Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games report released by Toowoomba Regional Council, TSBE

While Toowoomba is in line to host just the one event, a new report has revealed we could play a bigger role in Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. FIND OUT HOW:

The long-awaited report into Toowoomba’s Olympic opportunities has been released, with the games anticipated to “bring an international spotlight to the region”.

This is despite the region being only in line to host preliminary stages of one event at this point.

The report, prepared by Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise and released by Toowoomba Regional Council yesterday, outlines a number of opportunities the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games could provide to the region from both a sporting and non-sporting standpoint.

A spokesperson from the Premier’s office has confirmed Toowoomba has been granted provisional rights to host football preliminaries at the Toowoomba Sports Ground, involving an upgrade to 15,000 seats with 10,000 in a temporary capacity.

However the report found that while retaining the football matches should be the main focus, other sports could be hosted in the Garden City.

“Toowoomba could potentially host Olympic equestrian, shooting or archery events but only if the current facilities are upgraded to an international standard, Toowoomba hosts successful and regular national and international sporting events leading up to the Games and gains the final approval of the IOC,” the report stated.

“Toowoomba also has the opportunity to host lead-up training for the Games in sports such as hockey, BMX, mountain biking, road racing and boxing which would provide ongoing economic benefits over a longer time frame.”

TSBE CEO Ali Davenport said the 2032 Brisbane Olympics posed a great opportunity for south east Queensland.

“What we need to do is make sure we can maximise those opportunities,” she said.

“Realistically the regions that are going to benefit most from the sporting events are Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast because they’ve already got the infrastructure in place but there’s opportunities around that we can deliver on and maximise the benefit to us. There’s opportunities around training and the lead-up to the Games as well as food, clean energy.”

TRC Mayor Paul Antonio said the Games were an opportunity to provide major infrastructure.

“An event of this scale allows us to dream and to explore the possibility of what we can secure for our region,” he said.

“This isn’t just about the Olympics – it’s about ensuring we give our region the best possible chance to capitalise on all of the opportunities which lie ahead over the next 10-20 years.”

Task force launched to exploit Olympic opportunities

After releasing a report into the potential opportunities for the region from the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise has launched a task force to secure benefits for the region.

TSBE CEO Ali Davenport said competition between regions for sporting and non-sporting opportunities from the Games would be tough, with the report identifying a number of areas where Toowoomba had an advantage.

“That’s why we need a task force, and we’re calling for community members who are going to drive our vision and maximise every single opportunity for us,” she said.

“They will need to think big picture, what our dream is and make it a reality.”

Find details about how to nominate for the Toowoomba Olympic task force on the TSBE website: www.tsbe.com.au/toowoomba-olympic-taskforce.

State government offers Toowoomba the one Games event

Toowoomba powerbrokers remain confident the region will reap some benefits from the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, despite the state government all but excluding the Garden City from hosting an event.

Toowoomba Regional Council has released its long-awaited report by the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise into the region’s Olympic opportunities, with both Mayor Paul Antonio and TSBE CEO Ali Davenport upbeat on Toowoomba’s prospects of capitalising on opportunities presented by the games.

“I think we need to maximise the long-term benefits that can arise from the build-up, during and post Olympic periods,” Mr Antonio said.

“There will be opportunities not just in sporting but also tourism and the very recognition of Toowoomba as being an ideal place to live, work and play.

“This is a very real opportunity for Toowoomba and the broader region.”

While Mr Antonio said he would love to see a gold medal event held in Toowoomba, at this stage Olympic organisers had slated the city to just host football preliminaries.

“The Brisbane 2032 Master Plan highlights Toowoomba Sports Ground as one of the eight existing venues that will be upgraded prior to Brisbane 2032 and will be used as a regional competition venue,” a spokesperson from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office confirmed to The Chronicle.

“The Toowoomba Sports Ground will be upgraded to have a spectator seating capacity of 15,000 during the Games with 10,000 of these seats provided as a temporary overlay.

“This upgrade will create exciting sport and community legacy for regional Queensland ensuring its facilities meet the needs of the growing Darling Downs community ahead of hosting the preliminary football events for Brisbane 2032.”

Clive Berghofer Stadium will receive an upgrade ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The spokesperson said the selection of sports, locations and venues had been agreed as part of the Future Host Contract, and any change to the Master Plan would require “consideration and agreement” with Olympic partners, the International Federation, Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and the International Olympic Committee.

Mr Antonio said he had been in discussions with Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe regarding a permanent upgrade to Toowoomba Sports Ground.

Ms Davenport said TSBE would engage the state government and TRC on sport infrastructure upgrades as well as national sporting bodies not on the 2032 games schedule but with aspirations to be included to the Olympics in the next 10 years.

“TSBE will be working with stakeholders to develop a scope of works for a Sports Tourism strategy that will enable the region to be better placed to attract national and international events in the run up to 2032 and for the years beyond 2032,” Ms Davenport said.

Originally published as Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games report released by Toowoomba Regional Council, TSBE