‘Eyeful’ towers plan for Brisbane 2032 Games

Brisbane office buildings including the state government’s “Tower of Power” could be opened up to 2032 Olympic visitors to soak up the views for free as part of a bold vision to make the river city a spectacular backdrop to the Games.

The Tower of Power and Queen's Wharf. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Brisbane office buildings including the state government’s “Tower of Power” could be opened up to 2032 Olympic visitors to soak up the views for free as part of a bold vision to make the river city a spectacular backdrop to the Games.

Sound and light shows beamed onto CBD high rises and the Kangaroo Point cliffs, along with dazzling drone displays, have also been floated by a prominent tourism figure to help Brisbane shine even brighter when the world’s biggest show comes to town.

Griffith University tourism professor Daniel Gschwind, a former Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO, said Brisbane could follow the lead of other international cities which open up CBD buildings to visitors.

Office buildings including New York’s 30 Hudson Yards, Chicago’s Willis Tower and Seoul’s Lotte World Tower all boast spectacular observation decks that are open to the public.

While visitors to Tokyo have to pay an entry fee to access the spectacular 229m Shibuya Sky Tower observation deck, the nearby Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has two free observation decks offering stunning city vistas from a height of 202m.

The 46-level “Tower of Power” at 1 William St does not have an observation deck but does feature a roof terrace and sky lounge with panoramic 360 degree views.

Prof Gschwind said security issues could make it difficult to open up the building to the public – and neighbouring Queen’s Wharf already offered free viewing from its Sky Deck.

But he said all options should be explored so Brisbane can wow Olympics visitors.

“It is a spectacular view from the Tower of Power but there is a bit of a practicality issue there with security and so forth,” he said.

“We have other tall buildings and maybe some of those would be more suitable. Queen’s Wharf has been a really good addition to the tourist offering in Brisbane, and more rooftop attractions certainly need to be considered.”

Prof Gschwind said Brisbane, in the lead-up to the Olympics, also needed to look to cities such as Hong Kong and Dubai which put on permanent light and sound shows.

“More evening entertainment is certainly something we should look at to keep people in the city longer, especially families,” he said.

“We’ve seen light and sound shows as part of events like the Brisbane Festival, and there’s so much technology now available from a projection point of view.

“We could have projections onto (building) facades and the Kangaroo Point cliffs, with great vantage points all along the river for that kind of thing.

“We have to be a bit cutting edge here and think a little bit beyond what’s already happening elsewhere and employ the latest technology to put all the options on the table.”

A spokesman for the Minister for the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Andrew Powell said the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to define Queensland as a world class host.

“This is our chance to show the globe that we are open for business, and ready to offer world-class experiences – one of the core pillars of Destination 2045,” the spokesman said.

“The Crisafulli Government welcomes new ideas on how to define an unforgettable Games, luring visitors who will come for the sport and stay for the state, fuelling our visitor economy for decades to come, and creating a better lifestyle for all Queenslanders.”

Originally published as ‘Eyeful’ towers plan for Brisbane 2032 Games