Queensland Government looks to make Suncorp Stadium event limit permanent

Having driven a temporary increase in concert capacity at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in 2022, the Queensland Government has opened a consultation on having the venue’s hosting of up to 12 events a year made permanent.

The cap on concerts at Suncorp Stadium, introduced to minimise noise and disruption for local residents and businesses, was temporarily increased from six to 12 concerts in 2022 to help Brisbane bounce back from the pandemic and meet demand from concert promoters.

Having hosted the U2, Elton John and Ed Sheeran as well as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, over the last two years, the Queensland Government’s move to ease restrictions at the venue also involves lifting the definition of a major sporting event crowd from greater than 35,000 spectators to 45,000-plus so it can potentially attract more big sports events.

The venue is currently restricted to holding 24 major sporting events a year with a crowd above 35,000 - a figure regularly exceeded by the Brisbane Broncos’ NRL home games.

The change would also see a concert series counted as a single show, meaning Pink’s two shows this weekend would count as one - as would Ed Sheeran’s three-night run at the venue last year.

A spokesman for Sports Minister Michael Healy said Queenslanders would have the opportunity to give input into the proposed changes, detailed on the Queensland Government website on Friday morning, advising “once we receive that feedback we will work through what needs to be done to deliver the best outcomes for entertainment and sporting events.”

Suncorp Stadium General Manager Alan Graham said almost 80% of people who gave feedback the last time the concert cap was relaxed in 2022 were in favour of more music events at the venue.

Graham told Brisbane's The Courier-Mail “we are very mindful of our responsibility to respect our neighbours and go to great lengths to ensure we can minimise any impacts large events have on their amenity.”

Proposed regulatory changes for Suncorp Stadium consultation

The consultation asks for feedback on the following:

(i) Increase the permanent concert cap from six to 12 concerts per calendar year from 2025
In 2022, the Queensland Government sought community views on a proposal to temporarily increase the number of concerts able to be held at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, from six to 12 concerts per calendar year in 2023 and 2024.

The Queensland Government is now seeking community views on the benefits and impacts of this temporary increase in 2023, and a proposal to permanently increase the number of concerts able to be held at Suncorp Stadium from six concerts per calendar year to up to 12 concerts per calendar year from 2025.

(ii) Provide that a concert series at Suncorp Stadium may be counted as one concert event
Internationally, it is becoming common for artists to hold multiple concerts at a single venue over multiple days including consecutive days.

In addition to increasing the number of concerts able to be held at Suncorp Stadium from 2025, the Queensland Government is considering counting concert series as one concert event under Suncorp Stadium’s concert cap provisions. Under this proposal, Suncorp Stadium may host more performances over the year if concert series are booked, but remain within the concert cap.

(iii) Change the current prescribed crowd size definition for major sport events from greater than 35,000 to greater than 45,000
Suncorp Stadium has a seating capacity of 52,500 and is currently limited to holding no more than 24 major sport events per calendar year. Major sport events are currently defined as national or international sporting events with a crowd size greater than 35,000. This restriction arose from conditions in the Development Application approval under which the stadium was redeveloped in 2001.

In 2023, Suncorp Stadium hosted 20 major sport events (sport events with a crowd greater than 35,000). Should there be more than 24 major sport events with crowd sizes greater than 35,000 proposed in any one year at the stadium, these additional events may need to be moved to a venue outside of Brisbane and potentially outside Queensland which would impact the ability for local fans to attend major sport events at Suncorp Stadium and possibly at other venues across the State.

Brisbane’s population and the popularity of local teams are increasing and international events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2025 British and Irish Lions Tour are leading to larger crowd sizes at Suncorp Stadium. It is therefore proposed to increase the current prescribed crowd size for major sport events from greater than 35,000 to greater than 45,000.

The NSW Government last month announced it was lifting the concert cap at Allianz Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground to 20 a year, up from the previous cap of four.

The Queensland Government is reviewing the rules for Suncorp Stadium - meant to balance the rights of local residents with the desire to boost live entertainment and hospitality sectors - as it awaits a separate review of proposed venues for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The consultation closes on 8th March

Click here for more information.

Written submissions can be made to SR_Info@dtis.qld.gov.au

Image: Elton John at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in January 2023 (top) and Ed Sheeran at the venue (below). Credit: Suncorp Stadium.