Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has flagged a new venue may be built in South-East Queensland to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics if the region secures the Games.
Key points:
- Brisbane bid announced as “preferred candidate city” to host the 2032 Summer Olympic Games
- Existing infrastructure to be heavily relied on for sporting events
- Events planned for Sunshine and Gold Coasts, athletes to be housed to the north and south of Brisbane
The riverside city is on track to host the international games as the International Olympic Committee named Brisbane its “preferred bid”.
A Brisbane Olympic Stadium with capacity to seat 50,000 people has been proposed for track and field events, according to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) feasibility assessment.
Ms Palaszczuk said it was “an option”, although using the Gabba for the ceremonies and the Gold Coast’s Carrara stadium for the athletics were also possibilities.
“There is the option of one new big venue in terms of where we would have the opening ceremony … but we may use Carrara as well,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said she wanted to make sure the event was inclusive of the regional centres with opportunities for the Gold Coast, Logan, Ipswich and Redlands.
A new aquatics facility, the Brisbane Arena, that is expected to hold 15,000 spectators has also been proposed to host swimming and water polo events.
Ms Palaszczuk said the infrastructure required is already part of Queensland’s five-to-10-year plan.
“The Olympic Committee are looking for existing structures,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“They don’t want countries or states to go and invest in monumental stadiums that are not going to be used in the future.
“This is transformational infrastructure for our city and our region and it would bring huge economic benefit and jobs as part of our economic recovery as we come out of COVID.”
The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Optus Aquatic Centre could also be used as an alternative for water-based events.
Both the proposed new stadium and aquatic facility would be built on the northern side of the Brisbane River.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said “a few more need to be built” but they would instead be focussing on transport.
“There’s also the opportunity to use temporary venues as well, we’ll be taking advantage of that.
“So, we have 85 to 90 per cent of the venues that are either existing venues, or the ability to have temporary venues.”
Cr Schrinner said road and transport infrastructure would need to be improved in South-East Queensland ahead of the Games.
“We’ve got 11 years to make sure everything is geared up,” he said.
‘Commonwealth Games helped Brisbane’s case’
Brisbane was announced overnight as the “preferred candidate city” to host the Games, after a campaign started by the state’s mayors six years ago.
Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates said the successful Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018 helped secure Queensland’s case.
It is also the first time the International Olympic Committee has shown interest in a region, rather than a single city.
Events are planned for the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, with athletes to be housed to the north and south of Brisbane.
“We now have to complete the final questionnaires and legal documentation,” he said.
“If they tick the box then the IOC Executive Board will recommend to the full IOC membership — 115 members — that we go to election as the only candidate.”
Mr Coates said IOC checks and inspections would be done remotely due to COVID and to save money.
“It will cost no more than $10 million by the time we do the final presentation,” Mr Coates said.
Mr Schrinner said Queensland would be the talk of the world today.
“That will go on for the next decade.
“Now, whether that’s the better infrastructure that it brings, or whether it’s the incredible boost to tourism, that doesn’t just happen for those two weeks [when the Games are on], it happens on an ongoing basis.”
Daniel Gschwind from the Queensland Tourism Industry Council said the Games could be a potential win for the whole state.
“That it will bring potentially so much direction and so much enthusiasm and so much opportunity to the state and we should all be proud of that,” he said.
