Stadiums deal costs Titans a star: Kelly

GOLD Coast saviour Darryl Kelly has warned the Titans will miss out on the chance to sign a quality player and develop juniors if the club does not secure a $500,000 stadium discount.

The Titans have been feuding with Stadiums Queensland for more than three years over the exorbitant costs to hire the Robina venue.

The club pays $1.3 million annually – about $110,000-agame – to play at the 27,500seat stadium.

Kelly, a long-time financial backer, bought the club again last year in partnership with former chair Rebecca Frizelle.

“Our aim has always been to stay at Cbus but we also aim to have a successful team on the Gold Coast and we can’t do it while we’re paying $500,000 a year more than what we should be paying,” he said.

“That is robbing us of the chance to have another good footballer in our NRL squad, or money to expand our junior development programs.”

Frizelle said the Titans were dealing with a governmentimposed salary cap via Stadium Queensland.

“Because of this deal, we are effectively playing one man down,” she said. “And that one man is an Australian representative player.

“Rather than tipping further funds into government revenue, it is our preference to invest this money in junior rugby league across the Gold Coast and northern NSW. We need to invest in our kids.

“The challenge we face is simple. If you rent a house and you know the landlord is charging you double what you should be paying, you leave or negotiate a different tenancy agreement.”