(AFP Photo)
Allan Border, the former captain of the Australian cricket team, has suggested that The Gabba in Brisbane should be demolished and replaced with a brand-new stadium. His proposal aims to create a modern facility capable of hosting a variety of sports for the 2032 Olympics.
The historic Gabba stadium has long been a stronghold for Australia, yet India managed to overcome the team there to secure a memorable 2-1 victory in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in January 2021. Recently, the Queensland government scrapped a $2.7 billion proposal to demolish and reconstruct the Gabba in preparation for the 2032 Olympic Games.
Instead, the government has allocated that sum towards enhancing the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC), Suncorp Stadium, and The Gabba. “I’d be knocking down the Gabba and building a new venue from scratch at Victoria Park. A brand new 60,000-seat stadium suits rugby, cricket, Aussie rules, and the Olympics, and the Gabba becomes housing,” said Border to The Courier Mail.
Additionally, following an independent review, the Queensland government rejected a $3.4 billion proposal to build a new oval stadium at Victoria Park. The ongoing uncertainty surrounding The Gabba has increased to the point where Brisbane is expected to be left out of Australia’s Test match hosting schedule for the next seven years.
“They haven’t got any certainty about the Gabba, so we’re off the roster. It’s sad, but they’ve got to have some certainty, probably over the next four years, if they can use the Gabba or not.
“Because we have an election coming up, nobody wants to touch the hot potato of announcing where the main venue would be. But I’ll have a crack and say knock the Gabba down for urban renewal, and because it’s on the city fringe, you could probably pay for the Olympics just by selling the property,” added Border.
In the meantime, former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Ian Healy has noted that Cricket Australia is concerned about the future of hosting cricket in Brisbane, especially with state elections coming up this October. The Gabba is set to host the third Test of this year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India from December 14-18.
“After India and the Ashes, the next season there are only three Tests (against New Zealand) and we’ve missed out, as you do because the newest stadium is the Adelaide Oval that holds more than ours. Other governments are investing in that, and I think the other states are investing in a seven-year rotation and Brisbane’s stuck.
“It’s frustrating Cricket Australia because they just can’t talk to either side of our government because our state is shut down until after the election (on October 26). It’s a bit scary for our stakeholders, Cricket Australia is quite anxious about the future of Brisbane cricket. So, let’s hope we get our wicket front and centre, and Australia gets some victories,” said Healy on SENQ Radio.
