Stadium Mackay

Stadium Mackay, currently known as its sponsored name BB Print Stadium Mackay, is a rectangular football stadium situated in Mackay, Queensland, Australia. The stadium is home to the Intrust Super Cup's Absolute Enterprises's Mackay Cutters and Queensland State League's Whitsunday Miners.

BB Print Stadium Mackay
LocationCnr Casey Ave & Bridge Road, Mackay, Queensland
Coordinates21°9′49″S 149°11′2″E
OwnerMackay Regional Council
Capacity12,200 [1]
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke ground2010
Built2011
Opened20 August 2011 (2011-08-20)
Construction costA$ 11.3 million
ArchitectAlan Griffith Architect
Tenants
Mackay Cutters (QLD Cup) (2011–present)
Whitsunday Miners (QSL) (2011–present)
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (NRL) (2012–2013)
Queensland County (National Rugby Championship) (2018)
Website
http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/community/council_facilities2/stadium_mackay

The 2016 to 2020 naming rights deal is the first time a local business has been given naming rights to the stadium and was one of the deciding factors by Mackay Regional Council and CAS Ltd (the board overseeing BB Print Stadium Mackay). BB Print Stadium Mackay was previously known as Virgin Stadium Australia.

Stadium

The 12,200 capacity stadium was funded by the Australian Government at a cost of 11.3 million and opened on 20 August 2011 at a Mackay Cutters home game.[2] The stadium consists of a western grandstand that can accommodate 2,000 people including 10 corporate boxes, 6 corporate suites and broadcast box.[3] 2.5 million of the total 11.3 million cost of the stadium was spent on installing lighting that is of NRL and television standard so that the stadium could possible host regular season NRL matches.[4] On 1 March 2016 it was announced that the grounds would be renamed to BB Print Stadium Mackay after BB Print purchased the naming rights to the stadium.[5]

On Sunday 24 June 2012, BB Print Stadium Mackay hosted its first NRL game when the 2nd placed Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs played a 'home' game at the venue against the ladder leading Melbourne Storm in Round 16 of the 2012 NRL season, the NRL's Women in League Round. In front of a ground record crowd of 11,876 the Bulldogs defeated the Storm 20-4 with Mackay product Ben Barba setting up one of the tries of the season for Bulldogs team mate Josh Morris. Barba fielded a Storm kick only one metre from the dead ball line, then evaded his opposition and ran 70 metres down field before centre kicking for Morris to score next to the posts for what was a 109-metre try.

The stadium hosted its second NRL game on 7 July 2013 when the Bulldogs hosted the Newcastle Knights in Round 17 of the 2013 NRL season.

The stadium hosted a pre-season match between A-League clubs Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC on 16 September 2012.[6]

On 15 September 2018 BB Print Stadium hosted professional Rugby Union when Queensland Country defeated Fijian Drua 52-22 in a National Rugby Championship match in front of 1200 fans.

BB Print Stadium Mackay is home to the Intrust Super Cup's Absolute Enterprises Mackay Cutters and has also hosted; NRL games, the internationally televised Professional Bull Riders (PBR) events, Nitro Circus and Monster Trucks along with the highly successful Kiss concert.

References
  1. Clare, Bianca. "Work to start on new stadium". The Daily Mercury. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  2. Williams, Tom. "It's game on for Miners". The Daily Mercury. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  3. Bastable, Kate. "Countdown is on for kickoff". The Daily Mercury. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  4. Newborn, Jamie. "Light towers go up at stadium". The Daily Mercury. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  5. "Virgin sponsors Stadium Mackay". The Daily Mercury. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  6. "Brisbane to roar into our stadium". The Daily Mercury. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
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