Premier says ‘no chance’ private sector can build mega 2032 riverfront stadium without taxpayer help

Steven Miles isn’t convinced that a $6bn riverfront 2032 Games precinct, including 60,000-seat stadium, can be built without taxpayer help. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Premier Steven Miles (inset) says he doubts the private sector can fund the $6 billion cost of the Brisbane Design Alliance Northshore 2032 Games precinct plan (main image).

• Looks ambitious. But will it ever happen?

It is “highly unlikely’’ the private sector can build a $6 billion riverfront 2032 Games precinct, including a stadium, hotel and athletes’ village, unless taxpayers chip in, Premier Steven Miles says.

Mr Miles said the costings for all other preliminary architect designs for Olympics venues that he had seen so far were out by an “order of magnitude’’ — or a factor of 10.

He added that he had given Queenslanders an assurance the total cost of all new 2032 stadiums would not exceed $7.1 billion and he intended to honour that promise.

His comments came after an experienced international consortium revealed bold plans for a mega Games precinct at Northshore riverfront site in Hamilton.

It would include a new 60,000-seat stadium, hotel, 2500-apartment athletes’ village, pedestrian walkways along the river, aquatic and wavepool centre, retail and restaurant hub and possibly a pedestrian crossing with drawbridge over the river to Bulimba.

The Brisbane Design Alliance, which has world-class architecture, engineering and planning experts from Buchan, HKS, NRA Collaborative, Aurecon and Nikken Sekkei, believed the project could be funded privately – similar to Perth’s Optus Stadium, which HKS designed.

How the Brisbane Design Alliance precinct would look. Image: Supplied

It said the government would need only to hand over 150ha between Bretts Wharf and the Royal Queensland Golf Club, as well as help fix transport problems in the area.

But Minister Di Farmer revealed this week that tenders had already been issued for an upgrade of QSAC and for a Hamilton athletes’ village.

Plans were under way for social housing at Hamilton as well.

Mr Miles said Brisbane Design Alliance could submit its proposal through official channels.

“We have a well-established process where people can put those sort of designs forward (for example the Brisbane Arena drop-in pool plan for the Roma St site in the CBD),’’ he said.

“What I know that Queenslanders know about me is I’ve been very clear about priorities — we have to keep that Olympics and Paralympic budget to $7.1 billion.

“That is still a lot of money. This is still a very expensive investment but will deliver a range of incredible venues across the southeast and rest of the state.

“If there are others who want to bring forward proposals there are processes to do that.

“I think it is highly unlikely you could build a stadium using private funds.’’

The Northshore 2032 Games precinct, viewed from the northeast. Image: Supplied

He described the Brisbane Design Alliance plan as “very preliminary’’ even though it claimed to have worked on it for six months.

“From what I can tell, the only detail I have seen are the drawings in the paper (The Courier-Mail),’’ he said.

“I would make the point that I have in the past seen early drawings and estimates from architects and they have proven to be out by an order of magnitude.

“Any (suggestion) that this could be built for free is probably misleading Queenslanders.’’

Mr Miles also refused to be drawn on explosive comments from Queensland Cricket in an open letter to its members and affiliates on Saturday.

The chair and CEO said their sport needed certainty and called for a “fit for purpose’’ stadium at the Gabba.

They wrote that at this stage Tests would not go ahead at the Gabba in the 2026-27 season, the first time that has happened since the 1970s.

Northshore Vision 2050 riverfront promenade area. Image: Supplied

Mr Miles said decisions on scheduling Tests and other matches were entirely for the sport’s governing bodies, but pointed out “hundreds of millions of dollars has been allocated for an upgrade of the Gabba’’.

He would not reveal when construction would start, what would be entailed or the cost, saying a detailed design process had only just begun.

The scope had to be balanced against the cost of upgrading the QSAC athletics centre in Nathan on the southside.

Mr Miles also defended the small size of the State Government delegation to Paris, which was outnumbered by observers from southeast Queensland councils.

He said the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee sent a “very significant’’ team and there would have been a “different view’’ if he had gone to Paris.

Brisbane Design Alliance’s Northshore Vision 2050 – AFL Stadium Mode. Image: Supplied

Mr Miles said criticism was normal before any Olympics.

Many were predicting the Paris Games opening ceremony and the use of the Seine River would be a disaster, only three weeks before the Olympics began.

“Whenever I talk to other host cities they tell me don’t worry about the day-to-day debates, stay focused on the long game and supporting our athletes — if we get that right the Games will be a success,’’ he said.

He called on the LNP to detail its 2032 plans.

“The (public) have no idea what David Crisafulli or the LNP plan to do. That’s because they’re hiding their plan until after the election,’’ he said.

“They’re telling the big end of town that they’ll build a $3.5 billion stadium at Victoria Park while pretending to Queenslanders that they won’t. It’s about time they were honest.’’