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THERE are images Queensland rugby stakeholders want Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to see.
Our rugby union sectionDiscarded benches rotting behind an archaic wooden stand.
This is the sad decay of world-famous Ballymore – and now the Queensland Rugby Union is mounting a last-ditch rescue plan to save the iconic ground from degenerating into a sporting wasteland.
Left reeling by the Rudd Government's decision in February to renege on a $25 million funding promise from former prime minister John Howard, the Queensland Rugby Union has gone back to the drawing board and delivered a $100 million redevelopment proposal it believes is too good to ignore.
Last Wednesday, the QRU re-submitted a development application with Brisbane City Council. The Sunday Mail has seen artists' impressions of the multi-faceted project.
To be known as the Ballymore Sports Academy, the redevelopment would see the prestigious site become the hub of Queensland sport and open to public use as Queensland rugby powerbrokers fight to reinvigorate a facility costing the QRU nearly $2 million a year.
QRU chairman Peter Lewis is confident of getting the green light from the council in the next three months.
Then begins the real battle – convincing the Rudd Government to backflip and come to the party with a cheque that would transform Ballymore into a world-class facility.
Without it, Ballymore, the scene of so many great Wallaby triumphs, is on death row.
After years of warnings, Lewis says the prospect of the hallowed ground being locked up, or worse demolished, is real.
"We can't afford to keep doing what we're doing," Lewis said.
"It costs us about $800,000 in maintenance to maintain Ballymore, and it costs us about another $1 million a year in depreciation.
"A lot of it is falling apart and part of our plan is the demolition of a lot of defunct bits and pieces. It's a huge impost on us and we struggle year by year to keep up.
"Ballymore is an iconic name and address, it is known internationally.
''If we don't get the support we need, in 10 years it will be a distant memory, it will be locked up like QEII was and it will be overgrown with weeds.
"We've spent $900,000 getting the DA right. We're ready to go – all we're saying to (the Rudd Government) is give us the $25 million back and we can get this project off the ground."
The QRU plans to take a loan for the remaining shortfall and then pay this loan back through revenue earned through the academy's facilities such as a gym, athletes village and medical centre.
Under the original plan, the revamped Ballymore was to house Australian rugby's centre of excellence.
However Lewis says the new concept will see the venue extend its rugby tentacles and become a multi-purpose facility, embracing other sports while providing entertainment and recreational options for the general public.
Aside from a facelift for the existing stadium, the proposal features an athletes village with 104 units. There are also plans for an olympic pool, medical centre, state-of-the-art gymnasium and picnic areas.
"We're not silvertail rugby people trying to make money for ourselves, we want this to be the headquarters for Queensland sport," Lewis said.
"We will have a purpose-built athletes village.
"We have 30 acres (12ha) of prime turf and it can accommodate a lot more than rugby.
''We have a whole list of sports that have expressed interest in basing themselves here.
"According to our estimates, the project will generate more than 300 jobs and actually the Federal Government stands to make $70 million out of this, so they're not throwing money away."
Lewis said the Queensland Government had already committed $4 million to the project. With federal backing, he believes the revival of Ballymore could be complete by the end of 2010.
"The Rudd Government pulled the money on a technicality,'' Lewis said.
''I'm not blowing up, I believe they've made a mistake.
''I just want them to overturn their decision based on the fact we have improved our submission."
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...003411,00.html
Hope they get what they want. Ballymore has some great memories.
ahhh...the 56 man scrum against the can shop when we beat the Tahs 48-10.
Boo a blue.....
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Global Crisis Development Fund - Hopefully the redevelopment would set a precident
61 years between Grand SlamsWas the wait worth it - Ya betta baby
I thought the Roar were also using Ballymore for training?
Ballymore is the wrong place for a Wallabies academy, The original proposal was silly with a covered air conditioned training field because QLD is too hot please give me a break, Deans is ring to harden the players up. Rugby museum, briefing rooms? All just to sell the Reds it would seem from afar. The ARU should share the love amongst the provinces.
yeah...build it in Perth
I agree give some support to Perth, help out with the new Stadium or training facilities.
The Reds need to move on from Ballymore despite its history.
um.. maybe check your facts
there was never a airconditioned training field, there was a covered training field which would have involved sun shades over the field, but never was it enclosed with airconditioners...
secondly, this isnt a ARU project, this is the QRU pushing this project, using there land. There is no ARU money going into this project and already the QRU has spent nearly a $1million on the planning and development applications.
thirdly, this project is no longer the Australian Rugby Academy, they have changed the project so it targets all sports and is now the Ballymore Sports Academy.(see comment below)
Yes, the QLD Roar are now also located out of Ballymore, there administration and training facilities shifted to Ballymore at the beginning of this month.
TOCC do you think the All blacks train under sunshades. QLDRU wanted the ARU to put a good deal of cash... And also apply for federal cash using the ARU name stating it as going to be a national center....Sorry QLD Ballymore doesn't get my vote if we'll paying for it...OK it looks like their going local now...
haha, come on, get real
Do you think that the All Blacks have to train in 30 degree heat for 4 months of the year, it would be like us calling them soft for wearing jumpers in winter FFS...
Thats not even the point, the human body has physical limitations, training in hot and humid weather not only limits your physical capabilities its also a serious health risk. To argue that training under sun shades makes you soft is laughable and shows a distinct lack of understanding in physical training.
On top of that, the Wallabies are not the only ones training there, it will include the Reds, Wallabies, Australian 7's, U20, schoolboy sides, as well as the QLD Roar A-League side.
Like i have already said, the project is a QRU initiative, they are the ones funding the plans, they are the ones lodging the development applications and they are using land they own. The ARU endorsed the project, because it was a fantastic project and there is nothing even close to it being proposed elsewhere in the country.
Im highly interested as to where you get your information from, you make ludicrous claims but show nothing to subtantiate these comments.
Nop...I guess its not a good place then for the national camp...Now you understand me...
dont stop, show me the other proposals then?
But, like i said earlier, this is no longer the Australian Rugby National Academy, it has now being resubmitted and redesigned as the Ballymore Sports Academy to cater for other codes and teams such as the QLD Roar..
If you had properly read the article to start with then this wouldnt have being a issue.
He came to that conclusion because this proposal is in Brisbane, not Sydney (centre of the universe don't you know). Frankly, the way spectator numbers are crumbling (in all sports) in NSW (along with the state's economy and infrastructure), I wouldn't be building any sporting facilities there - money down the drain.