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| Former names | Laver Oval Carrara Oval Gold Coast Stadium Metricon Stadium Heritage Bank Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Carrara,Queensland |
| Coordinates | 28°00′23″S153°22′2″E / 28.00639°S 153.36722°E /-28.00639; 153.36722 |
| Owner | Queensland Government |
| Operator | Stadiums Queensland |
| Capacity | Concerts: 50,000[2] AFL: 25,000[3] Cricket: 21,000[4] |
| Field size | 161 m × 134 m (528 ft × 440 ft)[5] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1986 |
| Opened | 1987 (Redeveloped 2010–2011) |
| Architect | Populous (2010) |
| Tenants | |
| Australian Rules Gold Coast Suns (AFL) (2011–present) Cricket Australia cricket team (2018–present) Rugby League Gold Coast Chargers (ARL/NRL) (1996–1998) Rugby Union Nerang Bulls (Rugby Union) (1983–1986) Baseball Gold Coast Clippers (ABL) (1989–1990) | |
| Website | |
| heritagebankstadium.com.au | |
| Ground information | |
| End names | |
| River End, Road End (AFL) Broadbeach End, Hinterland End (Cricket) | |
| International information | |
| First T20I | 17 November 2018: Australia v South Africa |
| Last T20I | 5 October 2022: Australia v West Indies |
| Only women's Test | 30 September–3 October 2021: Australia v India |
| First WT20I | 7 October 2021: Australia v India |
| Last WT20I | 10 October 2021: Australia v India |
| As of 5 October 2022 Source:Cricinfo | |
Carrara Stadium (also known asPeople First Stadium undernaming rights) is a stadium on theGold Coast inQueensland,Australia, located in the suburb ofCarrara.[6]
The stadium is primarily used forAustralian rules football, serving as the home ground of theGold Coast Suns, who compete in theAustralian Football League. In addition, the venue is used occasionally forcricket, includingBig Bash League matches. Carrara Stadium received substantial redevelopment work prior to the entry of theBrisbane Bears to theVFL/AFL in 1987, but following the Bears' relocation tothe Gabba in 1993, it was used for other sports includingrugby league,rugby union and evenbaseball. The stadium has hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the2018 Commonwealth Games as well as theathletics competitions. The venue would host Cricket for the2032 Summer Olympics if Cricket is approved by theInternational Olympic Committee.[6]
In 1983, theNerang Bulls Rugby Union Club was formed and were located at Carrara Oval. During 1983, the Bulls fielded one senior team and in 1984 they fielded two senior teams. The club spent two seasons at Carrara before moving to Glennon Park inNerang in 1985.
On 7 October 1986, it was announced thatAustralian rules football club theBrisbane Bears had been granted a licence to enter theVictorian Football League for the1987 VFL season.[7] Bears President,Paul Cronin, announced on 23 December 1986 that the club would use Carrara Oval as their home ground. The financial backer of the Bears,Christopher Skase, spent $1 million redeveloping Carrara Oval over a 10-week period at the beginning of 1987, which included upgraded player facilities, seating for 6000 spectators and new electronic scoreboard. On 19 April 1987, theFitzroy Lions defeated the Brisbane Bears in the first VFL game played at Carrara Oval, before a crowd of 17,795.[7][8] (TheBrisbane Lions website records the crowd unofficially as 22,684.)[9]
In 1989, the Brisbane Bears and the Albert Shire Council signed off on a 30-year lease for the ground with an option for a further 10 years. Following that announcement, Christopher Skase orchestrated the installation offloodlights costing $6 million, which were never paid for.[10] With the collapse of Skase's companyQintex, he would flee to Spain and the cost of the floodlights continued to be unpaid. Liquidators attempted to extract money from theGold Coast City Council for the lights but, after an unsuccessful trial, it was found cheaper to leave the floodlights in place at Carrara Stadium. On 15 July 1989, the Bears hosted the first ever night match at Carrara, against theGeelong Cats, in front of a then-record crowd of 18,198.
Insufficient public transport access to the stadium and the poor on-field performance of the Bears resulted in poor crowds at Bears games, prompting local media to refer to the situation as the "Curse of Carrara".[10] After the new owner of the Bears, Reuben Pelerman, lost a further $10 million between the 1990–1992 AFL seasons, the Bears moved permanently to the redevelopedBrisbane Cricket Ground in 1993.[7]
In 1988, Carrara Stadium played host to the very firstTouch Football World Cup[7] in which teams from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the USA competed in the Men's, Women's and Mixed Opens, as well as Men's Over 35's divisions. Australia won all four division finals which were all played against New Zealand. TheGold Coast Clippers[7] played their 1989–1990Australian Baseball League season at Carrara before changing their name to theDaikyo Dolphins and moving to nearbyPalm Meadows. For the 1992–93 season, they moved back to Carrara as theGold Coast Cougars.[7] The Cougars stayed at Carrara until the abolition of the Australian Baseball League in 1999. TheBrazilian football team set up camp at Carrara Stadium for pre-tournament training before the2000 Summer Olympics.[11] The Brazilians later commented that the surface at Carrara was one of the best in the world.[12]
The ground was owned by theShire of Albert, which transferred to theGold Coast City Council when the two local authorities amalgamated in 1995. The field is officially known as Laver Oval after long-time Albert Shire Chairman, Bill Laver.
Following the folding of theGold Coast Seagulls in 1995[7] a newly formed Gold Coast rugby league team named theGold Coast Chargers were created and began competing out of Carrara Stadium in 1996. They continued to use the ground until the end of the1998 NRL season when they were excluded from the competition as a part of the rationalisation of theNational Rugby League. Rugby league matches continued to be played at the stadium, with pre-season trials being played there annually from 2002 to 2005,[13] and NRL premiership matches played in 2001 and 2005. The ground's capacity was increased slightly during this time.
In 2005 the NRL announced that a licence would be awarded to theGold Coast Titans, and that the stadium would be their home ground in 2007[7] until the completion of theRobina Stadium, which was opened in 2008.[14] In response to the NRL move, the AFL scheduled three AFL 'home games' for theNorth Melbourne Football Club and aNAB Cup match for Carrara in 2007, and theQueensland State League began hosting grand finals there. The Titans would play ten games at Carrara in 2007 and miss the finals. Following the conclusion of the2007 NRL season, Titans managing directorMichael Searle warned the AFL that if a team were to be started on the Gold Coast it would disappear into the Carrara 'black hole' within five years.[15]
In 2006 it was announced theNorth Melbourne Football Club would play nine home games at Carrara between the 2007–2009 seasons. Following the2007 AFL season theAFL offered the Kangaroos a $100 million package to relocate from Melbourne to the Gold Coast and be based out of Carrara. On 7 December 2007 the newly appointed Kangaroos chairmanJames Brayshaw announced the club would not be moving to the Gold Coast permanently and would continue to be based out of Melbourne. Subsequently, the Kangaroos games played at Carrara after the announcement suffered poor crowds. The AFL released North Melbourne from the final year of a three-year contract after they drew just 6,354 spectators to their first home match at Carrara for the 2008 season.[16]
Carlton,Richmond andSt Kilda subsequently hosted the remaining home games during the 2009 season.
On 7 May 2009, it was confirmed that the Carrara Stadium would receive a $126 million redevelopment, providing a suitable stadium for new AFL club theGold Coast Suns.[17] The last event at the old ground was Richmond vs Adelaide in front of 11,174 fans. On 30 October 2009, demolition of the old stadium began.[18] By January 2010, demolition works were complete.[19] Foundations for the grandstands as well as construction for the player and corporate facilities began in May 2010.[19] By October 2010, the eastern grandstand was nearing completion.[19] Just three months later in January 2011 the wholehorseshoe-shaped grandstand was completed.[19] By April 2011, the turf had been laid and the 23-by-8.5-metre (75 ft × 28 ft),LED-poweredhigh-definition video board had been installed.[19][20]
The redeveloped stadium cost $144.2 million to build and seats 25,000 spectators (with the ability to house an additional 15,000 temporary seats).[21][22][23] The stadium features an AFL oval capable of accommodating an ICC-compliant cricket oval, an IAAF Athletics field and a FIFA World Cup football field, facilities for 2,000 corporate patrons, AFL team and officials' changing facilities, AFL media facilities, and team and officials' suites.[24]Watpac were contracted for the construction, which was scheduled for completion in mid-2011. The stadium then played host to anInternational rules football in November 2011, with 12,595 watchingIreland defeatAustralia by 50 points to 29.[24] MakMax Australia was contracted to complete the fabric roof of the stadium.[25][26] The stadium was opened for an open day on 22 May 2011, before the first match on 28 May 2011.[27][28] The ground recorded its biggest ever crowd when 24,032 people watched the Suns playCollingwood in Round 16 of the 2014 AFL season, a game the Suns won by 5 points.
The venue hosted theinaugural Grand Final ofAFL Women's on 25 March 2017. TheAdelaide Crows defeated theBrisbane Lions 35 points to 29. The Lions won the right to host the match, but Carrara Stadium was used because the Lions' preferred venue, theBrisbane Cricket Ground, was unavailable. A men'sQClash took place at Carrara Stadium on the same evening.[29]
The Gold Coast's successful bid for the2018 Commonwealth Games resulted in the stadium being upgraded to a temporary seating capacity of 35,000, which was dismantled after the Games and restored back to 25,000. The stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies as well as theathletics.[30][31]
The stadium was used extensively during the2020 AFL season, which was interrupted by theCOVID-19 pandemic, as several non-Queensland teams spent extended periods of time in Gold Coast quarantine hubs and played home games at the ground, as a means of carrying on the season while state borders were restricted or closed to interstate travel. The stadium hosted several double-headers, and at the peak of hubbing inround 6, 2020 hosted four senior matches in two days.[32][33] In all, the ground staged 42 matches in 2020, the most of any ground, and including its first ever finals match.[34]
Carrara is the home ground forAustralian rules football club theGold Coast Suns, who compete in theAustralian Football League (AFL), and also hosts events such as junior representative championships andQAFL games.
TheGold Coast Suns have played their home games at Carrara since mid-2011. TheQueensland Government contributed $60 million towards the redevelopment of the stadium, increasing the capacity to around 25,000 of which 23,500 is seated.[35] The Gold Coast City Council also contributed $20 million[36] and the AFL $10 million.[37]
The Gold Coast Suns played their first game at the reconstructed stadium on Saturday, 28 May 2011, in Round 10 of the2011 AFL season.[23][28][38] The Suns lost the match againstGeelong by 66 points. A round 18 game against2010 premiersCollingwood attracted a then-record crowd of 23,302, selling out two months before game day.[39] On Saturday 11 August 2012, the Suns won their first game at the venue, defeatingGreater Western Sydney by 30 points.
Crowds would not reach in excess of 20,000 again until Round 12, 2014, when 21,354 fans watched the Suns take on theSydney Swans in a game that marked the first timeGary Ablett Jr. andLance Franklin went head-to-head since defecting from their original clubs, as well as this being Franklin's first match on the Gold Coast as an AFL player.[40][41] The record crowd was broken in 2014 when 24,032 attended the Suns' Round 16 game against Collingwood, which the Suns won by five points despite losing their captain Gary Ablett to a season-ending shoulder injury.[42]
TheGold Coast District Cricket Club was formed in 1990 and shared tenancy of Carrara Stadium with the Brisbane Bears.[43] They would continue to be based at Carrara until 1993 when they moved toRobina. The stadium hosted an internationalcricket match betweenQueensland andEngland in January 1991. Controversy fell over the ground when touring English playersDavid Gower andJohn Morris chose to go for a joy-ride in twoTiger moth biplanes without telling the England team management and buzzed the stadium in the middle of play.[44] Gower and Morris also posed for press photographs with the plane later that afternoon. Both players were subsequently fined £1000 for the prank, a penalty that could have been steeper had Gower elected to release the water bombs he had prepared.[45] Carrara also played host to a 50-over match between Queensland and theWest Indies on 1 January 1992, which the visitors won by 7 wickets.[46]
Carrara hosted its first international cricket match since redevelopment on 17 November 2018 withAustralia taking onSouth Africa in aTwenty20 match in front of 12,866 spectators.[47] Carrara hosted three games during the2018–19 Big Bash League season, two of those games hosted by theBrisbane Heat and the other game hosted by theMelbourne Stars.[48] The stadium remains a potential future home ground for a Gold Coast-basedBig Bash League side that enters the competition.[49][50]
Carrara Stadium was selected to host allBrisbane Heat home finals in the2023-2024 Big Bash League season. The first final (The Qualifier) is set to be hosted at Carrara with another to be played on the 22nd (The Challenger). This is due to theAustralia vs West Indies test match being hosted atThe Gabba.[51] The Qualifier final against theSydney Sixers attracted a Gold Coast cricket record crowd of 20,191 spectators.[52]
Carrara hosted a triple header of entertainment events on the Easter long weekend in 2001. The first night sawKiss perform and become the first international act to play at the Stadium. Former KISS lead guitarist and foundation band memberAce Frehley revealed in his 2011 autobiography that he punched then-tour managerTommy Thayer in the jaw while in the dressing room at the conclusion of the Gold Coast concert in 2001.[53] The stadium served as the venue for the last leg of theKiss Farewell Tour and Thayer would later replace Frehley as the lead guitarist in the band. The next night saw rock legendAlice Cooper perform at the stadium.[54] The third and final night of the long weekend saw theAnthony Mundine-Timo Masua boxing match take place at Carrara.
On 10 December 2011 theFoo Fighters performed at Carrara and set the all-time attendance record for any event ever held at Carrara Stadium, 37,000 people attended the concert. The stadium is also featured in the Foo Fighters film clip of "These Days". Filming took place during the concert on 10 December 2011. On 19 January 2014, the venue hosted the Gold Coast leg of theBig Day Out. The stadium was set to serve as the host of the two-day SandTunes Music Festival on 30 November & 1 December 2019, prior to its cancellation. The line-up included acts such asTravis Scott,Dean Lewis andCarly Rae Jepsen.[55]
Queen + Adam Lambert played at the stadium on 29 February 2020 in the final concert of their Australian leg ofThe Rhapsody Tour and pulled a record crowd of 40,000 attendees.[56] In November 2020, it was announcedGuns N' Roses would play at the stadium on 6 November 2021.[57] The show was later postponed to 24 November 2022.[58]
Carrara Stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the2018 Commonwealth Games as well as hosting theathletics events. The athlete's village was originally going to be located next to Carrara Stadium but instead was constructed inSouthport. The stadium was temporarily upgraded to hold 35,000 people prior to the start of the opening ceremony.[30][31]
The stadium lacked a naming rights sponsor in its formative decades, bearing the names Carrara Stadium and Gold Coast Stadium between its opening in 1987 and 2011. On 15 March 2011, the Gold Coast Football Club announced that nationally active home builder groupMetricon Homes had signed a $3 million, 5-year deal for naming rights of Carrara Stadium, to be known henceforth asMetricon Stadium.[59] In March 2016 Metricon Homes signed a 5-year extension deal with the Suns until 25 March 2020 for the naming rights of the stadium.[60] The agreement was later extended to the end of 2022.[61] In 2023 the stadium was renamedHeritage Bank Stadium, after a contract was signed with mutual bankHeritage Bank.[62] In the same year, Heritage Bank merged withPeople's Choice Credit Union based inAdelaide, South Australia to create People First Bank. Therefore, the stadium was renamedPeople First Stadium in March 2024.
| Service | Station/stop | Line/route | Walking distance from Carrara Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
Kinetic Group | Carrara Stadium | 745 | 50 m |
Queensland Rail | Nerang | Gold Coast | 2.0 km |
The nearestrailway station isNerang, a 25-minute walk from the stadium. On match and event days, special shuttle bus services from Nerang station and Broadbeach serve the stadium. The shuttle buses travel along Route 745, a route that usually passes the stadium on non-match days. A taxi rank also operates in front of the adjacentGold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre on match days. Future transport plans for the stadium precinct include aferry service[63] and light rail extension from Broadbeach that will stop outside the stadium.[64]
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Last updated: 1 November 2022[65]
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Last updated: 11 January 2021[66]
NOTE: This table does not include stadium attendances at the2018 Commonwealth Games.
| No. | Date | Teams | Sport | Competition | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 July 2014 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Collingwood Magpies | Australian rules football | AFL | 24,032 |
| 2 | 23 July 2011 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Collingwood Magpies | Australian rules football | AFL | 23,302 |
| 3 | 29 June 2024 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Collingwood Magpies | Australian rules football | AFL | 23,029 |
| 4 | 18 March 1994 | Gold Coast Seagulls vs.Brisbane Broncos | Rugby league | NSWRL | 22,688 |
| 5 | 1 July 2023 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Collingwood Magpies | Australian rules football | AFL | 22,483 |
| 6 | 9 March 2024 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Richmond Tigers | Australian rules football | AFL | 22,086 |
| 7 | 2 June 2024 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Essendon Bombers | Australian rules football | AFL | 21,759 |
| 8 | 28 May 2011 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Geelong Cats | Australian rules football | AFL | 21,485 |
| 9 | 8 June 2014 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Sydney Swans | Australian rules football | AFL | 21,354 |
| 10 | 27 July 2024 | Gold Coast Suns vs.Brisbane Lions | Australian Rules football | AFL | 21,043 |
Last updated: 27 July 2024[67][68][69]
| No. | Date | Name of tour/event | Act/s | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 February 2023 | Love On Tour | Harry Styles | 48,177[70] |
| 2 | 13 November 2024 | Dark Matter World Tour | Pearl Jam | 46,900[71] |
| 3 | 20 February 2024 | Summer Carnival Tour | Alecia Beth Moore (Pink) | 46,000[72] |
| 4 | 29 February 2020 | The Rhapsody Tour | Queen + Adam Lambert | 39,607[73] |
| 5 | 10 December 2011 | Wasting Light Tour | Foo Fighters | 37,000[74] |
| 6 | 4 April 2018 | 2018 Commonwealth Games | Delta Goodrem,Ricki-Lee Coulter | 35,000[75] |
| 19 January 2014 | Big Day Out 2014 | Pearl Jam,Arcade Fire | 35,000[76] | |
| 26 November 2023 | Spilt Milk 2023 | Post Malone,Dom Dolla | 35,000 | |
| 9 | 24 November 2022 | We're F'n Back Tour | Guns N' Roses | 30,000[77] |
| 4 November 2023 | Got Back Tour | Paul McCartney | 30,000[78] |
Last updated: 14 November 2024
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