THE Titans will hold urgent talks with the Queensland government after revelations they are paying on average $1.25 million more than other NRL clubs to use their home ground.

The Titans even considered hosting games at the home of AFL rivals the Suns due to a crippling $2 million bill for hiring Cbus Super Stadium.

An NRL report, compiled by Asia-Pacific giant PricewaterhouseCoopers, laid bare the enormous financial strain of stadium hire that helped bring the Titans to their knees.

media_camera Titans training at Cbus Stadium. Pic by Luke Marsden.

The study showed NRL clubs, on average, outlay $750,000 annually for stadium rental and game day costs. The Titans paid $2 million last season to play at Robina, 166 per cent more than the bill most NRL competitors face for ground rental.

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The Titans’ current contract with Stadiums Queensland runs for another two years, but the NRL will enter negotiations this week aiming to broker a reduced rate after taking control of the embattled club.

Titans and NRL officials were tight-lipped last night but Gold Coast CEO Graham Annesley is determined to thrash out a more affordable deal in the lead-up to the Titans’ first home game against Wests Tigers next Saturday.

media_camera Titans training at Cbus Stadium. Pic by Luke Marsden.

“We’ll be having discussions in the next few days because we have a home game next week,’’ Annesley said.

“It is expensive (to hire Cbus Super). Stadium hire accounts for a quarter of the cost, but there is other expenses such as the transport levy, traffic management and policing costs.

“Ultimately, they are all government costs. The stadium arrangement is an important part of our cost structure and we hope to be meeting with the government in the next few days to discuss 2015 and beyond.’’

As Cbus Super Stadium’s major tenant, the Titans are dismayed at paying exorbitant rates when casual hirers such as A-League side Brisbane Roar are able to negotiate cut-price deals.

Former Titans CEO David May lashed Stadiums Queensland’s hiring fees, revealing Robina’s rental bill was so expensive he floated the idea of moving to Metricon, a stadium partly funded by the AFL.

“No other NRL club pays more for ground hire than the Titans,” May said.

“I actually suggested to the (Titans) owners that we consider a move to Metricon but it didn’t fly with the board.

“I would have liked playing at Metricon from a commercial standpoint, but the AFL wouldn’t have been keen to give us a helping hand.

“As the major tenant, the Titans deserve a better deal. There are several other organisations making a profit at Robina while the Titans lose out.’’

An SQ spokesman said: “There is an existing hiring agreement in place with the Gold Coast Titans for the use of the venue. SQ is speaking with the NRL regarding arrangements going forward.’’