Darren Burden to Lead Suncorp Stadium as General Manager
Darren Burden is the new general manager of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
Legends ASM recruits the venues veteran from Hong Kong’s recently-opened Kai Tak Sports Park, where he currently serves as executive director.
Across his career, Burden has delivered over 4,000 events in stadium management including Rugby World Cups, Rugby League World Cups, FIFA U20, International Cricket, and the Hong Kong Sevens.
“Since 2019,” comments Legends ASM (APAC & MENA Global chairman and CEO Harvey Lister, “Darren has led the commercial and operations functions of the precinct through design development and pre-opening periods and into the operation stage, including conducting extensive test events before opening with the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, followed by four sellouts with Coldplay and most recently a capacity crowd for the first international football match.”
Darren Burden
At the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium, Burden replaces the retiring GM Alan Graham.
It was Graham who introduced concerts to the venue, starting with Robbie Williams back in 2006. Since then, the likes of Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, U2, Bon Jovi, Sir Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Eminem, Coldplay, Phil Collins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pink, Luke Combs, Foo Fighters, and many others have passed through its gates.
Burden joins the Legends ASM team in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Located in Milton, neighbouring the iconic XXXX brewery and on the fringe of the CBD, Suncorp Stadium is expected to play an important role at the Games by hosting soccer and rugby sevens fixtures.
The new arrival is both experienced and highly decorated, having won the Asia Pacific Venue Management Association Venue Professional of the Year Award in 2018.
Also, he led New Zealand’s Vbase (now Venues Otautahi) as CEO operating Christchurch’s leading convention, entertainment, cultural and sporting venues, and was in the drivers’ seat for the development of the 30,000-capacity Forsyth Barr Stadium for the Carisbrook Stadium Trust in Dunedin, and led Dunedin Venues Management as CEO.
Legends ASM has managed Suncorp Stadium on behalf of Stadiums Queensland since its renovation in 2003, the year Australia hosted the Men’s Rugby World Cup.