Southport Sharks unveil master plan for boutique stadium

The Southport Sharks have unveiled the next stages of their master plan, which features the development of a boutique stadium catering for up to 10,000 fans.

Located at the club’s Fankhauser Reserve base, the stadium would provide an important piece of community infrastructure, designed to respond to the growing needs of the Gold Coast.

Southport Sharks CEO, Dean Bowtell, said “We are excited to be progressing with the next stages of our master plan following calls for a boutique stadium across the Gold Coast for a number of years.”

“Our detailed planning and investigations have confirmed that Southport Sharks is the best location in the city for this important piece of community infrastructure and that, at 8,000 – 10,000 people, we can deliver a fantastic experience in a venue that is the right size for the city”.

In October, three Gold Coast sites, including Southport, were flagged as potential locations for a future boutique stadium by Mayor Tom Tate.

The venue will be the home of the Southport Sharks senior football teams in both the VFL and QAFLW competitions and would also likely continue to host occasional AFL pre-season matches.

Plans also include purpose-built facilities for female sport, live outdoor music and events and additional community recreational facilities with an aquatic centre, outdoor basketball and netball courts and capacity to accommodate rectangular field sports such as soccer.

“We see an important role for Southport Sharks in making the Gold Coast the capital of women’s sport in Australia, and we are excited by just how much the right venue in the right location will assist as our city works towards that goal,” said Mr Bowtell.

The boutique stadium has been designed by Urbis to provide a distinctive event day experience and integrate the adjoining Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, and Smith Collective Village.

The location and design of the stadium capitalises on the central location of the club, existing transport infrastructure and the legacy of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. It will be easily accessible by two existing light rail stations, an existing bus network, and a range of other transport modes.

Southport Sharks are also working with project partners towards being Australia’s first green stadium by incorporating bioenergy infrastructure and a range of smart stadium technology.

In addition to the stadium, the Southport Sharks’ master plan creates opportunities for the precinct to accommodate additional residential development including build-to-rent, retirement living and affordable housing opportunities. It also proposes new facilities to support business, events and broadcasting as a leading sports tech sector.

“In the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are very focussed on the opportunity for Southport Sharks to be a cornerstone of Queensland’s emerging sports tech sector.” Mr Bowtell said.

“We will keep building on our assets and the capabilities of our team, both on and off the field, to partner with other organisations in areas like athlete management, data analytics, wearables, fan engagement, stadium experience, esports and media, to position the precinct as the leading centre for sports tech in Queensland.”