Queensland Government rejects key Olympic venues review recommendations in favour of QSAC and Suncorp Stadium upgrades

The Queensland Government has rejected key findings from the review of venues for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games for the building of an all new stadium near the Brisbane CBD in favour of upgrades to existing venues.

While advising that it will adopt 27 of the 30 recommendations presented by the review Games venue infrastructure delivered today by an independent panel led by former Lord Mayor of Brisbane Graham Quirk review, the Queensland Government has advised that it will not build the proposed new stadium in the city’s Victoria Park but will instead upgrade the existing Suncorp Stadium and the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) as key Olympic venues.

Despite the Quirk review stating that a $1.5 billion upgrade of the 37 year old QSAC “does not represent value for money”, the Queensland Government plans to upgrade the facility along with Suncorp Stadium, subject to due diligence and consultation with games partners.

The upgrades will see Suncorp Stadium host the Games opening and closing ceremony as well as the football finals while QSAC will host field and track athletics competitions.

The government will proceed with the recommendation to build the Brisbane Live/Brisbane Arena at the northern corner of Roma Street Parklands.

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.

Explaining his decision to not adopt the recommendation to build a new Olympic Stadium at Victoria Park, Queensland Premier, Steven Miles stated "I know that I said I'd do what the Quirk review recommended, but I cannot support the option they have landed on.

"This option will allow us to upgrade Suncorp Stadium to a standard to host a fantastic Opening and Closing ceremony.

"When Queenslanders are struggling with housing costs I cannot justify to them, spending $3.4 billion on a new stadium."

Premier Miles says he initiated the review because Queenslanders did not want to spend $2.7 billion rebuilding the Gabba.

The Queensland Premier said he was hoping the review would find him “a better value option and in our existing venues” but does not agree to building a new stadium.

The expectation across media this morning was for Premier Miles to accept the Quirk's review of Olympic venues which recommended scrapping the $2.7 billion Gabba redevelopment in favour of a new $3.4 billion 55,000 seat stadium at Victoria Park, situated in inner-Brisbane.

However, Premier Miles cited Suncorp Stadium as having the “the best rectangular field in the world” and it being well connected to public transport in support of its use as the venue for Games ceremonies.

Queensland Deputy Premier Cameron Dick said the upgrading of QSAC and Suncorp Stadium will be a "cost-effective" option noting "this decision will ensure the Games stays within its funding envelope.

He noted “as Treasurer, getting value for money is my number one priority. It will keep faith with the IOC new norms. This decision will give us maximum bang for buck."

Images: The Queensland Government is to upgrde QCAS to stage Olympic and Pararlympic Athletics (top), rejecting the recommendation to build a new Olympic Stadium at Brisbane's Victoria Park (below, credit: Archipelago).