was unavailable for a soccer game? Pissed down all night which really put a dampener on the occasion.

Half the bars being closed didn't help either!!

 

[PhilClinton]

I do think we'll see non-super rugby Reds games played there to an increasing degree though - e.g. trial matches and visiting sides like Saitama later this year (and hopefully others in time). Once that Eastern stand is repaired or rebuilt and the capacity is pushing 15k, it's much more likely we see a game or two of super there. Hopefully at that stage public transport links will be improving in the lead up to the olympics.

I'm not across zoning restrictions in the area in much depth, but whats the likelihood of there being some type of closer entertainment precinct being built? Is there precedent in Australia for large global events to trigger a significant change in residential zoning?

The public transport aspect is one piece, but I feel like losing the proximity to Caxton St and what will soon be the new entertainment precinct as part of the Cross River Rail redevelopment would be too big of a leap.

 

[Wilson]

I'm not across zoning restrictions in the area in much depth, but whats the likelihood of there being some type of closer entertainment precinct being built? Is there precedent in Australia for large global events to trigger a significant change in residential zoning?

The public transport aspect is one piece, but I feel like losing the proximity to Caxton St and what will soon be the new entertainment precinct as part of the Cross River Rail redevelopment would be too big of a leap.

So there is a precinct planned for Exhibition station that will follow on from it's opening as a permanent stop as part of cross river rail. That's about the same distance walk to/from Ballymore as Wilston is now, though with a better placed footbridge Wilston station would be a significantly shorter walk. Good bus links through to Exhibition will be a key to utilising it, but ideally there will also be pedestrian upgrades, particularly for the stretch closer to the station.

Possibly more could go in near to Wilston station, though that would likely be restaurants over bars as far as an entertainment precinct is concerned. There is a pretty strong argument for increased decent in around Wilston and Windsor though, so it's not wild to think that could change over the next decade.