Swathes of empty seats at a half-full Gabba on Sunday have underlined Brisbane's uncertain Test future.
Only 21,535 supporters attended day four of the Ashes series opener despite clearing, sunny conditions and a chance that Australia would wrap up victory that day.
Queensland Cricket sees it as a standard day four drop-off and and is delighted with crowd numbers across the whole match, which are marginally higher than the last Test against England in 2013-14.
But the turnout will have done nothing to improve Brisbane's hosting chances for next summer's four-Test tour by India amid increasing demand from interstate.
The Gabba looks likely to be snubbed in favour of the new Optus Stadium in Perth and the refurbished Adelaide Oval, with Melbourne and Sydney locked in for the traditional Boxing Day and New Years slots.
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland told News Corp Australia it was a "concern" that public amenities and transport links have not improved, ranking it as the fifth-best Test venue in the country.
That's despite the beloved surface, which has provided the Australian side with an invaluable advantage for nearly 30 years.
However, Labor's likely victory in the Queensland state election could be a game-changer for the Gabba.
One of Labor's major campaign promises was for a second rail crossing over the Brisbane River, which would include a new train station adjacent to the stadium.
Currently the nearest station is a 1.5km walk away while the only other public transport is by bus.
Although a 20-year master plan for improvements to the Gabba was recently completed, and includes provisions for stadium WiFi, there is little scope for dramatically enhancing the spectator experience short of knocking the stadium down and rebuilding.
That would be a monstrous and expensive task given its location, hanging over two busy main roads.
Queensland Cricket CEO Max Walters said: "We look forward to continue to working with Government in the future to deliver great experiences for fans at the iconic, world-class Gabba."
"It's fitting that the last Test for Kevin Mitchell Jnr as the curator has produced a classic, hard-fought Test match.
"The famous Gabba pitch, and the venue's overall record as a fortress for Australia, are something for all Queenslanders to be proud of."
Tickets for day five will be available for a gold coin donation, with proceeds going towards to Movember.
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