Lang Park

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Lang Park
Suncorp Stadium, The Cauldron
Location	Milton, Brisbane, Queensland
Broke ground	1911
Opened	1914
Closed	Open
Demolished	Redeveloped 2001-2003
Owner	Queensland Government
Operator	AEG Ogden (Brisbane) Pty Ltd
Surface	Grass
Construction cost	$280,000,000 (redevelopment)
Architect	HOK and PDT
Former names	Suncorp-Metway Stadium
Tenants	Queensland (State of Origin) (1980 - ) Brisbane Broncos (NRL) (1988 - 1992, 2003 - ) Queensland Roar (A-League) (2005 - ) Queensland Reds (Super 14) (2005 - )
Capacity	52,500

Lang Park, presently known as Suncorp Stadium, is a rectangular sporting stadium located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia. Built on the site of a cemetery, the stadium has been the home of rugby league football in Queensland since 1957 and today also hosts rugby union and football (soccer) matches. It will host the 2008 Rugby League World Cup Final.

[edit] History

[edit] Origins

The site of Lang Park was originally the North Brisbane Burial Grounds, and until 1875 was Brisbane's primary cemetery. By 1911 the area was heavily populated, so the Paddington Cemeteries Act (1911) was introduced and the site was redeveloped as a recreational site. In 1914 it was fenced off and named Lang Park after John Dunmore Lang.^[1]

In 1953 the Brisbane Rugby League (BRL) amalgamated with the Queensland Rugby League (QRL). QRL secretary Ron McAullife negotiated a 21 year lease of Lang Park from the Brisbane City Council in order to give the QRL a financially viable base of operations. The park had only the most basic facilities, and the QRL contributed £17,000 to its development.

Lang Park hosted its first game of first grade rugby league during the 1930s, with regular BRL games commencing there in 1955. In 1958 it hosted its first Brisbane rugby league grand final in which Brothers defeated Valleys 22 points to 7.^[2]

As the ground was used increasingly by the QRL it became no longer viable for use as a public recreation facility. In 1962 the Lang Park Trust was created under an act of Parliament. This allowed for the construction of the Frank Burke Stand (1962), Ron McAuliffe Stand (1975) and the Western Grandstand (1994). The Trust had on its board one member from the Queensland Government, one member from the Brisbane City Council, two members from the Queensland Rugby League and one member from the Brisbane Rugby League.^[3]

On February 11, 1950 the official opening of the Lang Park Police Citizens Youth Club took place and youth activities commenced because of the concerns with the increase of juvenille delinquency. Activities such as boxing, wrestling, basketball and gymnastics all occur at these premises to today.

From the 1960s Lang Park hosted interstate and international rugby league, including the inaugural Rugby League State of Origin match. Up until 1972, it was the home ground of the Western Suburbs Panthers and from 1988 to 1992 it was also the home ground of the Brisbane Broncos.

In 1994 the stadium's name was changed to Suncorp Stadium when naming sponshorship was attained by Queensland financial institution, Suncorp-Metway Limited.

On 25 May 1997 the 1996/1997 National Soccer League Grand final was played in front of then a capacity crowd of 40,446 where the Brisbane Strikers defeated Sydney United 2-0.

[edit] Redevelopment

Suncorp Stadium. The photo also shows part of a mural depicting some Queensland legends of the game. (outside the entrance to the stadium)

In the late 1990s it was decided that Brisbane needed a state of the art football stadium, and after much debate about the location, Lang Park (now known as Suncorp Stadium) was chosen as the site.

At a cost of $280,000,000 the redevelopment was completed in 2003. The redeveloped stadium's first event was a National Rugby League match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Newcastle Knights on 1 June 2003. The only remaining stand from before the redevelopment is the Western Grandstand. The extension of the facility resulted in the demolition of a number of buildings along Milton Road, including the former Brisbane City Council trolley-bus depot.

During their relocating year, the Broncos only recorded one win at Suncorp, against the Sydney Roosters in Round 16, 2003, unlike one loss at ANZ Stadium in round 5, 2003, against the New Zealand Warriors.

The stadium design allows most spectators to sit close to the field. Following its redevelopment, questions were raised about the standard of the surface, which was soft underfoot and sandy and was blamed for a spate of injuries to footballers using it (temporarily earning the stadium the nickname "Sandcorp Stadium" [4]). Prior to the redevelopment, the stadium was known as "The Cauldron", and Queensland fans developed a reputation for vocal support of their teams, adding to this mythology.

Much of this mythology centred around the Queensland State of Origin Team who play their home games at the stadium. The Maroons were viewed as almost unbeatable in front of their fanatical home supporters, however the first games played after the redevelopment of the stadium ended in victories to the visiting team. While the home fans are beginning to reassert themselves, many believe that the aura of invincibility that home teams have at the stadium has been permanently lost.

[edit] Today

Although the stadium has been the traditional home of rugby league in Queensland, it has also become the state's premier venue for rugby union & soccer. The re-developed Suncorp Stadium first hosted rugby union games at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and in 2006, the stadium became the new home of the Queensland Reds Super 14 team when they moved from their former home at Ballymore Stadium.[5] This move caused some disquiet amongst rugby traditionalists however was accepted by Queensland Rugby Union CEO Theo Psaros, who said that "our hearts may be at Ballymore but our heads say it's time to move."[6]. The previous year to the reds move the newly established football (soccer) team Queensland Roar FC of the A-League also elected to play their home games at Suncorp Stadium.

On July 29, 2006 the Bledisloe Cup clash between Australia and the All Blacks returned to Brisbane for the first time in over a decade for the 2006 Tri Nations Series. Though Australia narrowly lost the match, the game saw a new ground record set.

A month later on the 7th of October the stadium hosted a 1-1 friendly football (soccer) game between Australia and Paraguay in which four Socceroos Tony Vidmar, Stan Lazaridis, Zeljko Kalac & goal scorer Tony Popovic retired from international football.

On Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 December, Suncorp Stadium hosted its first music concert since the 1980s and the stadium's redevelopment when Robbie Williams performed in front of two 52,413 sell-out crowds during his "Close Encounters" tour of Australia.

The stadium is also home to the Lang Park Police Citizens Youth Club which has had ongoing accessibility problems since the redevelopment with closures occurring for each major event. This has had a negative impact upon amateur sport participating particularly in the inner Brisbane area.

[edit] Crowd Averages

[edit] Popular culture

In the 1980s Wally Lewis became known as The Emperor of Lang Park after his performances in Rugby League State of Origin matches played at the ground. Brisbane-based beer XXXX, which is brewed at the nearby Castlemaine Brewery, ran a television advertisement celebrating this title in song.

Here's to Wally Lewis for lacing on a boot

Sometimes he plays it rugged, sometimes he plays it cute

He slices through a backline like a Stradbroke Island shark

There's glue on all his fingers, he's the Emperor of Lang Park^[7]

There is a bronze statue of Wally Lewis erected outside the stadium.

The stadium has been nicknamed Fortress Suncorp for the Wallabies due to their impressive record at the redeveloped venue.^[8]

It is also known colloquially in rugby league circles as "the Cauldron", especially by visiting teams. This is due to how difficult it is for visiting teams to escape with a win under their belt, and the fact that when large crowds are present verbal communication is almost non-existent between players as their voices are inevitably lost beneath the roar of the crowd.

[edit] Accessibility

[edit] Facts

[edit] References

1. ^ Gallaway, Jack Origin: Rugby League's Greatest Contest 1980-2002 University of Queensland Press, 2003 ISBN 0-7022-3383-8
2. ^ McGregor, Adrian King Wally University of Queensland Press, 1986 ISBN 0-7022-2037-X
3. ^ Mallory, Greg "Key 'Milestones' Affecting Community and Administration in the Brisbane Rugby League: 1922 -1987" retrieved December 7, 2005
4. ^ Suncorp Stadium History retrieved December 5, 2005
5. Suncorp Stadium by the Queensland Government Major Sports Facilities Authority, retrieved December 6, 2005
6. Suncorp Stadium Redevelopment retrieved December 6, 2005
7. ^ Time to deliver accessed July 19, 2006.

[edit] External links

• Suncorp Stadium - Official site
• Lang Park at Austadiums

Coordinates: 27°27′53.45″S, 153°0′34.45″E