If Queensland Rugby Union boss David Hanham had a dollar for every person who said they've "heard it all before" on the promise of a Ballymore redevelopment, he reckons he could have funded the multi-million dollar works himself.
The iconic ground in Brisbane's inner north, once the envy of sporting codes across the state, is now a decaying mess, a $1 million-a-year drain on the QRU's hardly burgeoning coffers.
But here's the Ballymore conundrum. It's a liability the code cannot afford - but a facility they cannot live without.
Permanent home to the Reds, the Queensland women's XV and state men's and women's sevens programs, as well as the QRU administration, the facility is also the physical and spiritual heartland of rugby in Queensland.
Its three fields play host not only to elite programs but to games for schools, clubs and junior organisations that are the lifeblood of the game.
So the state body continues to haemorrhage money as the once grand facility, allocated in 1966 under a Deed of Grant in Trust by the State Government continues to fall into disrepair.
But a new dawn is on the horizon after the AFL made a $15 million funding commitment to a $35 million redevelopment of the site if it wins next weekend's federal election.
Rugby Australia's decision to back Ballymore as the national headquarters for women's rugby gives the project greater bredth, while World Rugby is also interested in using the facility as an Asia-Pacific Centre of Excellence.
Hanham said literally years of work had gone into gaining the commitment.
"Honestly, we've been working on this for five or six years but particularly over the last 18 months, really working closely with Rugby Australia and all levels of government - federal, state and local council - around not only the need to fix an ageing facility, but bringing it to life around seeing it as a national centre for the women's game, which I think is outstanding," he said.
"We've all worked hard to grow the sport but a pathway for the women to use this as a High Performance Centre is critical.
WATCH | Hear all the details of Ballymore's propsed redevelopment into a world-class sporting precinct following the Australian @AustralianLabor $15 million election commitment announced this morning.
— Queensland Reds (@Reds_Rugby) May 9, 2019
Watch video here: https://t.co/WlzwiUh46c#Ballymore #rugbyfamily pic.twitter.com/1nXJbafUWT
"There's a lot of people that have worked over a long period of time to get it to this point, so it's a pretty proud moment for the organisation.
"And I know Rugby Australia see enormous value in this being a hub for the game."
Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle, in fact called a Ballymore solution "the number one infrastructure priority for the game in Australia".
“It is critical to the development of the game both in Queensland and nationally,” Castle said of the proposed National Rugby Training Centre (NTRC).
“While we already have key staff based in Brisbane, having a world class centre for our women’s XVs programs at Ballymore will allow them to continue to grow – Queensland now has more than 16,000 women and girls playing the game and those numbers are rising rapidly.
“The NRTC will also become an option for Wallabies training camps and a base for national development programs.”
While the spread of rugby continues around Australia, particularly in the women's game, Queensland and NSW remain the sport's biggest base and the health of the game north of the border is crucial for the continued success of the sport throughout Australia.
While Shadow Minister for Sport Don Farrell and Labor candidate for the seat of Brisbane, Dr Paul Newbury made the funding announcement at Ballymore on Thursday, the project is far from set in stone.
Newbury has lobbied his party hard for funding, the proud dad whose daughters enjoy a multitude of sports buying into the idea that the redevelopment will ensure Ballymore is a precinct not just for elite male sport but a truly inclusive sporting area and community space.
But even if Labor win the election, the project is not shovel ready, with state and local governments still to come on board, although the QRU and Rugby Australia in "advanced discussions" with the Palaszczuk Government and hopeful they will match the $15 million federal funding.
Discussions have also been held with Member for Brisbane Trevor Evans, with QRU and ARU officials hopeful the Liberal National Party will match the ALP's commitment ahead of next week's election.
A spokesman for Evans said he continued to lobby for a commitment for Ballymore.
"Trevor continues to have discussions with colleagues in Canberra and push the case," the spokesman said.
The promise of an upgrade for the dilapidated facility has been made many times in the past, including in 2007 when a $25 million funding commitment was made by Prime Minister John Howard before the project was the project was torpedoed the following year by Kevin Rudd after Labor won the election.
So the irony of this week's $15 million election commitment by the ALP has not been lost.
The delicate dance all groups lobbying for funding for their projects must perform with political parties is a tough one.
Rugby Australia last week secured a $1 million funding package from the Morrison Government for a feasibility study into its prospective bid for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Officials from the QRU and RA have taken part in meetings with Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie and are unlikely to be disturbed by which side of the political divide funding comes from.
Hanham is focussed on just one target - keeping rugby strong in Queensland and helping grow the sport in the Sunshine State and nationally.
"Our purpose is to grow the sport, develop the sport, try and lead that nationally," he said.
"And Ballymore is a hub to that.
"One of our key goals over the next three years is to be world leaders in coaching out of Queensland and coach development is probably the most important investment we can make into improving the experience for everyone playing the game but also the quality of players.
"And Ballymore is a hub for that education and development.
"Ballymore is one of our major assets and if it's performing, then it's only going to mean more investment into the community game across Queensland.
"And that's not spoken about as much. People talk about the cost of Ballymore and the loss it makes, we turn that around, it means more investment.
"That's more investment to grow the sport, more kids playing the game, more people inspired, a great home for the Reds - they need it, like everyone else in other sports is getting high-quality facilities and we need to be ahead of that."
If something is not done though, more heartache is ahead for the QRU. The organisation made a loss last financial year, ostensibly because of the failure of collapsed property group Majella to honour a seven-figure sponsorship and more than $350,000 in 'onerous' contract payments to departed Reds trio Quade Cooper, James Slipper and Karmichael Hunt.
But Ballymore is an ongoing problem that needs an urgent solution.
"It's been publicised, it's a $1.6 million cost and it loses over $1 million (per year)," Hanham said.
"So that's $1 million a year going out of rugby to try and patch together an old facility that's ageing, when if we get that solution, it's a big step forward and it just means so much more for the game.
"And it's a sustainable business model that secures Queensland rugby's longterm future.
"Unashamedly, I've always said that Ballymore is our no.1 priority.
"I know what it means, not only to the balance sheet and the P&L (profit and loss) but I know what it means to the investment we can start making to the community game and also supporting the Reds, our Super W program.
"It just gives us a stable footing."
Queensland Women's XV captain and Wallaroos player Kiri Lingman would be among those to benefit if the redevelopment goes ahead, able to benefit from cutting edge medical and rehabilitation facilities that are planned for the building that will replace the McLean Stand, as well as having access to women's change room facilities that are not part of the current set-up.
"We love Ballymore, we love playing here, we train here every week," Lingman said.
"It's something quite special. It's quite a sacred ground for rugby for Queensland and Brisbane, so to still be able to be here but have that updated facility and high performance centre for us to be able to grow our program is fantastic."
Former Reds captain Scott Higginbotham, who will join Bordeaux after this Super Rugby season, is unlikely to be around to see the changes first hand but said a redevelopment would be great for not only the facility but the game.
"I've been coming in and out of this place since 2005 and to finally see this great bit of real estate finally being used to its full potential, will be great for the community around Brisbane," Higginbotham said.
"This was one of the first places I saw a rugby game was at Ballymore watching the Queensland Reds in the late 90s.
"There's so many rugby players that have come out of the Queensland or Brisbane grassroots football.
"It is one of the homes of rugby in Australia and we need to use it to its full potential and really harness those young guys and let them get to their full potential in the best facilities they can."
The sweet smell of nostalgia quickly evaporates once you look closely at the Ballymore site.
But Hanham, who remembers celebrating his birthday in the playground behind the McLean Stand and engaging in car boot picnics as so many Brisbane families did in the early days of the complex, understands the importance of the site to so many in the sport.
The QRU's Perpetual Ground Members will maintain their seats in the new 3000-seat stand that will sit on footprint of the current McLean stand and the iconic hill will remain - and be extended - giving Ballymore a family-friendly seating option many modern stadiums cannot match.
"Back in the day, you came to Ballymore for the event," Hanham said.
"The rugby wasn't the sideshow but it was almost like: 'I'm going to Ballymore. Why? It's a great event.'
"And that's because it had an identity and it had something that was different.
"Suncorp (Stadium) is a great event, it's just a different experience. We want to have our own identity that fits. Ballymore is more than just a rugby facility.
"It is a genuine hub for the community as well and that's an important part. We actually want to have a facility that invites people in.
"And that's what state government and feds and local council are very keen on, the way we've approached it, they see the value in it."
The QRU has taken plenty of flak over the years for its failure to find a Ballymore solution but Hanham hopes years of work could pay off soon.
"These things do take time and we've made a big step forward (with the ALP election pledge)," he said.
"We've got four key goals for our three-year plan. Deliver a world-class sports and community precinct; be leaders in coaching - and that's coach development from the bottom up to what we do at our top programs; win a Super Rugby championship; and grow our participation rates to over 100,000.
"We're absolutely focussed on delivering all four of those - financial security, stability, starting to be more strategic and building a legacy for the game.
"So to get a step forward on one of those major pillars (through the Ballymore funding commitment), we're happy but we know there's still time to go to get things wrapped up because we've got (to get) state and local council involved.
"When it comes to talking about stuff, we want to announce it, but you've got to be careful because people have heard it before."
If he had a dollar for every time, he'd be a rich man indeed.
