Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Queensland’s intention to be the nation’s “events and sporting capital” will gather steam with an upgrade of Ballymore to become the home of Rugby Australia’s Sevens and Wallaroos programs.
Work on the “Teams In Gold Facility”, to be constructed on the site of Ballymore’s Eastern Stand, will start later this year and include a new and dedicated training pitch, a “state-of-the-art” gymnasium, team rooms and office space.
“This is a historic moment for Australian rugby and the benefits from today’s announcement will be felt for generations,” Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh said on Tuesday.
“The major upgrade of Ballymore will ensure the game’s spiritual home in Queensland will evolve into a high-performance centre of excellence to rival any around the rugby world.”
RA will partner with the Queensland Rugby Union and the Queensland government to provide the facility and the upgrading of the main field to a “modern” 8000-capacity multipurpose venue.
While a date for the completion of the facility is yet to be announced, it’s expected the Rugby Sevens program will relocate to Ballymore from Sydney soon after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“Once the Teams In Gold Facility is complete, the Australian Sevens will become the first Olympic program to relocate to Brisbane since the city was awarded the 2032 Games,” Waugh said.
“It has been 10 years since our Aussie women inspired the nation with Olympic gold in Rio and, as reigning world champions, it is fitting they will soon call the Olympic City home alongside our Wallaroos and Australian men’s Sevens squads.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the state had “gone on a poaching raid”.
“We are bringing more opportunities north of the border and unashamedly doing so,” Crisafulli said.
“This is a green and gold tick of approval for our plan to make Queensland the events and sporting capital of the country.
“That’s what we are driving to do and this is another piece in the puzzle.
“Queensland is the new home of Rugby Sevens and the Wallaroos because organisations want to be part of what we are building here in Queensland.
“Having national teams based in Queensland at Ballymore only grows the game and encourages more kids to dream of pulling on the green and gold one day.”
Crisafulli said the facility was also part of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics “legacy”.
QRU chief executive David Hanham said Ballymore would become “one of the best high-performance precincts in the world for rugby”.
“More than that, it will create a hub for community sport and athlete development,” Hanham said.
“We set the vision in Queensland rugby at the start of this year to longer term be one of the best rugby provinces in the world.
“One of our major milestones of that was to continue the advancement of Ballymore … to be a world-class, high-performance precinct for sport and rugby union and to deliver on that promise.”
