Ballymore Stadium will transform into a new high-performance Olympic rugby training facility thanks to a major investment from the Queensland Government.
Queensland Rugby said the revamp is the culmination of ambitious co-operation between the Queensland Rugby Union, Rugby Australia and the State Government.
Ballymore Stadium’s obsolete Eastern Stand will be demolished and replaced by the state-of-the-art Teams in Gold Facility for Rugby Australia’s Olympic Sevens and women’s programs.
Rugby Sevens will become the first Olympic program to move to Queensland since Brisbane was confirmed as host of the 2032 Olympics.
The Teams In Gold Facility will feature an integrated 2,400-seat grandstand, with a fourth floodlit training field and floodlights for Ballymore’s No.1 field also included.
The Ballymore Stadium redevelopment project will commence later this year and will complete the inner-city precinct’s high-performance upgrade after the 2023 opening of the $31.5 million BMS National Rugby Training Centre and McLean Stand.
The Teams in Gold Facility will see the relocation of the Women’s and Men’s National Olympic Sevens program from NSW, with athletes and select Rugby Australia staff moving to Brisbane.
The venue will also provide a year-round base for the Wallaroos women’s program as well as the Wallabies when in Queensland.
QRU Chief Executive David Hanham said, “This is a day of huge significance for rugby in Queensland and Australia.
“We set out with a clear and ambitious vision to create a truly world-class high-performance and community sporting precinct. Today, we have realised that vision.
“This will be one of the best high-performance precincts in the world for rugby and it will stand proudly here in Queensland. More than that, it will create a hub for community sport and athlete development.
“Thanks to the vision and leadership of the Queensland Government, led by Premier Crisafulli, the partnership with the QRU and Rugby Australia is laying the foundations for a future of long-term, sustainable excellence for rugby in Queensland.
“The future of Australian Rugby has never looked brighter, and there is no better place to build that future than right here in Queensland.”
Main field upgrade
As part of the Queensland Government’s commitment to rugby, Ballymore’s main field will also be upgraded to a modern 8,000-capacity multi-purpose venue able to host junior, club, provincial and international matches and ensure the precinct’s 60-year tradition as the home of rugby in the state long into the future.
The QRU will continue Ballymore’s commercial development, with planning permissions in place for potential allied health, health & wellbeing and education facilities.
The new facilities at Ballymore will open the door for broader benefits for rugby in Queensland.
The Ballymore Stadium redevelopment will create opportunities to host additional events such as the Rugby Australia Summit, the NZ Rugby Union/Rugby Australia Summit, the Super Rugby Pacific Summit, the Oceania/World Rugby Summit and SANZAAR Board Meeting.
The golden period for rugby in Queensland accelerated in June with the announcement of three ANZAC Day Bledisloe Cup matches in Brisbane between the Wallabies and All Blacks in 2027, 2029 and 2031.
This is on top of the 10 matches scheduled for Brisbane and four for Townsville during the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The Ballymore Stadium redevelopment will also see the opportunity for more Wallaroos and Super Rugby Women’s matches, a Super Rugby Women and Super Rugby Aupiki (NZ) cross-over Final and the Australian Club Championship.
Premier David Crisafulli said Queensland continued to cement its standing as Australia’s home of sport and major events.
He said, “Queensland is the new home of Rugby Sevens and the Wallaroos because organisations want to be part of what we are building here in Queensland.
“Having national teams based in Queensland at Ballymore only grows the game and encourages more kids to dream of pulling on the green and gold one day.”
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