The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has expanded its property portfolio with the acquisition of a building adjacent to Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium currently leased by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL). This marks the seventh property purchase in a four-year period, as the ARLC continues to build its asset base in a strategic push to secure the financial future of rugby league in Australia.

The newly acquired property, located in Milton’s Lang Park precinct, adds to the ARLC’s growing real estate holdings in Queensland. Property records indicate the commercial site on Castlemaine Street was purchased for $8.9 million in 2016, with current market estimates placing its value at approximately $15.5 million. The QRL will maintain its lease without disruption, according to ARLC chief executive Peter V’landys.

V’landys, who has overseen the commission’s increasingly aggressive property expansion since 2022, emphasized the financial benefits of owning rather than leasing key properties. “It’s a good return on investment on the building, so why pay rent when we can have our own assets?” he said during a recent visit to the Brisbane Broncos’ headquarters.

This latest acquisition reinforces the ARLC’s footprint in Queensland. The commission already owns the Beetson Hotel (formerly the Gambaro Hotel), named after Maroons legend Arthur Beetson, as well as the Mercure Hotel on the Sunshine Coast and the Mantra Hotel in Brisbane—both acquired as part of a $43 million transaction in late 2024. Combined, these holdings represent a significant investment in the Sunshine State’s hospitality and commercial sectors.

The commission’s property strategy is supported by the recent $5.3 billion television rights deal secured for the National Rugby League (NRL), providing the financial capacity to target further acquisitions. This strategy aims to safeguard the sport’s economic stability, especially in light of financial difficulties experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the Milton purchase, the ARLC is in the final stages of negotiations to acquire a 400-room hotel at Wolli Creek in Sydney, with the estimated value of the deal at $115 million. V’landys called the move a necessary step to prevent future fiscal crises for the sport. “We never want to be in a position again where we are nearly bankrupt,” he said.

The ARLC reported net assets of $387.3 million in February, reflecting a 20 percent increase over the previous year and a 573 percent rise since 2016. V’landys outlined ambitious plans to grow assets to $500 million in the near term, with a longer-term goal of reaching $1 billion by the conclusion of the broadcast rights deal in 2034. “We’re still going and still looking for more properties,” he noted, underscoring the commission’s commitment to securing rugby league’s financial future through real estate investment.