Carrara Stadium (known commercially as
Metricon Stadium) is a sporting venue on the
Gold Coast in
Queensland,
Australia, located in the suburb of
Carrara.
It received substantial redevelopment work prior to the entry of the
Brisbane Bears to the
VFL/AFL in 1987, but since the Bears relocated to
the Gabba in 1993, it has been used for other sports including
rugby league,
rugby union and even
baseball.
History
Carrara Stadium was redeveloped by
Christopher Skase after the
Brisbane Bears were granted a licence to enter the
VFL Australian rules football competition. The stadium was built with makeshift stands designed for night games and to maximise the television audience. The
Fitzroy Football Club defeated the Brisbane Bears in the first VFL game played at Carrara Oval before a crowd of 17,795 in 1987. (The
Brisbane Lions website records this crowd as 22,684, however the stadium did not have this capacity in 1987.)
The Bears' onfield performance was poor and VFL crowds at Carrara Stadium never reached these heights again. In 1993 the Bears relocated to
the Gabba.
The ground was owned by the Albert Shire Council and...
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