LOGAN City Council has unveiled its premier outdoor sports park and officially welcomed Brisbane Roar Football Club and Football Brisbane to Logan Metro Sports Park at Heritage Park.
Logan councillors and bosses from Roar and Football Queensland gathered to reveal a program that would bring big events to Logan’s new $9 million pitch ahead of one of Queensland’s biggest sport shakeups with the board of Stadiums Queensland dumped.
Football Brisbane general manager Craig Morris said the grounds would host major tournaments including the Australian Indigenous Football Championships and a Special Olympics Queensland gala day.
“We’re working with Logan City Council to bring the National Paralympic Football Championships here as well,” he said.
“We are very excited that we can offer such a quality venue for grassroots football.”
“Football Brisbane, working in partnership with Brisbane Roar and Logan City Council, will endeavour to make this facility the venue of choice for major local, state and national sporting events.”
It was a big week for the grounds which hosted Roar’s first pre-season clash against Logan Lighting. The Wednesday match was a warm-up for Roar heading into the A-League season.
Logan Metro followed up on Friday as host of the June edition of the city’s food truck and live music series Eats & Beats attracting thousands more visitors.
Logan’s acting mayor councillor Cherie Dalley said the council invested more than $9 million to redevelop Logan Metro Sports Park and expected it would influence sport in the region.
“Logan Metro Sports Park showcases the City of Logan as an ideal location for major sporting operations in south-east Queensland,” Cr Dalley said.
“We have so much talent and a real passion for sport here in Logan.”
“Our city has produced amazing sports stars, including Cameron Smith, Nick Cummins, Israel Folau, Corey Parker, Trae Williams, Alex Leapai and Chaz Mostert.
“We’re extremely proud of our home-grown, world-class athletes, and now we’re also proud to be the home of football in Queensland.
“We look forward to seeing more national football legends born and bred right here.”
Lifestyle and community committee chair councillor Steve Swenson said Logan Metro facilities included a premier sporting field and community sporting fields with field lighting, club houses, offices, change rooms and amenities to accommodate Brisbane Roar FC and Football Brisbane, carparks and access roads.
“We’re excited to continue working with three-time premiership-winning Brisbane Roar – Queensland’s only A-League team – and Football Brisbane – the governing body of football within the Greater Brisbane metropolitan area and the state’s largest football zone – to realise the council’s vision for Logan Metro Sports Park,” Cr Swenson said.
“With Football Brisbane and Brisbane Roar now fully operational and calling Logan home, more than 50 new staff will be coming to work at Logan Metro Sports Park.
“Already, we are seeing economic benefits from our partnership. Local businesses have told us they have been busier since the arrival of Football Brisbane and Brisbane Roar here at Logan Metro Sports Park.”
Brisbane Roar Football Club managing director David Pourre said Roar’s new home gave the club closer links to the local football community and strengthened the club’s brand across Queensland and Australia.
“The City of Logan had a vision and it is a credit to Logan City Council for supporting this. The Brisbane Roar had a dream of having a home. Today, this vision and dream became a reality,” Mr Pourre said.
“We are proud to have a state-of-the-art training facility for our Hyundai A-League side and our club now has a foundation to grow and improve this facility.
“In the near future, we will see our Roar Women use this complex and we have a platform to continue to produce the next generation of Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League stars.”
This weekend marked a major shakeup for sports with the board of Stadiums Queensland sacked and new board appointed to take the reins of Queensland’s world class sporting venues after allegations of mismangement and price gouging affecting tenant clubs.
Stadiums Queensland manages, operates and promotes the use of nine major facilities, including The Gabba, Suncorp Stadium, Metricon and CBUS Super Stadium on behalf of the Queensland Government.
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a new era for Stadiums Queensland with a new board appointed to take the reins of Queensland’s world class sporting venues.
Opposition leader Deb Frecklington welcomed it but said there was more to do.
“Shuffling the deck chairs at Stadiums Queensland is not the only response that’s needed,” Ms Frecklington said.
“The term of the current board has actually expired and most of the Board were appointed by the Palaszczuk Government in the last term.
“It’s belated action at best.
“Labor needs to fix the stadium deals and re-look at how we do things because we have fallen behind the other states in the sporting arms race.
“We are losing out on the big games like the First Test at the Gabba, the State of Origin to Adelaide and the 2020 NRL Grand Final.
“We want our Queensland teams to be successful and our stadiums to be fan-friendly.
“It also means attracting the big games and big events to Queensland, which injects millions of dollars into our tourism industry each year.”
