AFL CEO Calls For Government Funding For New Brisbane Lions HQ

Brisbane Lions proposed new headquarters.Brisbane Lions

Australian Football League CEO Gillon McLachlan will on Tuesday "make a personal pitch to the State Government for desperately needed funding" for the Brisbane Lions' new HQ, according to Andrew Hamilton of the Brisbane COURIER-MAIL. Despite the success of the Lions' AFL Women's side, "there has been no love from the State Government, which has stonewalled Brisbane at every attempt" to secure A$15M ($11.6M) to build a "boutique stadium" for the women attached to its proposed training and administration base at Springfield. McLachlan reportedly "made some progress" with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in a phone call last week. The government's budget committee met on Monday, and the Lions "hope money was earmarked" for the A$60M ($46.3M) project. If not, McLachlan has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday "to make another pitch" (COURIER-MAIL, 3/19).