‘White elephant becomes woolly mammoth’: Big money set to be spent on Brisbane’s QSAC stadium for 2032

Today’s announcement by Queensland Premier Steven Miles to overlook recommendations as to where Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic stadium should be, provides plenty of food for thought. ROBERT CRADDOCK’s analysis.

Paris, Los Angeles, Mt Gravatt … the three future pillars of Olympic heritage.

We wish.

Quaint setting though it is, the choice of QSAC as the Olympic athletics venue, up Kessels Road past Pet Barn and Baby Bunting, is a bit like taking King Charles to your nearest burger bar next time he visits Australia.

It wasn’t just the fact that the review by former Lord Mayor Graham Quirk specifically advised Brisbane not to go to QSAC because the dollars don’t make sense that makes the choice so surprising.

It’s that the venue has led such a docile life since the 1982 Commonwealth Games and 50 years later it is expected to be good enough to host the greatest sporting show on earth.

Say what you like about this being the budget Games. Track and field venues are your Olympic shop windows. They need to sparkle.

QSAC Stadium from the air. Picture: Darren England.

Of course QSAC will get a spruce up but, in a way, the bigger that becomes the more embarrassing it will be when the Games leave town and QSAC becomes the lady who splashed out on a ball dress knowing she will only ever wear it once.

Speculation that the venue will become a legacy gift to Brisbane is way over the top. To who? Little athletics? But hang on. It’s perfectly fine for athletics as it is.

And please don’t listen to the chat about the venue hosting the World Athletics Championships.

The last time Brisbane even raised the possibility of hosting the world titles it was blown out of the water by a cashed up overseas bidder before it had time to even open its wallet.

Talk about turning a white elephant into a white woolly mammoth.

The choice of Suncorp Stadium as the opening ceremony venue is interesting because it is a rectangular venue with a lot of modification ahead to have the proper feel of a venue who can do the Games justice.

The Gabba will get a facelift but not the rebuild that, in an election year, became political poison by public more concerned about youth crime and cost of living.

Cricket and the AFL won’t have to worry about moving out for five years and for that they are grateful.

Originally published as ‘White elephant becomes woolly mammoth’: Big money set to be spent on Brisbane’s QSAC stadium for 2032