Logan mayor Darren Power hopes to ‘turn around’ Logan Central with new Olympics indoor venue

A southeast Queensland council, which has not officially been asked to host any 2032 Olympics events, has launched a campaign to cash in on the Games and turn a low socio-economic suburb into a “shining light’’.

Logan mayor Darren Power says there is a lot of information still to come out about the Olympics, which could help turn things around for Logan Central.

A southside council, which has not been asked to host any 2032 Olympics events, has launched a campaign to cash in on the Games and “revitalise” a suburb’s image.

Logan City Council mayor Darren Power took to local radio to promote a proposed nine-court indoor Olympic stadium planned for Logan Central even though the city has not been officially asked to host any events.

Mr Power was speaking about Logan’s Olympic plans after unveiling a 36-page “road map” to put pressure on state and federal governments to help the city cash in on the event.

He said Logan was “underdone” when it came to indoor sports venues and was also looking for a “housing partner” to help “revitalise” large blocks around Logan Central to “make it one of our shining lights”.

The council also needed to work with the state to “redevelop” Logan Central, near the planned stadium, to “turn around” the area from being the city’s “weakest link to its strongest” before the Games.

Much of the money for the revitalising project would come from the council, the mayor said.

Planned venues for the 2032 Olympics.

Mr Power also said there was still a lot of information to be released about Games venues with Olympic organisers keeping planning details about events “close to their chest”.

“I would expect games to be participated in our facility recognising that not every (event) is a final event,” Mr Power told ABC Radio.

“There are a lot of teams in the Olympics, so I would imagine there would be actual events in our facility.”

The Logan Central venue is one of six planned indoor Olympics facilities with other venues earmarked for Breakfast Creek, Chandler, Redland, Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast.

The state and federal governments allocated $1.87 billion for building and upgrading 16 Olympic venues outside Brisbane.

Logan missed out on hosting the whitewater Olympic event to Redland City Council.

But a surprise announcement in February revealed that an indoor sports venue would be built at Logan Central.

The city, a 30-minute drive south of Brisbane, has a population of more than 363,000 and indoor stadiums at Cornubia, Mount Warren Park and Crestmead.

Logan Central is where a new indoor basketball venue will be built ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

The new Logan Central venue will be primarily a basketball stadium with seating for 7000 also accommodating indoor sports such as skating, volleyball, and some wheelchair sports.

“It’s crucial we get this sporting facility because we need it and we are putting pressure on the state and federal government to build this facility first rather than last because we are in dire need of providing this facility,” Mr Power said.

“ … We need a lot when it comes to public transport, but you’ve got to remember that Logan Central will be on the fast rail network between Gold Coast and Brisbane so people will be able to get to that sporting facility by train with just a short walk.

“Most of this will be our (council) money and we … obviously want to use this as it is over $200 million.”