Best places to celebrate Brisbane’s Olympic Games win

On Wednesday night, we’ll learn whether we have secured the 2032 Olympic Games. Here’s how to watch the historic moment and where you can attend ‘Olympics Live’ parties.

IT’S Games on, Queensland.

On Wednesday night, we’ll learn whether we have secured the greatest show on Earth when the venue for the 2032 Olympics is announced in Tokyo.

And with the Sunshine State a red-hot favourite to host the Games after being named the preferred candidate by the International Olympic Committee, Brisbane and other major cities are in party mode as excitement builds in the countdown to the big reveal.

Public celebrations, including live entertainment and one of the biggest fireworks spectaculars Brisbane has seen, have been planned to coincide with the historic decision between 6pm and 7pm local time.

From South Bank to the Gold and Sunshine coasts, Toowoomba and even Beenleigh, thousands of Queenslanders are expected to flock to ”Olympics Live” parties to watch the announcement on giant screens.

The decision will come after two hours of 7 News coverage of the crucial pitch, streamed live from Tokyo.

Anchored by Sharyn Ghidella and Max Futcher, commercial-free coverage will begin with 45-minutes of presentations from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and IOC president Thomas Bach.

This will be followed by the
all-important IOC vote, with the announcement to be broadcast live in 7NEWS at 6pm.

“It’s something unlike Brisbane has ever seen before,” Ghidela said. “And if we get these Games, the world’s focus will be on us.” The Games are forecast to deliver an $8bn economic windfall for Queensland, $17.6bn for Australia and create more than 100,000 jobs.

It is set to be bigger than the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games, World Expo ‘88 and the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games combined when it comes to putting Queensland on the international stage.

“The moment the IOC hands down its decision tomorrow night will be a moment to remember for millions of Queenslanders,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

“The last year has been tough for many people throughout our state. An Olympic Games is something worth celebrating.”

7News Brisbane presenters Max Futcher and Sharyn Ghidella alongside Paralympians Torita Blake and Emily Petricola and Olympians Andrew Trim and Jodie Henry at the Olympics Live Site at South Bank. Picture: Zak Simmonds

As Queensland prepares to go for gold in Tokyo, Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said South Bank would be the centre of celebrations.

“We’ll be beaming images of South Bank to Tokyo, so we really want to capture the energy and enthusiasm of what could be the world’s next Olympic city,” he said.

The official announcement party kicks off from 4pm with Jon Stevens, Busby Marou and interviews with Olympians.

“If the IOC backs Queensland, we’ll light up the night in green and gold with 1½ tonnes of fireworks,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

Other Olympics announcement parties will also be held at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast, Kings Beach on the Sunshine Coast and Beenleigh Town Square. Big screens are also being erected in King George Square, Queen Street Mall and Toowoomba.

Sport P44