The Gold Coast Football Club has been five years in the making.
The AFL has worked in conjunction with the Gold Coast City Council, Queensland
State Government and local Gold Coast community to establish an AFL team on the Gold Coast. Over a five year period prior to the GC17 bid, the AFL conducted a feasibility study which looked at the economic and social viability of a football team and the benefits to the community it would create. The AFL researched local businesses, schools, AFL clubs and community programs to ensure that the Gold Coast would support and embrace AFL on the coast.

The bid process was formalised on April 22, 2008 and strict criteria involving both on and off-field sustainability was created, this criteria needed to be met in order for the GC17 to be granted an AFL license. The GC17 bid process established the structural elements and framework of the Gold Coast Football Club. The criteria involved creating a strong commercial, economic and community base. Sponsorship, maximising revenue opportunities, engaging the local community and creating our own identity within the diversified Gold Coast community were set objectives met by the bid. The feedback from the community was phenomenal with 42000 Gold Coast residents registering their support for an AFL team on the coast. On March the 31st 2009, Andrew Demetriou officially rewarded GC17 with the 17th AFL license and the Gold Coast Football Club will join the AFL in 2011.

Carrara football stadium will be redeveloped to accommodate 25,000 fans with funding grants from the Gold Coast City Council ($20m), federal and state government ($86m) and $10m from the AFL.

Appointing key administration and football department staff to execute a sustainable business plan and football strategy has been set in place. Coach Guy McKenna and Football Manager Marcus Ashcroft have assembled a football department with assistant coaches Ken Hinkley and Shaun Hart.

In 2009 the club competed in the Under 18 TAC Cup competition with a talented crop of young Queensland players. In 2010 the club will compete in the VFL competition before joining AFL in 2011.

Respected AFL recruiters Scott Clayton and Dom Ambrogio are developing the
playing list and they will work through the available talent and recruit the best
available players for the Club within the AFL guidelines that have been developed for recruitment.

We will look closely at our list and who we need to recruit so that we can hit the ground running in 2011.