Builders line up to be a part of 2032 Olympics construction spend

Local, national and international construction companies will be in the race to deliver multibillion-dollar venues and infrastructure for the 2032 Olympic Games.

An artist’s impression of stadium in Victoria Park for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Source: Queensland government.

Australia’s and the world’s largest builders are in the race for a slice of the multibillion-dollar Olympics infrastructure pie.

The property sector has welcomed Queensland Premier David Crisafulli’s unveiling on Tuesday of the venues, infrastructure and transport needed for a fully costed $7.1bn 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

BESIX Watpac chief executive Mark Baker said it now had clarity but would have to wait for the government to make the next move. “They will work it out and come to the market and tell us how they want to go through the procurement process and we will line up accordingly,” he said.

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At the heart of the construction process will be a $3.785bn, 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park and a national $650m aquatic centre in the inner-city Olympic precinct.

The RNA showgrounds nearby will host the athletes village and an upgraded 20,000-seat arena for key events. A new 3000-seat show court arena and 12 match courts will be built at the Queensland Tennis Centre, in addition to Pat Rafter Arena.

Money will be allocated to ­facilities including indoor sports centres in Logan and Moreton Bay, and a new whitewater centre in Redland.

It was also revealed that events will be held on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast and regional ­cities, which will all need the construction of venues and accommodation, while major transport routes will be upgraded.

An artist’s impression of the stadium in Victoria Park for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Source: Queensland government

The Games has attracted the attention of top international builders with a strong presence in Australia, including Lendlease, CIMIC, John Holland, Laing O’Rourke and Fulton Hogan.

They will be vying with Brisbane and Australian-headquartered companies keen to put forward their credentials.

Mr Baker said the Brisbane-based builder, which was acquired by Belgium’s BESIX in 2018, had delivered all major stadiums in the state and wanted to be a part of the delivery of this generational infrastructure program.

“As the only builder in the local market who has built every major stadium in the state, BESIX Watpac is geared up and ready to support the government in any way we can,” he said.

“The aquatic centre, the indoor sports centres at Logan and Maroochydore and the main stadium, we will be looking at all of them.

“We have teams ready to go and we also are at the back end of our stadium project in Christchurch – the One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha – so it’s perfect timing for our specialised stadium team to come back for the Olympics.”

BESIX Watpac CEO Mark Baker at Watpac’s offices in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.

Built chief executive of construction David Paterson said his Australian-owned, Sydney-headquartered contractor had a national team that had worked across all major stadiums and it was excited by the opportunity.

“With Queensland’s construction market operating at capacity, delivering the infrastructure pipeline ahead requires skilled construction partners who can execute with speed, efficiency and cost certainty,” he said.

“Built’s own advancement of cutting-edge technologies – ones that are delivering program and cost efficiencies across major Australian infrastructure projects – demonstrates the opportunity to harness digital construction to provide the certainty in delivery required.”

Apartment specialist Hutchinson Builders is expected to tender for the athletes villages in Brisbane’s RNA Showgrounds and in the regions.

However, Hutchies will face stiff competition from Lendlease, which has a strong relationship with the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland, owner and operator of the Brisbane Showgrounds.

“Athletes villages makes sense for us to do. We have about 2100 staff across the state, many who have been with us for a long time,” Mr Hutchinson said.

“We have the staff that can do it and we have the balance sheet so everyone will know it will be completed and that puts us into a pretty good position.”

Hutchinson Builders chairman Scott Hutchinson.

Scott Power, chief executive of Australia’s largest privately owned civil contractor, BMD, has in the past called on the Queensland government to ensure local businesses played an integral role in delivering the Games.

“From a BMD perspective, we are predominantly a civil contractor so we’d like to be involved in the civil infrastructure associated with the new stadium at Victoria Park,” Mr Power said.

“We’d be looking a working with builders to identify all the civil transport and connecting infrastructure.

“We will look at their plan and look at the projects and where we can contribute to which one we can partner up on. We’re certainly keen to play a leading role as Brisbane’s leading civil contractor to get involved in delivery.”

BMD Group CEO Scott Power. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Australian Constructors Association chief executive Jon ­Davies said the real work started now – and a smarter approach to delivery was critical.

“Queensland cannot afford further delays caused by slow business cases and inefficient procurement processes,” Mr Davies said.

“Inefficient procurement across the nation is driving delays, cost overruns and contractor insolvencies. If it doesn’t change, we won’t be able to deliver the 2032 Games.

“To deliver a successful Games, we need a smarter, more efficient approach to construction – one that treats it as a team sport, not a battle of bureaucracy.”

Originally published as Builders line up to be a part of 2032 Olympics construction spend