The iconic Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing GOLD Coast United Chairman, Mr Clive Palmer, today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with leading Chinese Super League club, Beijing Guoan FC.

As part of the ground-breaking arrangement, United will play its first competitive game against Beijing Guoan in June 2009 at the magnificent, iconic Beijing National Stadium. The ‘Bird’s Nest’, as it’s become known, played host to the unforgettable 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony and is an amazing mix of art, science, engineering and human endeavour.

Beijing Guoan, who are part of the CITIC Group (China International Trust and Investment Corporation), will call the $AU500-million ‘Bird’s Nest’ home for future Chinese Super League seasons and are set to provide formidable opposition for Gold Coast United’s first ‘competitive’ match. Stacked with Chinese national team representatives, Beijng Guoan qualified for the 2008 Asian Champions League but finished second to Japan’s Kashima Antlers in the group stage.

Having brokered the deal during a recent business trip to China, Mr Palmer outlined the major points of the ongoing relationship.

“The memorandum of understanding sets up a very exciting cooperative relationship between Gold Coast United and Beijing Guoan. It will provide for an exchange system that will include players, coaching methods and ideas, technologies and marketing,” Mr Palmer said.

He continued: “The most exciting thing in the short-term is that we will be playing against Beijing Guoan next June in the ‘Bird’s Nest’ stadium. They’ve played some great sides in the past, Manchester United, Barcalona, Real Madrid, etc.

“The ‘Bird’s Nest’ is where they held the opening ceremony of this year’s Olympic Games and every football player in Australia will be envious when they see the Gold Coast United team running out in such magnificent surroundings.”

The United Chairman hinted that the relationship with Beijing Guoan signalled the club’s intention to spread its name around the football world and capitalise on the global nature of the sport.

“The world is bigger than our own back yard and this is the start of what we hope will be an opportunity to spread the name of Gold Coast United around the globe. Our aim in future years is to take the team to Europe and be competitive with teams over there. We have to build up to that of course, but it’s what we hope to do,” Mr Palmer said.

Head Coach Miron Bleiberg summed up the buoyant mood at the club when the Chairman broke the news to staff.

“For a new club to have its first official game in a stadium like the Bird’s Nest is amazing,” said Bleiberg.

“In our job you are fortunate to go to some of the top stadia in the world, but I don’t think any of us have been to a stadium of the magnitude of the Bird’s Nest – it’s very exciting for all of us.”