Sunshine Coast Council fears venue upgrades at risk

Due to tenders not having been secured ahead of the recent Queensland elections, planned major upgrades to three Sunshine Coast venues are now subject to a 100-day review of all Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games infrastructure with Sunshine Coast Council concerned the subsequent delays have the potential to put its venues at risk.

The Sunshine Coast Stadium expansion, the new indoor sports centre and the new mountain bike centre had already been given the funding and the green light to progress.

Mayor Rosanna Natoli said each venue provided important community infrastructure and it had been proven they were much-needed for local sporting groups.

“These venues are important for our community and long overdue, and the Sunshine Coast cannot lose these facilities,” Mayor Natoli noted.

“They will provide high-quality competition and training facilities for our local athletes and increase participation in sports and recreation across the region.

“It is disappointing the tender was not signed before the care-taker period began; it is disappointing to hear the budget has blown out and it is disappointing that this will be held up in a review.

“The Sunshine Coast community cannot miss out on what we have been promised.

“On top of this, these community venues are capable of hosting Games events in 2032.”

Mayor Natoli said the venues would also have capacity to host major sporting events, attracting more tourism dollars and benefits for our local businesses.

“The validation process these three projects have gone through has been rigorous and extensive,” she added.

“That process also demonstrated the importance of these venues for our region and the important role they will play before, during and long after the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“In May this year, the Queensland Government and Australian Government announced close to $300 million to fund the three venues and progress to delivery by 2027.

“Sunshine Coast Council has worked extremely hard for the past three years to ensure all three venues could be delivered as soon as possible for our community.

“As a result of these approvals, work done to date has included significant investment of Sunshine Coast Council ratepayer funds.”

Mayor Natoli said significant capital works were underway at Meridan Fields to ensure the site at the Kawana Sports Precinct is ready for construction of the new indoor sports centre, which is set to start in 2025.

In September this year, Council was informed that the tender for the Sunshine Coast Stadium expansion project could not be awarded prior to the State Election, due to significant cost escalation.

“This delay, and the delays caused by the previous Queensland Government independent reviews, have again been costly and disappointing,” Mayor Natoli continued.

“Will Sunshine Coast miss out on community infrastructure again?

“We ask that the review of our venues is finalised quickly so our community is given the infrastructure they need and were promised.”

Images: Concepts for the planned Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre and upgraded Sunshine Coast Stadium could look like.