scabs at it again
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...e/news-story/195621f26620381e157a522250ca980d
Gillon McLachlan to meet with Queensland government over new Brisbane Lions base
Andrew Hamilton, The Courier-Mail
May 9, 2017 6:17pm
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan will meet with State Government ministers on Wednesday to push the case for a boutique stadium at Springfield.
The AFL want the Government to contribute $15 million towards the stadium, which would incorporate the Brisbane Lions new training and administration base.
McLachlan has a scheduled meeting with sports minister Mick de Brenni. He is also hoping for the opportunity to personally assure Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk of the AFL’s commitment to the sport in Queensland and its intention to make a major financial contribution to the new development.
It is the first time McLachlan has personally entered the fray with the Palaszczuk government in the Lions’ long-running battle to find a new home.
Sources say the club has never been closer to striking a deal.
It is understood Brisbane have secured a funding package from the AFL and Ipswich City Council worth $15 million for their new headquarters and have been offered a peppercorn lease on the land from the Springfield Land Corporation.
The AFL is desperate to get a venue suitable for the successful AFLW competition and also pre-season JLT matches.
Brisbane’s long-term agreement with the Gabba restricts its access to its home ground until the first AFL premiership match of the season.
The Lions have taken home pre-season games to regional Queensland and Burpengary in recent years and the women’s side played their home-and-away fixtures at Brendale.
Brisbane have the worst facilities in the AFL by a long way but have struggled to interest either the Federal or State Government in their plight.
However, investing in women’s sport is seen as a vote winner.
The AFL and Ipswich will fund the training and administration base, which will house both men’s and women’s teams if the State Government will contribute to the construction of a stadium with a small grandstand and hills and terraces that could house 15,000.
The Lions drew a crowd of 15,610 for the AFLW Grand Final against Adelaide, which was played at Metricon Stadium after Gabba officials refused access to the ground over concerns over the state of the pitch following the Adele concert.
It plunged already strained relationships between the Brisbane Lions and the AFL and Stadiums Queensland to a new low.
Last time the Lions were considering a move to Springfield it created internal divisions within the club between those who saw it as an opportunity to secure their future and another faction who believed the club would lose its Brisbane identity if they moved into a different city.
There was also concerns over Lions chairman Bob Sharpless’ potential conflict of interest in his role as vice-president of SLC.
However, Sharpless is scheduled to stand aside as Lions chairman at the end of the present term.
The Lions eventually walked away from the initial Springfield proposal when $15 million in promised Federal Government funding fell over when the Gillard government lost power.
