Deal: Hopgood Ganim has advised the Brisbane Lions on the relocation of its training and administration base. 

Value: $80 million 

Area: Corporate advisory 

Key players: HopgoodGanim’s senior practitioners include partners Nicole Radice (relationships manager), Blake Frost (construction), Ivan Orola (property) and Darrell Jardine (hospitality and tourism). 

Deal significance: The $80 million facility built at Brighton Homes Arena at Springfield, Ipswich, represents the biggest investment in an AFL club training precinct in history.

The firm has provided a suite of legal services, advising the AFL club across corporate governance, property, employment, litigation and general commercial contractual matters.

“HopgoodGanim is proud to be involved in this significant sports project with the Brisbane Lions, with the new stadium anticipated to bring broader benefits for the community,” said HopgoodGanim partner Nicole Radice.

The high-performance facility will also be the first in AFL history to cater to both men’s and women’s teams. 

Brisbane Lions chief financial officer Kevin Samson commented on the relocation. He said: “We are raising the bar for AFL high performance with this new facility at Springfield, particularly for women in sport.

“The valuable support we’ve received from companies such as HopgoodGanim Lawyers has helped us get set up in this stadium, which will be an important base for AFL in Queensland into the future.” 

HopgoodGanim’s team is now negotiating avenues and pathways with businesses such as gyms and for café operators to explore future development and use of the facility.

“We have advised on legal matters from the underlying transaction and related tenure for the stadium right through to helping negotiate complex funding agreements for the facility at a state, federal and council level,” HopgoodGanim partner Ivan Orola explained.  

The building of the facility was largely funded by a $20 million contribution from Ipswich City Council, $18 million from the Queensland government, and $15 million from the Australian government, in addition to investments from the Brisbane Lions and the AFL.