North Queensland Stadium construction past half way
Construction of Townsville’s new North Queensland Stadium has passed the halfway point, with work to start on the roof in coming weeks.
The Townsville Bulletin has reported that more than 566,649 construction hours have been completed on the 25,000-seat stadium, which is due to open in time for the 2020 NRL season.
Cranes are now towering over the construction site as the new home of the North Queensland Cowboys takes shape.
A Queensland Department of Housing and Public Works official said the project was now 56% completed. The Western grandstand, which will be home to media and player facilities similar to Bankwest Stadium, is well advanced, with major concrete slab pours now complete to Level 5.
Almost 90 per cent of the concrete has been poured on the project.
A department official said installation of cabling and ductwork for electrical and mechanical services was continuing on the stand, with the external facade and glazing work also in progress.
In total, 2200sq metres of glass will be installed for windows and doors throughout the centrally-located stadium, while two thirds of the concrete seating platforms have now been installed.
Featuring a nine-metre-wide concourse where patrons can walk the full 600-metre circumference of the stadium, a “horseshoe-shaped, cantilever roof inspired by the pandanus plant”, 29 food and beverage outlets, and 88 corporate boxes – the new $290 million venue will replace the Cowboys current home ground, 1300SMILES Stadium.
The North Queensland Stadium is a joint project of the Queensland Government, Australian Government and Townsville City Council and is supported by both the National Rugby League and the North Queensland Cowboys. The stadium forms part of the Townsville City Deal signed in December 2016.
Meanwhile, a new mobile App has been released taking fans inside the new stadium. The nqstadium App is available on the Apple App & Google Play stores.
The free app, developed by principal consultant Cox Architecture and the Department of Housing and Public Works, showcases the design through a diorama image that users can rotate on their mobile devices.
Hotspots on the image can be clicked to view artist’s impressions, 360° images and “before and after” sliders that compare 1300SMILES Stadium to the new stadium adjacent to the CBD, with voiceovers and on-screen text providing descriptions throughout the app.
