A new era awaits Ballymore as the iconic venue will be transformed into a world-class multisport facility as the new home of women’s sport ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
It comes as the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) today announced Brisbane Roar A-League Women will play all home matches in Liberty A-League season 2023/24 at the redeveloped venue later this year.
With the addition of football, up to four women’s sports (rugby union, hockey, sport climbing and football) will all use the facility in the next decade as part of Ballymore’s golden runway leading into the Olympic Games.
Upon completion in May this year by the QRU’s leading contractors Buildcorp, the National Rugby Training Centre (NRTC) will be the first stage finished of a sweeping revamp of the famous Herston site as part of the Ballymore Master Plan.
QRU CEO David Hanham said: “This is an exciting day for the future of Ballymore with two great Queensland sporting organisations coming together.
“Having the Brisbane Roar A-League Women’s side here for every home match is a big milestone that ensures Ballymore becomes the new home of women’s rectangular sport.
“Our vision for Ballymore is for the iconic venue to be a multi-sport hub and Olympic precinct for the Brisbane 2032 Games as Brisbane’s Silicon Valley of Sport with the facility set to host a golden runway of major events in the next decade.
“Stage 1 of Ballymore’s redevelopment will be realised in a little over a month with the completion of the National Rugby Training Centre that will house the national women’s XV’s program – the Wallaroos, plus the Queensland Reds Super Rugby, Super W and Sevens squads, as well as the Reds Academy and elite pathway programs.
“Ballymore’s master plan will also see the facility become a centrepiece for the community with green spaces and bike paths, while a festival-type atmosphere will return to the venue on game-day with food trucks, music and activations around the precinct which the Roar will get to experience later this year,” said Hanham.
Brisbane Roar FC Chairman Christopher Fong said: “We’re excited for the redevelopment of Ballymore, with the first stage completed in the coming month.
“Once completed, Ballymore will transform our game, giving supporters a closer seat to the action in an environment that creates a dynamic atmosphere in a family-centric, cost-effective venue. We’re excited to bring our games back to Brisbane, where we will remain.”
Later this year the $30 million NRTC will become the new national headquarters for women’s Rugby and the Australian Wallaroos team, as well as a new training base for the Queensland Reds Super Rugby Pacific and Super W squads, as well as the Reds 7s and Reds Academy plus elite pathway programs.
The facility will include a new ‘McLean Stand’ with an integrated 3010-capacity and will feature a 700m2 elite gym, aquatic recovery centre, a 75-seat auditorium and a 120-person capacity function room and player’s lounge that has been designed to easily move between a high-performance centre and a 15,000-capacity stadium with meeting rooms that convert into game-day suites.
As part of the QRU’s masterplan, the Ballymore site will become the 2032 Olympic venue for hockey and see the construction of a centre of excellence for Sport Climbing and Bouldering, plus a swim school to help build the next generation of Olympic athletes in multiple sports.
It will also include three new buildings with a total area of 5000m2 reserved for sports administration, sports recreation, allied health and sports medicine, as well as transport and sustainability solutions to form a central part of Brisbane’s Olympic Green Corridor.
