2032 Brisbane Olympics, brisbane, queensland,
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‘No’ to Gabba rebuild and ‘no’ to a new Olympic stadium at Victoria Park as Queensland Government explores upgrades to existing venues.
- Miles Government accepts 27 of 30 recommendations from the independent Sport Venue Review for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- Go ahead for new Brisbane Arena in a different location at Roma St precinct.
- Upgrades planned for the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre (QSAC) and Suncorp Stadium, subject to due diligence and consultation with games partners.
- Exploring legacy transport opportunities to link QSAC, QEII hospital, and Griffith University with connected precincts in the city.
- Proposed new stadium for Victoria Park ruled out.
- Gabba rebuild will not proceed.
The Miles Government will accept almost all the recommendations made as part of the Review into Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games venue infrastructure.
The 60-day Sport Venue Review of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games venue infrastructure was completed by an independent panel led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk.
The final report was provided to the Minister for State Development and Infrastructure Grace Grace on Friday afternoon (15 March).
Queensland Premier launches 2032 Olympic and Paralympic venue infrastructure review
More than 900 submissions were received during the Review, while the panel held 130 meetings with stakeholders, assessed numerous studies, and conducted 28 site visits.
The findings have identified new opportunities to deliver value-for-money for Queenslanders, while supporting the government’s legacy vision. At its core, the government’s response prioritises community benefit while ensuring costs remain within the agreed funding envelope of $7.1 billion to be shared between the State and Commonwealth governments.
The Government will now explore upgrades to QSAC and Suncorp Stadium while continuing to deliver the new state-of-the-art Brisbane Arena, securing benefits for more than 30 sporting facilities across Queensland, and exploring exciting opportunities for new transport connections in Brisbane as part of a revamped plan to enhance community legacy.
The new Brisbane Arena is a much-needed piece of community infrastructure which will have multiple legacy uses for decades to come. It will feature within a connected precinct where accessibility and walkability will be a key feature to its position among the city’s cultural and entertainment centres.
Suncorp Stadium and QSAC are the two most highly used venues in Queensland, with QSAC hosting nearly 782,000 visits in 2022-23. More than 527,000 visits were community sporting groups and schools, with another 167,000 visits from training and aspiring athletes. This compares to community visits of less than 20,000 at the Gabba, and around 4,000 athlete visits. Any upgrades to QSAC will further broaden community access.
Investment at QSAC would also provide the opportunity to explore expanded transport links servicing not only the stadium but also Griffith University, the health precinct at QEII hospital, and the growing communities on the southside of Brisbane to provide additional legacy benefits.
“This Review was one of my very first acts as Premier of Queensland and was driven by what Queenslanders told me was important to them – bang for buck and a lasting legacy,” says Premier Steven Miles.
“Instead, this new direction will deliver decades of benefit to local schools, community athletics programs and Olympic and Paralympic athletes in 2032 and beyond,” says Premier Steven Miles.
“My government will accept 90 per cent of the recommendations made, for the benefit of Queenslanders right around the state,” says Premier Steven Miles.
“One of their recommendations would have meant the demise of the Gabba, which is something we couldn’t accept for such a beloved venue,” says Premier Steven Miles.
“And while the concept of a new stadium at Victoria Park has merit, the uncertainty around final cost means it is unfortunately not an option,” says Premier Steven Miles.
“2032 is one of the greatest opportunities to put Brisbane and Queensland on the map and leave a legacy for generations to come,” says Premier Steven Miles.
The Moreton Bay community is also one of the winners, with their new Indoor Sports Centre being investigated for an expansion.
The Breakfast Creek Indoor Sports Precinct at Albion will not proceed with the panel recommending an indoor sports centre be located in Zillmere or Boondall instead. The proposed upgrades to the Toowoomba Sports Ground will not proceed, but opportunities to host other Games events in the region will be explored.
The Government will move quickly to complete due diligence on venues in the coming months, followed by construction. Around half of these venues are outside of Brisbane, providing an economic and jobs boost during construction and beyond.
The Review panel recommended a brand new multi-billion dollar stadium at Victoria Park. However, as the reviewers noted, significantly more work is required to understand the opportunity and before these preliminary findings can be relied upon.
“The Miles Government now has a clear new approach, and we will be consulting closely with our delivery partners in the Commonwealth Government, the IOC, and the IPC to do our due diligence on QSAC and Suncorp and progress as quickly as possible,” says Minister Grace Grace.
“Victoria Park is highly-valued by the community, and we have no plans to spend billions of dollars to encroach into that green space,” says Minister Grace Grace.
“With the Review completed, we’ll be wasting no time with getting on with the job with a range of venues proceeding through to the next stage of delivery,” says Minister Grace Grace.
“Venues at the Sunshine Coast – the Indoor Sports Centre, Stadium Upgrade and Mountain Bike Facility, as well as the Chandler precinct projects can now progress to procurement with others following soon after,” says Minister Grace Grace.
The Government does not believe it would be possible to deliver any new stadium at Victoria Park within the existing agreed funding, and the IOC has noted that a new stadium for the Olympic and Paralympic Games sits outside the “new norm” of using existing or already planned venues.
The Government is therefore ruling out a stadium at Victoria Park, instead favouring investigating upgrades to QSAC and Suncorp.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games must fit the region, not the region fit the Games, and we will use the venues and infrastructure made available to us,” says Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee President Andrew Liveris.
“We acknowledge the Queensland Government’s actions in accepting the majority of the independent review’s recommendations and urge due diligence across venues and infrastructure to be completed quickly and in consultation with stakeholders,” says Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee President Andrew Liveris.
“Once decisions are finalised, we will work with the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee to refine our Venue Master Plan and Sport Program, in line with our Olympic Host Contract commitments,” says Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee President Andrew Liveris.
The previously proposed re-build of the Gabba will not proceed, instead replaced with a more modest enhancement of the existing facility in consultation with AFL, Cricket Australia, and other stakeholders. Those sports will no longer be displaced from the Gabba, and East Brisbane State School will not need to vacate its current site by the end of 2025. However future works to the Gabba are expected to impact the school, and the government will work closely with the school community as those plans develop.
Any change of sports venue requires consultation with Games Delivery Partners, including the Australian Government, and final games approval from the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Delivery of the sports venue program will be the work of the Independent Delivery Authority when it is established mid-2024.
ACA calls on Queensland to establish an independent Olympic Delivery Authority
Table of sports venues planned for use in the Games
| Summary of sports venues | ||||
| Venue | Report findings | Government response | ||
| MAJOR VENUES | ||||
| The Gabba | Recommendation to maintain to standard and then fully demolish until a different new stadium is built in a new location. | Vital maintenance work to proceed. | ||
| Brisbane Arena | Recommendation to proceed with venue in new location within Roma St Parklands. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Queensland State Athletics Centre | Recommendation not to use as a Games venue – recommended new stadium at Victoria Park | |||
| INDOOR SPORTS CENTRES | ||||
| Breakfast Creek Indoor Sports Precinct (Albion) | New venue to proceed in alternate location at Boondall or Zillmere. | Recommendation accepted, with the size of this venue dependent on further analysis. | ||
| Moreton Bay Indoor Sport Centre | Recommended to proceed and investigate increasing the size of the centre. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Logan Indoor Sports Centre | Recommended to proceed. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre | Recommended to proceed. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| CHANDLER SPORTS PRECINCT | ||||
| Brisbane Aquatic Centre | Recommended to proceed and minimise disruption during construction. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Anna Meares Velodrome and BMX supercross track | Recommended to proceed. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Chandler Indoor Sports Centre | Recommended to proceed. | |||
| PADDLE VENUES | ||||
| Wyaralong Flat Water Centre | Recommended to proceed with further consideration of exact siting at Wyaralong. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Redland Whitewater Centre | Recommended to proceed. | Recommendation accepted subject to the continued support from Redland City Council. | ||
| REGIONAL STADIUMS | ||||
| Barlow Park (Cairns) | Recommended to proceed. | Recommendation accepted | ||
| Toowoomba Sports Ground | Stadium facility upgrade not to proceed. Consider other events to be held in the region. | Recommendation accepted | ||
| OTHER VENUES | ||||
| Brisbane International Shooting Centre (Belmont) | Recommended to proceed with investigations for greater community use. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre | Recommended to proceed. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Sunshine Coast Stadium | Recommended to proceed. | Recommendation accepted. | ||
| Suncorp Stadium (Brisbane Football Stadium) | No recommendation provided. | Government will investigate upgrade options. | ||
| VENUES NOT IN SCOPE OF SPORT VENUE REVIEW WITH NO CHANGES TO PREVIOUS PLANS | ||||
| Alexandra Headland, Ballymore Stadium, Broadbeach Park Stadium, Broadwater Parklands, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Showgrounds, Coomera Indoor Sports Centre, Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre, Gold Coast Stadium, Ipswich Stadium, Manly Boat Harbour, Royal Queensland Golf Club, South Bank Parklands (Piazza, Cultural Forecourt), Queensland Tennis Centre, Townsville Stadium, Victoria Park/Barrambin | ||||
Click here to read more about the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Source: © The State of Queensland 1997–2024
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