Venues and entertainment ‘disruptor’ looks to build and operate planned Brisbane Live arena

he development of the Brisbane Live arena and entertainment precinct, a plan advanced by ASM Global (Asia Pacific), has, according to media reports, attracted rival interest from the US-based Oak View Group.

ASM Global (Asia Pacific)’s market-led proposal to develop the arena, which is likely to be one of the main venues for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, will, according to the Brisbane Times now become a competitive tender process.

A self-described “disruptor” in the venues, entertainment and experience space, Oak View Group (OVG) has come forward with a proposal to build and operate Brisbane Live, claiming its project would require “minimal” investment from taxpayers.

The proposed 17,000-seat Brisbane Live concert and sporting arena, to be located on a site above the Roma Street station, was first proposed by ASM Global (Asia Pacific) Chairman and Chief Executive, Harvey Lister.

In 2015, the Queensland Government invited proposals in which the private sector sought exclusive commercial deals to deliver needed services or infrastructure.

The development of the Brisbane Live arena and entertainment precinct, a plan advanced by ASM Global (Asia Pacific), has, according to media reports, attracted rival interest from the US-based Oak View Group.

ASM Global (Asia Pacific)’s market-led proposal to develop the arena, which is likely to be one of the main venues for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, will, according to the Brisbane Times now become a competitive tender process.

A self-described “disruptor” in the venues, entertainment and experience space, Oak View Group (OVG) has come forward with a proposal to build and operate Brisbane Live, claiming its project would require “minimal” investment from taxpayers.

In 2015, the Queensland Government invited proposals in which the private sector sought exclusive commercial deals to deliver needed services or infrastructure.

AEG Ogden, as ASM was then known, entered into an exclusive early operator engagement agreement with the Queensland Government in 2018 to develop the project’s business case - although Lister later expressed frustrations at the length of time considerations were taking.

However, OVG, with the reported backing of Live Nation, has entered the process after the Queensland Government committed to a competitive tender process to build and operate the venue.

OVG Executive Vice President Brian Kabatznick said Brisbane Live was a “natural fit” for the company, which had more than $5 billion of capital tied up in new development projects.

Kabatznick told the newspaper “(this is) an amazing opportunity to build a cutting-edge venue that will attract international performers and visitors and showcase top-quality events for Queenslanders

“With our consortia partners, including Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment company, we have the expertise, the experience and, critically, the capital to transform this precinct in Brisbane into Australia’s premier entertainment destination with minimal public funding.”

Responding to OVG’s interest, Lister noted “I’m not at all surprised that people would be trying to jump on board, years down the track from when we conceived the original concept and delivered the solution to the state government.

“There’s always ‘Johnny-come-latelies’ who try to jump on. We’ll just continue our co-operative interface with the Queensland state government, as we have been doing for many years.”

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said that the Government is assessing investment options for the arena, noting “further development of the design and project documentation is required before a final funding decision is made by the Queensland and Australian governments.

“A competitive tender process will be the best way to deliver value for money for Queenslanders and to finalise the design, project management and construction delivery phases of the arena’s development.”

Formed in the USA in 2015 by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, OVG describes its mission as being "to disrupt, develop, and deliver the world's best venues and experiences".

Images: An earlier concept for the Brisbane Live arena (top) and ASM Global (Asia Pacific) Chairman and Chief Executive Harvey Lister (below).