Gold Coast Arena

Gold Coast Arena
Public transitG:link - Nerang Street
G:link - Queen Street
Capacity10,000[2]
Construction
Construction costA$60 million[1]

Gold Coast Arena is a planned multipurpose arena with a retractable roof located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.[3]

History

[edit]

In April 2015 it emerged that stadium hiring costs at Robina Stadium were not viable long-term for the Gold Coast Titans and local media outlets began pressuring Stadiums Queensland to alter the existing contract.[4] The Titans had investigated the possibility of moving games to the Gold Coast Suns' home ground but were quickly made aware that Carrara Stadium was also owned by Stadiums Queensland and would incur a similar hiring fee. It was also revealed that Cricket Australia's plan to host Big Bash League games on the Gold Coast was contingent on a new stadium deal being struck between the Suns and Stadiums Queensland.[5] After a two-year standoff and without a suitable alternative to leverage Stadiums Queensland into cutting a more equitable deal, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate expressed disappointment in Stadiums Queensland's unwillingness to amend stadium hiring costs for both the Suns and Titans while also putting forward the concept of a council-owned boutique venue.[6][7] Despite successful renegotiations between the Suns, Titans and Stadiums Queensland in mid-2018, a boutique entertainment venue remained on the agenda for Gold Coast city leaders.[8]

In October 2018 it was revealed that the Gold Coast Council had earmarked the historic CBD site of Owen Park as the front runner to be converted into an entertainment venue.[9] In early 2019, the region of South East Queensland emerged as a contender to host the 2032 Olympic Games[10] and that new and existing venues on the Gold Coast were required for the bid to be successful.[11] City Mayor Tom Tate announced the establishment of the Gold Coast Music Advisory Group in September 2019 and committed to a 50/50 funding split with the Queensland Government for the $60 million entertainment venue.[12] A week later, international promoters TEG and Live Nation expressed willingness to work with local and state governments to make the venue a reality.[13][14] Local media outlets also suggested AEG Ogden were interested in managing the venue and Chairman Harvey Lister threw his weight behind the concept of a 10,000 seat entertainment venue on the Gold Coast.[15] In December 2019 it was revealed that Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones had met with Live Nation several times about their plans to scope out a location for a new music venue on the Gold Coast.[16]

On 8 April 2019 TEG Dainty CEO, Paul Dainty, announced that Queen would perform at Carrara Stadium as a part of their 2020 Rhapsody Tour and revealed that it was the first time that an international touring act would perform in Brisbane and the Gold Coast on the same leg of their respective tour to test whether it was profitable to schedule dates in both cities on the one tour.[17] Both concerts would pull over 40,000 attendees and the two-city touring model was deemed a success,[18][19] with Dainty stating that his company would look to schedule future touring acts to include dates in both Brisbane and the Gold Coast.[20] In March 2020 Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate outlined the construction of a Gold Coast indoor arena as a priority for the city in the lead up to the local Gold Coast City Council elections.[21] In April 2020 Tate was returned as Mayor of the Gold Coast and reaffirmed his support for the entertainment venue project.[22]

Tom Tate revealed in October 2020 that he was going to present a project report to other Gold Coast councillors later that month which would detail proposed sites for the 8000-12,000 seat planned venue and that the project was still "very much on the agenda" for the city but had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[23]

Current plans

[edit]

In 2018 it was revealed that the historic CBD site of Owen Park was considered the front runner site for the construction of the entertainment venue.[24] A depot in Miami has also been suggested as a potential site for the venue but is considered unlikely due to a lack of reliable public transport access.[25] Current plans for the venue to include a retractable roof comparable to Melbourne Arena were revealed in December 2019 and Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate believed the project should be completed within a two-year period (2022).[26]

Planned events

[edit]

It has been mooted that the arena will be a convertible facility capable of hosting live musical concerts, large scale stand up comedy, car shows, Esports events as well as smaller scale professional sports. It has been suggested that Gold Coast United may be readmitted into the A-League and base themselves at the more suitably-sized arena with rental costs akin to their respective expenses.[27] The Gold Coast Titans and Gold Coast Rugby have also indicated their interest in hosting smaller scale games at the arena.[28] In addition, the facility opens the door for a National Basketball League return for the city as well as the establishment of a professional netball team in the Suncorp Super Netball League.

Transport access

[edit]

The prospective CBD site is serviced by two light rail stations,[29] Nerang Street to the east (500 metres away) and Queen Street to the west (800 metres away), which connects to the Queensland Rail City network allowing passengers to travel to the Brisbane CBD. The site is also serviced by bus stations in the same locations as well as stops in the north on Johnston Street and Nerang Street to the south.

Public transport access
Service Station/stop Line/route Walking distance from Arena
G:link Nerang Street
Queen Street
Zone 5
Zone 5
500 m
800 m
Kinetic Group Queen Street Village
West End Shops
Queen Street Interchange
Johnston Street
700
735
700
715
400 m
400 m
800 m
900 m

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Gold Coast music: plan for boutique arena revealed". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  2. ^ "AEG Ogden backs plans for new music arena on the Gold Coast". CIM Business Events. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Mayor Tate hints at possible sites for Gold Coast's music arena". myGC.com.au. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Gold Coast Titans in standoff with Queensland government over CBUS Super Stadium hiring costs". The Courier Mail. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Gold Coast Suns' Metricon Stadium rescue deal with Cricket Australia in jeopardy". The Courier Mail. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate backs plan to build a boutique stadium for NRL, AFL and A-League". Gold Coast Bulletin. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Sporting clubs have back Mayor Tom Tate's bid for a new boutique stadium on the Gold Coast". Gold Coast Bulletin. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Why boutique venue should still go ahead on the Gold Coast". Gold Coast Bulletin. 10 June 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  9. ^ "The historic and much loved Owen Park is the front runner to transformed into a boutique venue". Gold Coast Bulletin. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Brisbane could host the 2032 Olympics". Nova FM. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  11. ^ "South-East Queensland 2032 Olympic bid needs Gold Coast support says AOC president John Coates". ABC News. 31 July 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Music buffs wanted for city's new 'Music Advisory Group'". myGC.com.au. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  13. ^ "TEG and Live Nation put up hand to help get the Gold Coast a dedicated music hub". myGC.com.au. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Live Nation's Roger Field considers potential of new Gold Coast Entertainment Arena". Australian Leisure Management. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  15. ^ "Harvey Lister open to partnership to build new Gold Coast entertainment arena". Australian Leisure Management. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Plans for 10,000 capacity Gold Coast Arena move forward". Australian Leisure Management. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Queen is coming to Metricon Stadium". Metricon Stadium. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  18. ^ "No thunderbolts and lightning, but plenty of rain as Queen rocks Brisbane". Brisbane Times. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Gold Coast's QUEEN concert deemed a $7M success". myGC.com.au. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  20. ^ "Does Queen's show at Metricon Stadium start a new era for Gold Coast concerts?". The Industry Observer. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Gold Coast music: Plan for boutique stadium revealed". Gold Coast Bulletin. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  22. ^ "Tom Tate claims victory after securing third term as Gold Coast Mayor". myGC.com.au. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  23. ^ "Gold Coast boutique stadium: Council set to consider first report on stadium locations". Gold Coast Bulletin. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  24. ^ "The historic and much loved Owen Park is the front runner to transformed into a boutique venue". Gold Coast Bulletin. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  25. ^ "Plans unveiled for proposed boutique stadium on Gold Coast". myGC.com.au. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  26. ^ "Retractable roof venue planned for Gold Coast". Gold Coast Bulletin. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  27. ^ "A-League hopefuls awaiting plans for further expansion, national second division and promotion-relegation". Herald Sun. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  28. ^ "What a boutique stadium would mean for Gold Coast rugby league and union". Gold Coast Bulletin. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  29. ^ "The historic and much loved Owen Park is the front runner to be transformed into a boutique arena". Gold Coast Bulletin. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2020.