A new world class stadium is set to be constructed at Victoria Park as part of a $7.1 billion capital works program to deliver a memorable sporting event at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics as well as a lasting legacy after the games.

And a range of upgrades to existing facilities and infrastructure will also be delivered.

Four years after securing the Olympics, the Queensland Government has unveiled the 2032 Delivery Plan.

The plan provides a roadmap to deliver a successful Olympic Games along with a lasting legacy in the decades beyond the games.

Its release follows a 100-day review that was commissioned by the current Liberal Government after its election late last year.

In addition to transport works, the program will involve construction of eight new venues as well as upgrades to twelve existing venues.

The standout feature will be a new $3.4 billion Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park (see above for artist impression)

This will be the main stadium for the event and will hold the opening and closing ceremony.

Beyond the Olympics, the new stadium will be capable of hosting a range of events. These will include Australian Rules Football, test cricket and market sporting and entertainment events.

It will serve as a future home to the Brisbane Lions, the Brisbane Heat and the Queensland Bulls.

Located centrally in Brisbane, Victoria Park offers the opportunity to develop a world-class stadium from the ground up and to showcase Brisbane on the global stage.

The site offers an inner-city location, city views, proximity to transport and an ability to integrate within a master-planned park.

This has been chosen instead of upgrading the much loved but aging Gabba, which will now retired and demolished after a ‘swansong’ at the Games.

(A new National Aquatic Centre will be built at Spring Hill with a transformation of the Centenary Pool site. This will host the majority of aquatic sports during the games.)

Originally, the former Labor Government had proposed to rebuild the Gabba for the Games.

However, an earlier review in 2022 had cast doubt on this idea and suggested that a new stadium at Victoria Park be constructed instead.

Though much loved, the 130-year-old Gabba had not seen major works since 2005. As a result, it fell well-short of other Australian stadiums in terms of accessibility, basic facilities and hospitality offerings.

Due to site constraints, that review found that the stadium had deficiencies which could not be remedied through design strategies.

As a result, that review found that a Gabba makeover would fail to deliver a world class stadium despite its $3.5 billion price tag – a similar price tag as that which is expected for the new stadium.

The latest 100-day review agreed with that finding.

It added that there was not longer adequate time to complete a full deconstruction and rebuild of the Gabba in time for the games at any rate.

(the Brisbane Showgrounds will be transformed to host the main Athlete Village for the Games)

Still, ideas about building a new stadium at Victoria Park have been met with resistance.

Former Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, for example, believed hat the new stadium would ‘salami slice’ the heritage listed site that was set aside as a green space and a true central park for the people of Brisbane.

In the leadup to last year’s election, then Opposition Leader and now current Queensland Premier David Crisafulli promised not to build a stadium there.

But Crisafulli has now said that time has run out for the Gabba works.

The only choice was to “rewind the clock four decades” to the Sport and Aquatic Centre or to invest in a new option, namely Victoria Park.

“It became a choice between spending billions on temporary facilities and temporary stands that delivered no legacy (and did not) secure the future of AFL and cricket at a new home,” the Queensland Premier is quoted as saying on Fox Sports.

“It became a choice between delivering a Games with an eye to the future or rewinding the clock for decades. In the end, the choice was clear. The Games must be held at a new stadium at Victoria Park.”

(As well as housing the Brisbane Athlete Village, an upgraded 20,000 seat arena at Brisbane Showgrounds will host key events)

The Plan at a Glance

Apart from the new stadium, the plan includes investments in a number of other asses.

In terms of Brisbane and Southeast Queensland, these include:

  • A New National Aquatic Centre at Spring Hill to transform the Centenary Pool site. This will host most of the aquatic events.
  • Transformed RNA Showgrounds with an upgraded Main Arena and Athlete Village, which will be converted to permanent housing after the Games.
  • An upgraded Queensland Tennis Centre expanded to include a new permanent show court and 12 new match courts.
  • An Upgraded Chandler Sporting Precinct to turn the precinct into a dedicated Para-sport community facility.
  • A new Athlete Villages to be delivered on the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.
  • An improved transport network. This will feature new rail lines and stations, northern and eastern Brisbane bus corridors, upgrades to the M1, faster rail from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, and The Wave, with a rail line running from Beerwah to Birtinya linking with metro services all the way to the Sunshine Coast Airport, through Maroochydore.

Meanwhile, the plan also includes investments in regional Queensland cities that will be hosting events.

These include:

  • Upgrades to Barlow Park, Cairns upgraded to increase seating capacity and spectator facilities.
  • Rowing infrastructure on the Fitzroy River to host rowing and canoe sprints.
  • Transformation of the Toowoomba Showgrounds into an Equestrian Centre of Excellence.
  • Upgrades to the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Cairns to improve safety, flood resilience and capacity. This will include the Tiaro Bypass, Rockhampton Ring Road and Goorganga Plains.
  • Upgrades to the Cairns Western Arterial Road between Redlynch Connector Road and the Captain Cook Highway, improving travel times and reliability

(A major upgrade of the Queensland Tennis Centre will include a new 3000-seat showcourt arena and 12 new match courts which, in addition to Pat Rafter Arena, will bring even more tournaments to Brisbane.)

Time for Action

In a statement, Crisafulli welcomed the plan’s release.

He said that action would now occur to deliver a games of which Queenslanders would be proud.

“To host the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and we’ll make it count for Queensland with a lasting legacy,” Crisafulli said.

“Transport, infrastructure, tourism and grassroots sport will all be part of the lasting legacy for a Games we can all be proud of.

“We now have the gameplan for 2032 and beyond, and it’s time to put it into action.”

 

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