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The Queensland government has re-appointed ASM Global as manager of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in Australia.
ASM Global Asia Pacific, which runs venues across Australia, New Zealand, the Asia Pacific and Middle East, has managed Suncorp Stadium since its redevelopment in 2003 and has now been granted a five-year extension following a formal tender process.
ASM Global Asia Pacific chair and CEO Harvey Lister AM says the company is honoured to be re-appointed as venue manager, which he said reflected the Queensland’s Government’s continuing faith and trust in the firm’s ability to manage the stadium to a world class standard.
Suncorp Stadium GM Alan Graham paid tribute to the work of the stadium management team.
“ASM Global has assisted us in continuing to take advantage of the latest innovations and cutting-edge technology”
“It is also fortunate that we are part of a world-wide network in ASM Global which has assisted us in continuing to take advantage of the latest innovations and cutting-edge technology ensuring the Suncorp Stadium team remains amongst the most elite in the world,” adds Graham.
It was recently revealed that the number of concerts permitted at the stadium could be set to double over the next two years to meet increased post-pandemic demand.
The 52,500-cap stadium is currently allowed to host a maximum of six gigs per year and already has shows lined up for 2023 by Elton John (21 January), Red Hot Chili Peppers (29 January) and three dates with Ed Sheeran (17-19 February).
But with a growing number of high-profile artists looking to tour the country post-Covid, the government is surveying residents and businesses for their views on temporarily raising the venue’s live music quota.
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The number of concerts permitted at Australia’s Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane could be set to double over the next two years to meet increased post-pandemic demand, under plans being considered by Queensland government.
The 52,500-cap stadium is currently allowed to host a maximum of six gigs per year and already has shows lined up for 2023 by Elton John (21 January), Red Hot Chili Peppers (29 January) and three dates with Ed Sheeran (17-19 February).
But with a growing number of high-profile artists looking to tour the country post-Covid, the government is surveying residents and businesses for their views on temporarily raising the venue’s live music quota.
“Suncorp Stadium is well equipped to host major concerts and has been doing so since 2006,” notes the survey, which is being conducted by sport and recreation within the department of tourism, innovation and sport.
“Following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions on international travel, there are increasing numbers of major international artists seeking stadium-sized concert venues in Australia”
“Following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions on international travel, there are increasing numbers of major international artists seeking stadium-sized concert venues in Australia,” it continues. “This survey is to understand whether Queenslanders, and in particular local residents and businesses, support a temporary increase in the maximum number of concerts permitted at Suncorp Stadium from up to six concerts per year (current maximum) to up to 12 concerts per year in 2023 and 2024 only.
“The results of this survey will be used to inform future decisions about the maximum number of concerts that can be held at Suncorp Stadium.”
The venue has previously hosted the likes of Robbie Williams, Coldplay, U2, The Police, Bon Jovi, Eminem, Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney, and is due to hold its first post-pandemic concert with the visit of Guns N’ Roses on 22 November.
According to The Music Network, the current annual cap of six was imposed in 2014 under the Major Sports Facilities Regulation due to concerns over traffic management, noise, pitch condition and operational hours.
TMN also reports that the City of Gold Coast is also investigating a new 8,000-12,000-seat stadium to stage mid-ranged shows, and the Victorian Government embarking on a programme of turning old regional buildings for music and arts purposes.
In Melbourne meanwhile, the City of Port Phillip has given the go-ahead for a feasibility study on a new music venue being built next to the Palais Theatre in St. Kilda.
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Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane has set a record for the highest attendance since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March.
The 52,500-capacity stadium welcomed 49,155 fans to last night’s State of Origin rugby finale between Queensland and New South Wales, eclipsing the 46,000 figure for last month’s Bledisloe Cup rugby union match between New Zealand and Australia at Auckland’s Eden Park.
The open-air stadium was permitted to operate at full capacity after Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk lifted the 75% capacity restriction the day before (17 November).
Palaszczuk also announced that seated and ticketed indoor events like concerts are permitted to increase patron numbers from 50% to 100% and outdoor events can host up to 1,500 people. Social distancing has increased to one person per two square metres.
Suncorp Stadium will also host a date of the first stadium tour announced since the outbreak of Covid-19.
“GNR’s 2021 Australia and New Zealand tour is the light at the end of the bleak tunnel we’ve all negotiated this year”
Guns N’ Roses (GNR) will embark on a stadium tour of Australia and New Zealand in November 2021, stopping off at the Brisbane stadium as well as ANZ Stadium (cap. 83,500) in Syndey, Optus Stadium (60,000) in Perth and more.
Paul Dainty, president and CEO of TEG Dainty, which is promoting the tour says: “As the first stadium tour announcement since the advent of Covid-19 and border closures pressed pause on touring, it’s fair to say our appetite for live music performances by international megastars has peaked and in GNR we trust!
“GNR’s 2021 Australia and New Zealand tour is the light at the end of the bleak tunnel we’ve all negotiated this year. All aboard the Nightrain to Paradise City for what promises to be a heaving celebration of the unbreakable human spirit!”
Australia is also set to host its first arena shows since the shutdown of the concert business in March, organised by TEG, Live Nation and the government of New South Wales (NSW).
The Greatest Southern Nights shows will play to more than 12,000 fans at Qudos Bank Arena (21,000-cap.) over two nights in a seated, ‘Covid-safe’ setting on 28 November and 5 December.
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A man has been fined A$1,050 (US$805) for flying a drone over Ed Sheeran’s show in Brisbane on 21 March.
Sheeran’s record-breaking ÷ world tour touched down in Australia on 1 March, visiting Brisbane’s 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium on the 20th and 21st.
According to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which issued the fine for the “hazardous operation of a drone”, the unmanned aircraft was flown at night, in a populous area, within 30 metres of people and beyond line of sight – all prohibited under Australian drone safety regulations.
Queensland police identified the Brisbane-based man flying the drone and provided CASA with evidence of the flight, according to the aviation authority.
Will Robley of Quantum Aviation spoke at ILMC in March about the anti-drone technology used by the company to prevent use of the aircraft at events, against a background of drones now being used to carry weapons or even being used as weapons themselves. “Your event security should consider the threat from above,” he warned.
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A 33-year-old man has been arrested and charged with fraud after allegedly taking money for non-existent tickets to this week’s Ed Sheeran show in Brisbane.
In a move welcomed by AEG Ogden, operator of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium (52,500-cap.), Queensland police has charged the man with two counts of fraud after he was discovered to have allegedly “contacted interested concertgoers on a non-authorised online ticket platform and offered to sell them tickets”. The victims, all women aged between 40 and 55, paid the man via bank transfer but never received the tickets.
“This is another clear example of buyer beware,” says Queensland police’s Detective Superintendent Terry Lawrence. “I urge entertainment ticket buyers and all buyers of online products to keep control of their purchase.
“Only use the official authorised sellers and their platforms. Do not move away from those platforms to buy tickets or items, particularly if asked to. It is most likely you are being scammed.”
“This is another clear example of buyer beware”
AEG Ogden’s chief operating officer, Rod Pilbeam, comments: “More than 100,000 tickets have been sold for next week’s concerts. However, if they were not purchased through the authorised agent, Ticketek, there could be cause for concern.”
Pilbeam says ticket touting is a “multi-million dollar industry that has attracted major criminal groups and tempted major companies to participate in the easy profits that flow from this deceit”, adding that “patrons should buy their tickets only from the authorised ticket outlet”, which for Suncorp Stadium is TEG’s Ticketek.
Sheeran’s ÷ world tour has broken records down under, selling more than 1m tickets for 18 dates across Australia and New Zealand. He will play Suncorp Stadium on Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 March.
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