Brisbane Olympic Games: Major venues rethink amid cost blowout fears

Queensland Police headquarters could be demolished to make way for one of the Brisbane Games’ major venues, with concerns over cost blowouts plaguing the project.

A major rethink of Brisbane’s two premier Olympic Games venues is underway amid concerns cost blowouts and major construction challenges could plague the Gabba and Brisbane Arena projects.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the Roma St Queensland Police headquarters and Brisbane Arrests court could be bulldozed to make way for the premier Brisbane Arena stadium – which will feature a temporary pool for swimming and water polo events during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The 17,000-seat Brisbane Arena was slated to be constructed above the railway at Roma Street Station, however it is understood the anticipated cost of the project has raised eyebrows within the state government.

Queensland Police headquarters could be demolished as an alternative site for the proposed Brisbane Arena.

The proposal, which was contained within submissions to the International Olympic Committee during Brisbane’s bid for the Games, was lodged prior to the development of Cross River Rail.

Insiders are now pushing for the outdated Queensland Police Headquarters and Brisbane Arrests Court buildings to be demolished to make way for the Brisbane Arena Olympic venue.

Development would also likely include a new plaza linking pedestrians to the Main Press Centre at Southbank and Suncorp Stadium.

The Palaszczuk government is now reconsidering the location of the ambitious Brisbane Arena and a decision could be made by the end of the year.

A review is also underway about the wider plan to upgrade The Gabba amid fears a larger stadium won’t fit within the existing stadium footprint.

There are fears upgrading The Gabba won't fit within the existing stadium's footprint without major works to the surrounding streets.

It is understood Vulture and Stanley streets could be tunnelled to alleviate the problem, however such a move would likely blowout the cost of the $1bn development.

Questions about the challenges facing the venues – including the demolition of the Roma St police headquarters and the size of the Gabba – were put to Deputy Premier Steven Miles.

Mr Miles, who is also the Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics Infrastructure, said further development of the Brisbane Arena design was required before a “final funding decision” is agreed to by the Queensland and Australian Government.

“A process is currently underway to inform future investment decisions for the Brisbane Arena, to be located within the Roma Street precinct,” he said.

“This process will ensure the Arena is fit for purpose and delivers the best legacy outcomes for Queensland.”

Mr Miles stressed the importance of getting the premier Brisbane Arena venue right, declaring it would leave a “significant legacy for Brisbane and southeast Queensland”.

“It will revitalise the under-utilised Roma St precinct by helping us to attract a greater variety of entertainment and international sporting events and strengthen Brisbane’s tourism sector,” he said.

Mr Miles declined to comment on the detail of the Gabba redevelopment, but said “no decisions on the Gabba expansion have yet been made”.

Education Minister Grace Grace last week sensationally revealed the government was still “stabbing in the dark” in planning for how to redevelop the Gabba.

“We do not know the footprint, we do not know the design, we have a schematic sketch, we are still stabbing in the dark,” she said.

Ms Grace was responding to a question from Greens MP Amy McMahon about the fate of the East Brisbane State School, which is located in the shadow of the Gabba grandstand and is likely to make way for a larger stadium.