Brisbane entertainment: Plans to build complex over Roma Street rail yards

A SPECTACULAR new indoor arena and entertainment precinct in the centre of Brisbane is just a small part of a an exciting $10 billion leap forward in the city’s evolution that has hit its strides.

A FORMAL business case for a new indoor arena and entertainment precinct in the centre of Brisbane is due later this month.

Progress on plans for the Brisbane Live! complex, to be built over the Roma St railyards, is part of a $10 billion leap forward in the city’s evolution into a major international centre over the past year.

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Fast-tracking the development – modelled on the LA Live hub in Los Angeles and including a world-class 17,000-seat concert and sports venue, plazas and an entertainment, dining, retail and commercial zone – was a key point in an action plan developed from The Courier-Mail’s Future Brisbane series last year.

Since then, the Palaszczuk Government has partnered with the proponent, Brisbane-based international venues operator AEG Ogden, taking the $2 billion project under the wing of the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority and investing $5 million to prepare the business case which will be ready within weeks.

“We are incredibly impressed by the speed with which the Delivery Authority has grabbed the idea and made it their own and very supportive of that,” AEG Ogden chairman Harvey Lister said.

“We always thought it was a no-brainer and bipartisan support has allowed the Government to brave and bold in progressing it.”

Brisbane’s master plan features an indoor entertainment arena over Roma Street Station.

Brisbane Live! is now being seen as integral to the redevelopment of Roma St – part of the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail initiative – a new 10.2km train line, including a 5.9km river tunnel, four underground stations and two redeveloped above-ground stations.

A commitment to proceed with Cross River Rail was another Future Brisbane action point and the Palaszczuk Government has done so, regardless of financial support from the federal Government, to have services operating by 2024.

Another city-shaping announcement this year is the $1.4 billion Waterfront Precinct proposal by developer Dexus to transform the City Reach area of the CBD. It ticks our action plan box recommending the creation of a continuous riverfront zone from Eagle St Pier to the new Howard Smith Wharves.

The plan, which has been greenlighted to a full feasibility study stage under the Government’s Market-Led Proposals scheme would close part of Eagle St and create 1.5ha of riverside public open space as well as two new mixed use tower and more restaurants and casual eateries.

“It’s a significant opportunity to revitalise a core part of the city that has not had any major investment in 30 years,” Matt Beasley, Dexus head of office development Queensland said. Waterfront Precinct has a completion target of 2025-26.

Design for the ‘green’ Victoria Bridge, converting it to three lanes on-road for Brisbane Metro vehicles and buses with a dedicated off-road cyclist and pedestrian path, following public consultation.

The Brisbane Metro public transport system was designated a high priority project by Infrastructure Australia and won a $300 million federal Government commitment towards the $944m cost.

The Brisbane City Council says it is ready to commit to expanding the Metro system further if the Government extends the busway system to carry it. The State Infrastructure Plan includes new sections but no funding yet.

The State and City Council have joined forces to press for a City Deal agreement between them and the Federal Government that would lock in priorities and funding for major infrastructure projects for years ahead.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Lord Mayor Graham Quirk have written to recently appointed new Federal Cities Minister Alan Tudge seeking further discussions.

A masterplan for the expansion of South Bank Parklands is being developed and the council has implemented its river hubs strategy and adopted a strategy for precincts/hubs specialising in ‘’future industries’’ sectors.

Other successes over the year include attracting new overseas air routes and more international students, and an extra $36 million over three years to boost the number of major events and conferences.

The action plan contained 22 points. The Palaszczuk Government gave a full or partial commitment to 14 of the 18 relevant to it, while the City Council gave the nod to 13 of 16.

The Courier-Mail launches the next series in our GoQld! campaign – Future SEQ – on Monday, investigating the challenges and opportunities facing the region over the next 25 years.