A whole new ball game
Multiple ideas kicked around for 1300SMILES Stadium site
A NEW school, an expansion of Brothers Leagues Club and redevelopment for housing could all be part of the future use of 1300SMILES Stadium and its surrounding land.
The Bulletin asked major stakeholders, including owner Stadiums Queensland, what was to become of the 16.8ha site when the last NRL game was played in September next year. Stadiums Queensland, a government entity, said it was working with state agencies to consider future uses and would likely dispose of the site.
“With the completion of the North Queensland Stadium ahead of the 2020 NRL season, the 1300SMILES Stadium site will no longer be required to hold major events,” a Stadium Queensland spokesman said.
“Once the new stadium is operational, the existing stadium site can begin to be decommissioned and transitioned into other uses. It is anticipated this process could take several years.”
The spokesman said the site’s future use would depend partly on whether the North Queensland Cowboys required it for a training and administration facility.
A Cowboys spokesman could not be contacted for comment but football boss Peter Parr last month indicat- ed their vision was for a highperformance training centre and club headquarters at the new CBD stadium where the first NRL game is to be played in 2020.
“Stadiums Queensland is working with Queensland Government agencies to consider future uses for the site and will continue to engage locally with parties including Brothers, the North Queensland Cowboys and Ryan Cath- olic College,” the Stadiums Queensland spokesman said.
“No final decisions have been made on its future use at this time.”
Brothers Leagues Club CEO Justin Wilkins said depending on the Cowboys’ plans, they were interested in securing a “fair portion” of the stadium site.
Mr Wilkins said it was too early to release details of their plans.
“We are looking at how to make the best use of that land to fit in with the residents of the area,” Mr Wilkins said.
Ross Horner, Townsville Catholic Education Office director, leadership and school development, said they were looking at buying the facility’s northern carpark land for Ryan Catholic College parking and possible school development.
Currently, they lease part of the carpark.
“Our number one issue is we need to retain some of that space as a long- term carpark,” Mr Horner said.
“If we secured the whole of the carpark, we could possibly do more school building on that site.”
Possible residential development has been raised previously.
The Stadiums Queensland spokesman said the options for the site would take into account any adjacent uses, unused portions of land as well as current zoning requirements and Queensland Government land disposal policies.