Gabba rebuild prompts Queensland Cricket call for new 10,000 seat stadium at Albion

With the rebuilding of Brisbane’s Gabba for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics likely to put the venue out of action for up to seven years, Queensland Cricket is calling for an upgrade of the Allan Border Field to host matches in the interim.

Citing the need for a venue for first class and test cricket in the years leading up to the Games while the Gabba is demolished and rebuilt, Queensland Cricket Chief Executive Terry Svenson and Chair Chris Simpson yesterday released a letter sent to cricket stakeholders in which they state “cricket in Queensland is entering the most complex and uncertain era it has faced” as it enters the 2023/24 season.

While Queensland Cricket is supportive of the Queensland Government’s decision to rebuild the Gabba, the lack of timeframes is causing uncertainty for the organisation, with the letter advising “regrettably, the level of detail surrounding the Gabba project’s time frames has yet to be announced (and) as a result we face the real prospect of losing important Test and BBL cricket matches from Queensland to interstate venues during the pre-Olympic displacement from the Gabba, and hold a reasonable fear that a suitable solution to enable continuity of matches in Brisbane may not meet our needs or expectations.”

The AFL’s Brisbane Lions are in a similar position, the venues including the Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre, RNA Showgrounds, Brighton Homes Arena in Springfield and Heritage Bank Arena on the Gold Coast being considered to host its home games.

The Queensland Government has commissioned detailed designs to convert QSAC into an AFL stadium with seating for 34,846 spectators, while the RNA Showgrounds have put their venue forward to be upgraded - a plan backed by the Brisbane Lord Mayor.

However, Cricket Queensland believes the Brisbane Showgrounds could only host five BBL matches, with an alternative needed for Test Matches. Heritage Bank Stadium is also limited as a result of the drop-in wickets used at the venue.

Queensland Cricket believes an upgraded permanent seating capacity at the existing Allan Border Field precinct in Albion will deliver an appropriate solution to the challenges caused by the Gabba displacement.

A $19 million upgrade of the facility was completed last year, including an upgraded playing surface, field lighting, video screen and broadcast facilities.

Its capacity is currently only around 4,000 and a future proposed upgrade would see new grandstands constructed to boost the seating capacity to 10,000 to allow it to host international fixtures.

Noting its expectations, the Queensland Cricket letter states “our preference for ensuring continuity of Elite Cricket in Brisbane when the Gabba is unavailable is an upgraded Allan Border Field, with existing cricket infrastructure that can host this level of cricket while being bolstered by an improved capacity. We believe that an upgraded Allan Border Field represents the most cost-effective solution with greatest long-term benefit to the community.”

The letter also revealed it was the “firm stance” of both Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia that the wicket block at the new Gabba was a permanent one rather than a drop-in pitch, as is usually the case at new venues such as Optus Stadium most recently.

It said if a drop-in pitch was to be used, it would take up to five years to prepare one for Test Matches - meaning that there could be further delays for cricket’s return to the Gabba, but permanent pitches took 18 months to prepare.

Rebuilding work at the Gabba is apparently set to commence following the Ashes Test in late 2025.

Images: Queensland Cricket's concepts for upgrades of the Allan Border Field and surrounding precinct at Albion.