THE BRISBANE Lions have officially confirmed Brisbane Airport as its preferred option for a new training and administration base.
In a statement published on its club website, the Lions say the Airport emerged as the best option after a "thorough scoping process" and has been approved by the club's board.
They also investigated the current off-season training venue at Coorparoo as a potential upgrade option, along with the old QE2 Stadium that was used for the 1982 Commonwealth Games.
CEO Greg Swann said the Airport ticked all the boxes.
"From a club perspective, building a national-standard training and administration home is the key to further developing our players and staff, as well as attracting talent into the future," Swann said.
"The opportunity to create a much-needed community hub at Brisbane Airport is also really attractive.
"It will increase our engagement with fans and the local community, which is a key pillar of our club strategy."
The one catch though is the Lions still need funding.
They are working closely with the AFL and are currently in negotiations with the Brisbane City Council and Queensland and Federal government representatives.
The club says its choice for the Airport was based on proximity to central Brisbane – it's 20 minutes from the Gabba and is well serviced by road and transport networks.
It also considered space for the club’s current needs and future expansion, elite turf oval and synthetic training field options, accessibility to the club's academy catchment and land tenure arrangements.