Stadium guru’s fears Brisbane Olympic Games headed towards an ‘embarrassment’ amid ‘policy on the run’

The guru behind Sydney’s Olympic Stadium and the $280m redevelopment of Suncorp Stadium has urged the state government to think to 2050 and beyond and cater for a sports-hungry SEQ.

Professor Alan Patching helped deliver the 2000 Olympic Stadium and was also responsible for the $280m redevelopment of Suncorp Stadium.

Stadium guru Alan Patching has urged the Queensland government to “lift your eyes” beyond 2032 and think big, saying doing anything less than what Sydney delivered would be “embarrassing”.

Prof Patching was the man charged with delivering the 2000 Olympic Stadium, and was also responsible for the $280m redevelopment of Suncorp Stadium.

He said the chance to host the Games was about “much more than a sporting event” – and was a chance which should not be wasted.

“It is an opportunity to engage in aspirational thinking about what sort of region we want to live in by 2050 and beyond,” he said.

“And anyone who thinks sporting infrastructure is not important for a nation internationally

renowned and respected for its sports-supporting culture needs a check-up from the neck up.

“Stop looking at what we need in 2032 to host an Olympics, and start looking at what we need in 2050 and beyond to cater for a sports-hungry South East Queensland with a booming population.”

Prof Alan Patching is a Professor of Construction and Project Management and Director of Industry Engagement at Bond University.

Prof Patching’s comments come in the week when Premier Steven Miles faced intense backlash after rejecting the findings of an independent review led by former Lord Mayor Graham Quirk to build a new Victoria Park stadium.

Ignoring the recommendation just hours after it was made public following the 60-day review he ordered, Mr Miles instead said the government would pursue redeveloping the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre at Nathan – the site used for the 1982 Commonwealth Games.

“According to responses to research questions I have asked of senior development and infrastructure practitioners, the Government’s preference for Nathan smacks of either Graham Quirk’s 60-day review having the primary objective of buying time for the new Premier to position himself, or of a kneejerk political reaction made with the election in clear sight and the need to secure electoral preferences,” Prof Patching said.

“If the latter is the case, it comes across as policy on the run ahead of the October state election that polls indicate the ruling Labor Party is likely to lose.”

Dr Patching was responsible for the delivery of the $280m Suncorp Stadium redevelopment.

While noting issues with the Gabba plan – as well as Nathan – Prof Patching said “we have plenty of time to get this right”.

“So let’s take a deep breath and calm down,” he said.

“After the unabashed international praise of Sydney 2000, anything short of that level of infrastructure could be embarrassing, not only for Brisbane, but for the Gold Coast and all Australia.”

Acknowledging the challenge the government had in framing the pitch for an Olympic stadium in a “region groaning under housing stress and unfulfilled infrastructure projects”, he said it could not be seen as an “either/or choice”.

“For example, has there been consideration of a private-public partnership for the stadium development, as was the case for Sydney?” Prof Patching said.

“Such an approach substantially relieves the government of upfront construction costs. It might not work for Brisbane, but let’s at least investigate.”