New Ballymore facility winning acclaim
Ballymore’s new $31.5 million National Rugby Training Centre and integrated grandstand has transformed the iconic venue, with bigger plans to come.
Officially opened in June, the facility has allowed elite sport to return to the traditional home of Queensland Rugby, with a vision for it to be a home for all women’s rectangular sports.
The Brisbane Roar will play at least four A-League Women’s home games at Ballymore Stadium during the upcoming season, while its Men’s side will play one home game at the venue in March, with the remainder at Suncorp Stadium.
It hosted the Queensland Premier Rugby Grand Final on Sunday for the first time in three years, while the QLD Reds will play the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights at Ballymore in November.
Ballymore’s capacity is currently restricted to just 8,000 spectators – well short of the 18,000 it previously held – with the eastern grandstand no longer considered safe for use, while its lights are also believed to be out of action.
In addition to the new 3010-seat McLean Stand, spectators can access approximately 2,000 seats in the lower terrace below the eastern stan, the iconic XXXX Hill and redeveloped northern plaza.
The early success of the new McLean Stand is building a powerful case for a similar makeover of the Eastern Stand to complete the venue. A concept image was released in April when the Roar announced their plans to return to Brisbane.
Queensland Rugby Union Chief Executive David Hanham said, “the functionality and spin-offs of the new facility have exceeded our expectations and we had high expectations.
“We believe all levels of Government are supportive of another high performance centre, with seating, being built on the eastern side of the ground and the hope is it becomes the home of Australia’s successful women’s rugby sevens program.
“The National Rugby Training Centre is a world-class facility and the first base for Australia’s women’s team, the Wallaroos.
Lead contractor Buildcorp’s ability to deliver the NRTC and new McLean Stand on time and on budget is already having instant benefits for two women’s sports.
The Wallaroos will utilise their training base before the September 30 clash against New Zealand’s Black Ferns in Hamilton, and in the wake of the Matildas transforming interest in women’s football, an on-time Ballymore means no lag in providing upgraded facilities for Brisbane Roar’s A-League women’s team.
It also means their players being able to utilise women’s change rooms, the aquatic recovery centre and sauna and the new floodlit Field 3 which was prepared as a training venue during the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Another “win” is having the first new infrastructure in place for hockey in the blueprint for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
“This new facility is slated for use at the 2032 Olympics but the benefits are here now,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk enthused at the June opening.
More photos can be found in the original article on qld.rugby
