Big names boost southeast Queensland Olympic Games bid hopes

Brisbane’s bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games has taken a step forward with some of the world’s biggest movers and shakers in sport touching down in southeast Queensland.

BRISBANE’S bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games has taken a step forward with some of the world’s biggest movers and shakers in sport touching down in southeast Queensland.

At least 30 officials from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will spend the next five days on the Gold Coast for the International SportAccord conference.

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It’s the perfect opportunity to showcase the southeast and for our leaders to continue building a case for the Games.

Pictured at Metricon Stadium at Carrara are high level international sports delegates during an inspection of the venue.

A campaign by The Courier-Mail has attracted support from IOC president Thomas Bach and prompted the SEQ Council of Mayors to release a feasibility study into the bid.

Mr Bach arrived in Queensland last night and will today meet with Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Senior director of sales planning for Tokyo 2020, Tetsuro Koga, yesterday toured Metricon Stadium, one of the venues for last year’s Commonwealth Games.

“It is very important for me to study other events and what is going on around the world,” he said.

“The trend is changing right now and all hosts have to think about sustainability and how to pass on to our future generations.

“I am here to study and learn what I can pass on to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.”

Tetsuro Koga (front Right) with members of the Taiwan Government delegation. Pic Mike Batterham

Mr Koga said that the Games have to learn how to ­attract more visitors and introducing new sports was vital to achieving this.

Major Events International chief executive Dennis Mills said that local businesses needed to be told what they would get out of the Games “right from the start” in order to garner support.

Tetsuro Koga is the Senior Director of Sales Planning for Tokyo 2020 and is inspecting Metricon Stadium with Dennis Mills CEO of Major Events International as part of an IOC sports delegates group on the Gold Coast. Pics Adam Head

“Get the business community involved and most people will go with it,” he said.

“If you motivate local businesses that this is good for them, that means it’s good for the people within those businesses. It’s good for skills, but that doesn’t happen overnight.”

More than 1400 delegates will attend the 2019 Sport­Accord at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre this week.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she is looking forward to meeting with Olympics chief Thomas Bach this week but is sticking to her guns over the need for the money required to be “justified” before she commits to a formal Games bid.

“If there is to be a successful bid to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in South East Queensland, it will require support from all levels of government – local, state and federal – as well as the private sector,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“As I’ve previously said, any decision to stage a bid will be on the basis that the investment is justified and in the best interests of all of Queensland.”