Brisbane Entertainment Centre facts for kids
Panoramic view of arena (c.2012)
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| Address | 1 Melaleuca Drive Brisbane QLD 4034 |
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| Location | Boondall |
| Owner | Stadiums Queensland |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Capacity | 13,601 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1985 |
| Opened | 20 February 1986 |
| Construction cost | A$71 million (A$205 million in 2018 dollars) |
| Builder | Watpac |
| Tenants | |
| Brisbane Bullets (NBL) (1986–97, 2007, 2016–19) Queensland Firebirds (ANZ/NNL) (2008-18) |
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The Brisbane Entertainment Centre is a huge indoor stadium in Boondall, Queensland, Australia. It's a place where many exciting events happen. This centre is managed by a company called ASM Global.
The stadium has different ways to set up its seats. This means it can be perfect for any show or event. The seating can change depending on how many people are coming. Sometimes, it's set up for a big concert. Other times, it's smaller for a more personal show. The centre also has sports areas and smaller rooms. These rooms can be rented for parties or business meetings.
Many big concerts and musical shows happen here. Famous artists like Whitney Houston, One Direction, Taylor Swift, and Shawn Mendes have performed. Musicals like Grease and Beauty and the Beast have also been staged. You can even see ice-skating shows like Disney On Ice here. The centre was also where the TV show Gladiators was filmed from 1995 to 1997.
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Getting There
The Brisbane Entertainment Centre is in Boondall. It's easy to find, right off the Gateway Motorway. You can catch a train to Boondall railway station. This station is on the Shorncliffe railway line. Taxis are another way to get there. There are also 4,000 car parking spaces if you drive. Buses do not go to the centre, even on event nights.
Inside the Centre
The centre has 11,000 fixed seats. For concerts, it can hold up to 13,601 people. This makes it the biggest indoor entertainment stadium in Brisbane. It's also the second largest permanent indoor stadium in Australia. Building the centre cost $71 million.
The centre has many different seating plans. This allows it to host all sorts of events. Here are some of the ways the seating can be set up:
| Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Standard Mode 1 | 10,021 |
| Standard Mode 2 | 7,847 |
| Standard Mode 3 | 13,601 |
| In The Round | 13,341 |
| Intimate Mode 1 | 3,167 |
| Intimate Mode 2 | 4,456 |
| Intimate Mode 3 | 5,322 |
| Intimate Mode 4 | 6,502 |
| Sports Mode 1 | 6,799 |
| Sports Mode 2 | 8,974 |
| Sports Mode 3 | 5,032 |
| Sports Mode 4 | 10,023 |
Sports Events
The Brisbane Entertainment Centre has been home to many exciting sports teams and events.
Brisbane Bullets Basketball
From 1986 to 1997, the Brisbane Entertainment Centre was the home court for the Brisbane Bullets. This team played in the NBL.
The Bullets won the 1987 NBL championship here against the Perth Wildcats. They also won their second NBL championship at this venue. In 1990, the Bullets played games 2 and 3 of the NBL Grand Final here. Game 2 set a new NBL attendance record with 13,221 fans!
In 2007, the Brisbane Bullets won their third NBL championship. They beat the Melbourne Tigers in a thrilling series. The Entertainment Centre was used for these games because their usual home was busy. The Brisbane Bullets returned to the NBL in 2016. They still play some games at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.
Queensland Firebirds Netball
The centre was also the main home for the netball team, the Queensland Firebirds. They won championships here in 2015 and 2016. In 2019, the team moved to a new stadium built just for netball.
Other Sports
The centre has also hosted big international basketball events. It co-hosted the FIBA Oceania Championship in 2007 and 2011. The Australian national basketball team won the gold medal both times.
Famous Shows and Events
The Brisbane Entertainment Centre opened on February 20, 1986. The first event featured British ice skaters Torvill and Dean.
Many famous artists and shows have visited the centre:
- In 1987, Michael Jackson performed two sold-out shows. Stevie Wonder even joined him on stage for one song!
- Eric Clapton played a sold-out concert in 1987 to 14,500 people.
- U2 performed here in 1989.
- Mariah Carey had a concert in 1998.
- Irish band Westlife performed in 2007.
- Pearl Jam has played many concerts here over the years.
- Taylor Swift first performed in Brisbane here in 2010. She returned for her Speak Now World Tour in 2012.
- Whitney Houston performed her Nothing But Love World Tour in 2010.
- Lady Gaga brought her Monster Ball Tour here in 2010.
- Katy Perry performed here in 2011, 2014, and 2018.
- The Wiggles had their Celebration Tour here in 2012. This was the last tour with the original members.
- One Direction performed for three nights in 2013. Over 30,000 fans came to see them!
- Jay-Z started his Australian tour here in 2014.
- Madonna performed here in 2016.
- Heavy metal band Black Sabbath played their final Australian show here in 2016.
- Little Mix performed in 2017.
- Ariana Grande performed for the first time here in 2017.
- Shawn Mendes performed here in 2017 and again in 2019.
- Harry Styles performed here in 2018.
- Niall Horan performed here in 2018.
- Céline Dion performed two shows in 2018.
- Cher performed here in 2018.
- Shania Twain performed here in 2018, her first show in 19 years!
Images for kids
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The grounds of the Brisbane Entertainment Centre
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Another view of the grounds
