Protesting residents fear planned Carey Park indoor arena will add to Southport gridlock

Residents opposed to an indoor arena in Southport have highlighted a major issue which they say means it cannot go ahead.

Residents fear Southport will become gridlocked if council approves an indoor stadium with almost 20,000 seats at Carey Park.

Mayor Tom Tate last month said the council was finalising public consultation with the hope of fast tracking plans for an 12,000 to 18,000 seat indoor arena.

But residents protesting against the project have sent emails to the mayor and councillors with the following warnings:

* The impact to traffic with be substantial, with gridlock already an issue at busy times along Marine Parade between Short Street and Ada Bell Way.

* Existing tram and bus networks cannot accommodate large crowds now.

* No evidence suggests the City will increase public transport connectivity.

Resident Chris Ponting, one of the leaders in the Save Our Carey Park protest movement, said a petition to council outlining concerns on the project had gathered almost 1500 signatures.

“We want all councillors to know we are building a documentary case against the GCCC that may be used in an appeal to the Planning and Environment Court should this project go ahead,” he said.

Artist impression of the proposed Gold Coast Arena boutique stadium at Carey Park, Southport. Picture: Supplied by Gold Coast City Council

Location of the proposed new stadium. Picture: Supplied by Gold Coast City Council

He said residents were raising the traffic concerns because the current congestion experienced during the Christmas-New Year holidays would become worse with an indoor arena.

“During these times residents find it difficult to get in and out of their homes, to and from appointments or just to and from a social get together. More seriously, the potential for significant impediment to emergency vehicle response is considerable, and this may raise safety issues,” he said.

Mr Ponting said the project had attracted significant criticism from residents, environmental groups and legal experts.

“Under the Gold Coast City Plan, Carey Park is zoned as a community-purpose reserve. This designation explicitly prohibits large-scale commercial development, such as arenas,” he said.

“Reclassifying Carey Park for this development undermines the City Plan’s goal of preserving public spaces for community use.”

Residents walking their dogs at Southport's Carey Park, the site for a future indoor arena.

Mr Ponting said the Carey Park proposal could create a dangerous precedent by enabling other community services across the city to be changed, leading to further erosion of public spaces.

“No formal Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been made public. An EIA is critical for assessing risks to biodiversity, flood management, and public health,” he said.

“The lack of cost-benefit analysis undermines the transparency of decision-making processes, as the full financial and environmental implications remain unclear.”

Community consultation on the proposed arena closed earlier this month with councillors waiting to see an updated report.

The heritage listed trees in Southport's Carey Park, site for the indoor arena.

Mayor Tom Tate late last year said he wanted to fast-track several key infrastructure projects including the Arena to ensure they were not delayed until after the Olympic Games.

Mr Tate warned there would be a three-year window in which contracts for projects needed to be locked in to ensure the skilled workforce would be available and not busy in Brisbane for the 2032 Olympic Games.

A protest sign at Carey Park in Southport.

Mr Ponting has questioned the consultation process saying key stakeholders including environmental groups like Gecko and the Wildlife Association Queensland were excluded.

While council officers were helpful, they could not provide detail on transport issues.

“Public opposition to the project has not been adequately addressed, further eroding trust in local governance,” he wrote, in an email to councillors.

“The proposed Carey Park indoor Arena is fundamentally flawed due to its legal non-compliance, environmental destruction, infrastructure inadequacies, and community opposition.

“The irreversible consequences of this project far outweigh its potential benefits, making it a poor choice for development.

“Rejecting this proposal is essential to preserving Southport’s heritage, environment, and quality of life.”

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Originally published as Protesting residents fear planned Carey Park indoor arena will add to Southport gridlock