After almost four years of indecision, politicking, captain’s calls and confusion, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games finally has a road map.
After almost four years of indecision, politicking, captain’s calls and confusion, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games finally has a road map.
By Cameron Atfield
March 25, 2025 — 1.44pm
After almost four years of indecision, politicking, captain’s calls and confusion, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games finally has a road map.
But Premier David Crisafulli’s announcement at a business lunch on Tuesday was not without controversy – it included a new $3.79 billion 63,000-seat stadium and aquatic centre at Victoria Park, officially breaking an election commitment there would be no new stadiums under an LNP government.
Crisafulli said the time had run out to rebuild the Gabba, as former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had planned, so it came down to a choice between Victoria Park and the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre at Nathan, in the city’s south.
“It became a choice between spending billions on temporary facilities and temporary stands that delivered no legacy or securing the future of AFL and cricket at a new home,” the premier said.
“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. Any other choice would have meant placing the government’s political interests ahead of the interests of Queenslanders.”
The government will proceed with a 25,000-seat National Aquatic Centre at Victoria Park, despite GIICA’s recommendation swimming be held at a new Brisbane Arena at Woolloongabba.
“The problem with [the arena or swimming at Suncorp Stadium] is that legacy for swimming disappears after the Games,” he said.
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“The centre will see a number of Olympic and Paralympic sports move their headquarters up to Brisbane, permanently, a real world-class legacy which will serve these sports for decades to come.
“It will be constructed at Centenary Pool, and that has the backing of diving, artistic swimming, water polo and Swimming Australia.”
The planned Brisbane Arena was not included in the funding package, but Crisafulli said it was not off the table – the government would instead work with the private sector to deliver a venue on the old GoPrint site between the Gabba stadium and the new Cross River Rail station.
The review recommended the $2.56 billion arena be delivered by government, but Crisafulli said it could be built outside the Olympic funding envelope.
“I can reveal today, the state government has seen offers from the private sector to build a Brisbane arena for the fraction of costs for taxpayers,” he said.
“To my mind, this development is a game changer and proof there would be no value to Australian and Queensland taxpayers to spend $2.5 billion on a Brisbane Live arena when the private sector is willing to engage with us to deliver one, to show how serious we are about progressing plans with the private sector.”
Ballymore has lost hockey, following intense lobbying from the sport’s governing bodies for the Olympic tournament to be held at the Gold Coast.
A new show court arena will be built at the Queensland Tennis Centre at Tennyson, seeing off threats the Olympic tournament could be played in Melbourne.
The controversial Redlands whitewater centre would also go ahead, Crisafulli said.
Amid calls for a secondary rectangular stadium for Brisbane, Perry Park missed out, while a 20,000-seat boutique oval stadium got the nod for the RNA Showgrounds.
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That development would be the centrepiece of the new athletes’ village, which would be relocated from its planned site at Hamilton.
“Importantly, it gives a new life to the Ekka, one of the most important, important cornerstones, where the country meets the city,” Crisafulli said.
The RNA had originally been slated to host equestrian events, but they would now be held at the new Toowoomba Equestrian Centre.
“What an exciting time it will be for Toowoomba to have Olympic medals awarded right here in our region,” Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald said.
“The eyes of the world will be on us as the best dressage, showjumping and eventing riders and their incredible horses compete for Olympic glory right here in Toowoomba.”
Prior to last year’s election, Crisafulli repeatedly said his LNP government would “leave [Olympic planning] to the experts”.
“This must be taken out of the hands of the politicians and put in the hands of people with expertise,” Crisafulli said a year ago, almost to the day.
But, in going ahead with the National Aquatic Centre and rowing on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, the decisions were ultimately in the hands of politicians.
Federal Greens MP Stephen Bates, whose Brisbane electorate contained Victoria Park, said a new stadium on that site would bulldoze the city’s heritage.
“The LNP are betraying Brisbane by breaking a key election promise to not build a new stadium — and they’re breaching the Games host contract to do it. It’s just monumentally stupid,” he said.
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