Carrara Oval (Metricon Stadium)

• Traditional Name: Carrara Oval
• Owner: Stadiums Queensland
• Lease: AFL (20 years from 2011)
• Operator: Gold Coast Suns
• Capacity: 25,526
• Opened: 1986 (stadium – the oval itself predates it by some time)
• Dimensions:  161m x 134m
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Background

In 1983 the Nerang Bulls Rugby Union Club was formed and were located at Carrara oval. During 1983 the Bulls would field one senior team. In 1984 the Bulls would field two senior teams. The Bulls would spend two seasons at Carrara before moving to Glennon Park in Nerang in 1985.

The first VFL game was played there in 1987.

Brisbane Bears and the VFL

 

The Gold Coast Suns

The new stadium was funded by the AFL ($13.3 million), the Queensland Government ($71.9 million), the Commonwealth Government ($36 million) and the Gold Coast City Council ($23 million). The AFL pursued the construction of the facility to provide a venue for a Gold Coast AFL franchise.

In 2011, the AFL and the Queensland Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding which handed the lease of Carrara Stadium to the AFL for 20 years, and transfers all operating, maintenance and asset renewal responsibilities of the venue to the AFL in exchange for a peppercorn rent. In turn, the Gold Coast Suns have a Venue Management Arrangement which has been signed with the AFL, to which Stadiums Queensland is not a party –  the AFL have passed on the responsibility for paying venue costs to the Gold Coast Suns through the terms of their management agreement to operate the venue.

All profits remain with the AFL and Suns, except where Stadiums Queensland is responsible for bringing an event to the venue, where a profit share is retained.

 

Sources:

• https://cabinet.qld.gov.au/documents/2018/Jul/Stadium/Attachments/Report.PDF
• https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/StadiumTaskforceReport.pdf