Brisbane lord mayor calls for decade-long Olympics boom

Hosting the Olympics would force all three levels of government to produce a “decade-long infrastructure boom” in south-east Queensland before the cauldron was lit, Brisbane’s lord mayor says as the region becomes a hot favourite to host the 2032 Games.

Lord mayor Adrian Schrinner said federal, state and local governments would have to work together on selected projects to enhance the region should its bid be successful.

In 1982 the Commonwealth Games were held at QEII Stadium in Brisbane.Credit: Vic Sumner

His comments came hours after it emerged south-east Queensland’s bid for the 2032 Olympic Games was set to be installed as the preferred host candidate as early as Wednesday night.

“If we don’t have that investment in our region we will end up like Sydney and, to a certain extent, Melbourne,” Cr Schrinner said.

“We will become a place where connectivity is a problem. We need these things anyway and the Games is the opportunity to bring it forward.”

Cr Schrinner said the multibillion-dollar South East Queensland City Deal, put on hold in July because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was back under negotiation.

“Over a week ago I met with [Urban Infrastructure] Minister Paul Fletcher to really kick off the discussions again with the City Deal,” he said.

“We are really focused on getting that done by the middle of the year. There is a clear link between the City Deal and hosting the Olympics.”

Cr Schrinner said Brisbane was an entirely different city to the one that first bid to host an Olympic Games in 1980s, when it lost to Barcelona.

“Anyone who has lived here during that time has witnessed that change,” he said.

“Brisbane has come of age, our region has come of age and we are ready and we are capable.”

Brisbane’s rivals include Jakarta in Indonesia, Rhine-Ruhr in Germany, Doha in Qatar and possibly the south-west Chinese region between the two tourist cities Chengdu and Chongqing, which are linked by a fast-train network.

The south-east Queensland bid estimated the cost of staging the Games at $5.3 billion, which would be partly offset by the International Olympic Committee providing a minimum $2.5 billion contribution.

“How can you not be confident in Brisbane, when you look at where we are positioned, the positive growth in the region and the major plans for infrastructure?” Cr Schrinner said.

“You would expect me to say that, but I think the International Olympic Committee has been very positive as well.

Brisbane - and south-east Queensland - has come of age and is ready to host the 2032 Olympics, lord mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

“In subsequent discussions with the IOC, they have all been impressed with the work we have done.”

Cr Schrinner said the remaining costs not offset by the IOC and media contracts would pay for infrastructure the region needed because of population growth.

The Gold Coast hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has told IOC about 80 per cent of venues were already built and available.

IOC president Thomas Bach visited Brisbane and the Gold Coast in 2019 and said he was impressed with the infrastructure.

IOC president Thomas Bach visited Brisbane and the Gold Coast to inspect potential Olympics facilities.

Brisbane’s latest Olympics bid began son March 6, 2015.

Back then Brisbane wanted the 2028 Games and 12 months of pre-feasibility work went into that unsuccessful bid.

Things evolved and a bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics was put together.

The IOC now guaranteed the staging of the Olympics, not the cost of infrastructure, was “revenue-neutral”, Cr Schrinner said.

“The cost of hosting the Games itself will be offset by the revenue from things like the sale of media rights,” he said.

“So there is a significant multibillion [dollar] commitment on the table from the IOC to help fund the operating cost of the Games.”