$7bn Olympic venue funding confirmed, including Gabba rebuild and Brisbane Arena
A deal has been reached to fund $7 billion worth of major projects ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, including the rebuild of the Gabba and new Brisbane Arena.
The announcement follows months of negotiations, with the state government and Commonwealth agreeing on a near-50:50 funding split.
The most significant project is the $2.7 billion rebuild of the Gabba. The venue, which will serve as the major stadium for the Olympics, has been the major sticking point of the negotiations, and will be predominantly funded by the Queensland state government.
The Gabba will be completely demolished and rebuilt as a world-class 50,000-capacity stadium, which is 14,000 more seats than the existing stadium can accommodate for AFL games.
It'll include an active travel corridor linking it to South Bank and the city. The adjacent heritage-listed school will be shut down to make way for the redevelopment.
The long-proposed 17,000-seat Brisbane Arena has finally been given the go-ahead. To be built over the Roma Street Station at a cost of $2.5 billion, the new indoor sports and entertainment arena is expected to be funded by the federal government.
The remaining $2 billion will be spent upgrading existing venues and building a few smaller facilities (see below for a full list of venues). According to the plan in Brisbane's bid, there will be upgrades to eight existing venues and work will be done to create six new ones.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was in Brisbane on Friday to ink the deal with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, has emphasised the importance of ensuring every dollar spent on this project has a lasting impact not just on Brisbane or Queensland, but for the whole country.
“The 2032 Olympics will be the largest event that’s ever been held in Queensland,” he said.
“The Australian government has worked to secure infrastructure projects that will have a long-term and transformational impact on Queensland as we count down to 2032.”
Palaszczuk said hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to accelerate the infrastructure and housing we need to support a growing Queensland”.
“The Gabba has hosted sport for more than a century and is home to cricket and AFL most weeks of the year,” she said.
“But it’s no secret that Queensland is losing out on major sporting events already – and the tourism, jobs and investment that come with them because The Gabba is not up to scratch.
“It must be upgraded to maintain our competitiveness for international sport and events.
“When it’s done, this stadium will shine for Queensland, and so will the area surrounding it.”
The funding is a significant cash splash and dwarfs the $150 million the Commonwealth contributed to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Related: 2032 Brisbane Olympic Venues Announced >
Federal Sport Minister and Brisbane MP Anika Wells said that the Games would inspire broader participation in sport and promote an inclusive environment for women, girls, and people of all abilities.
“Brisbane 2032 will be the greatest celebration of sport in Australian history,” Ms. Wells said.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games will change lives and leave an unrivalled legacy for Queensland.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers emphasised that to get the best out of the Games, the country had to invest in infrastructure that would deliver generational benefits for the community and the economy.
“We want to deliver a long-term legacy that’s just as big and impressive as the Games themselves,” he said.
The Gabba and Brisbane Arena are two major venues that will have a lasting impact on Queensland beyond the Olympic Games. The Gabba has long been a part of Queensland's sporting history and has been the home of the Brisbane Lions and Queensland Bulls for decades.
However, its proposed rebuild for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will make it a state-of-the-art sporting venue that will benefit generations of athletes.
The Brisbane Arena is another major venue that will be a vital part of the Olympic Games. Its proposed 17,000-seat capacity will make it capable of hosting major sporting events, concerts, and exhibitions. The venue will be situated over Roma Street Station, making it easily accessible to the public.
The funding announcement covers the following venues for the 2032 Olympic Games:
NEW VENUES TO BE CONSTRUCTED
- The Gabba - Athletics & Ceremonies
- Brisbane Live Arena - Swimming (temporary pool)
- Brisbane Indoor Sports Centre (Breakfast Creek) - Basketball
and Wheelchair Basketball - Chandler Indoor Sports Centre - Gymnastics and Wheelchair
Basketball - Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre - Basketball
- Morton Bay Indoor Sports Centre - Boxing
- Redlands Whitewater Centre - Canoe
EXISTING VENUES TO BE UPGRADED
- Brisbane Aquatic Centre and Precinct - Aquatics (including
diving, artistic swimming and water polo preliminaries] - Anna Meares Velodrome and BMX Track - Track, BMX Racing
- Queensland Tennis Centre - Tennis
- Barlow Park (Cairns] - Football
- Toowoomba Sports Ground - Football
- Sunshine Coast Stadium - Football
- Wyaralong Flatwater Centre and Precinct - Rowing
- Brisbane International Shooting Centre - Shooting
- Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre - Mountain Biking
The funding also covers a Temporary International Broadcasting Centre, the Logan Indoor Sports Centre as a potential training or competition venue, and minor upgrades to existing competition and training venues.
