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Stadium upgrade ramps up Dolphins' NRL bid

3 minute read

Redcliffe is positioning itself as the NRL's 17th club in waiting after completing work on an 11,500-capacity stadium.

Redcliffe chairman Bob Jones has declared the Dolphins "NRL ready" after the opening of an 11,500-capacity stadium bolstered their ambition to become the competition's 17th team.

The completion of the northern stand ticks another box of infrastructure achievements they say rival or better other current NRL clubs, as the Australian Rugby League Commission prepares to introduce another south-east Queensland team in 2022 or 2023.

The Brisbane Bombers, Sunshine Coast, Central Queensland, Brothers, Easts and the Ipswich-based Western Corridor have all put their hands up for a licence.

But a 40,000-strong membership base at Redcliffe Leagues Club, office space designed to run an NRL club, training and rehabilitation facilities, six Queensland Cup titles and a revenue-generating retail precinct owned by the club has Jones confident they'll get the nod.

"With this in place, the Dolphins' NRL bid now has all the ingredients to provide a strong, community-based team that would represent as a true Brisbane club in the NRL," he said.

"We have welcomed ARL Chairman Peter V'landys' comments that the NRL would be enhanced by a second Brisbane team in the NRL, and we firmly believe no other bid can match the levels of community engagement, infrastructure base and financial stability that the Dolphins NRL bid has in place."

Under the NRL bid proposal, the Dolphins would play some games at their home stadium - less than 30 minutes from the Brisbane Airport - and others at Suncorp Stadium, while also look at taking games further north to Sunshine Coast Stadium.

With the NRL announcing on Monday it would cut 25 per cent of staff as they prepare to save $50 million a year, the bid team stressed an approximate $100 million in assets would eliminate most of the start-up costs.

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