2032 Olympics Gold Coast venues revealed, including new arena, indoor sports, hockey and more
Gold Coast will get a new arena, host at least 15 sports and house 2600 athletes with two villages on the cards for 2032’s Olympic and Paralympics, it can be revealed. SEE THE FULL LIST
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Gold Coast will get a ratepayer-funded new arena at Southport, a long-awaited upgrade to the Convention and Exhibition Centre and house thousands of athletes in two villages for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics.
The Gold Coast - originally expecting to host nine sports - is now on track for up to 16.
Premier David Crisafulli, revealing the Cabinet-approved plans at The Courier-Mail’s Future Brisbane event on Tuesday, said his State Government had a robust plan for “getting these Games back on track”.
A new Games village will be located within the Royal Pines Resort development, at Benowa, which is also proposed to include the delivery of a high-performance training facility and a masterplan residential development “including a mix of housing types”.
The new arena will be at Carey Park, Southport, while upgrades to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre are also planned.
Mayor Tom Tate said the council had budgeted $200m for the Olympics and the city was “Games ready”.
Brisbane Organising Committee president Andrew Liveris, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and sporting leaders were also on hand to share their insights at the event.
Other Gold Coast identities in the high-powered room included Gold Coast Titans co-owner Rebecca Frizelle, entertainment heavyweight and former Gold Coast Suns chairman Tony Cochrane and former Premier Rob Borbidge.
A presentation from the State Government said the Games would be the catalyst for new rail lines and stations, as well as road upgrades - including faster rail between the Gold Coast and Brisbane and future improvements to the Coomera Connector.
Brisbane Stadium will be built at Victoria Park, while a national aquatic centre will be built to house 24,000 spectators.
A 20,000-seat arena will be built at Brisbane’s RNA Showgrounds, which will also be the main athletes village for the Games.
Swimming will be held at a new National Aquatic Centre, which is to be built at the site of Brisbane’s current Centenary Pool and will house 25,000 spectators, ending the Gold Coast push to host the Olympic swimming.
Mr Crisafulli said it would be the best aquatic centre “in the globe”, adding a 20-year tourism strategy was at the heart of the plan, focusing on ecotourism, 2032 legacy, investment attraction, tourism experience development, access and connectivity and events delivery.
“When the eyes of the world turn to Queensland ... it will be the Queensland way, and that’s what will make the Games great,” he said.
“The time has come to get this done. Finally, Queensland has a plan to get this done, now let’s get on with it.”
“To host the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and we’ll make it count for Queensland with a lasting legacy,” Premier Crisafulli said.
“Transport, infrastructure, tourism and grassroots sport will all be part of the lasting legacy for a Games we can all be proud of.
“We now have the game plan for 2032 and beyond, and it’s time to put it into action.”
CONFIRMED FOR THE GOLD COAST
New arena
The 2032 Games will be the catalyst for the Gold Coast’s new arena at Carey Park, Southport, with Mayor Tom Tate confirming it would be funded by the city, not the State Government.
Cr Tate said the development of the arena would be a deal with the State that meant the land would be transferred to council ownership.
The government’s review said “while the arena is still in the design phase, the venue could cater for between 12,000 and 15,000 spectators, depending on the sport allocation. The arena will have the potential to host a number of Games sports, and appropriate warm-up and support facilities will need to be integrated into the design.”
The report said the roads surrounding the arena would have to be closed during the Games, but that it was well-serviced by public transport.
It said the arena would create a lasting legacy for the Gold Coast. The report said “satisfactory commercial terms are still to be agreed between Queensland Government /Brisbane 2032 and City of Gold Coast” but there were backup venues in play if it didn’t work out.
Hockey
Gold Coast Hockey Centre at Labrador was confirmed as the venue for the hockey on Tuesday, after pleas from Hockey Australia which were backed by Mayor Tom Tate.
Mayor Tom Tate put a case to the Government to relocate hockey from a temporary set-up at rugby union’s spiritual home of Ballymore in Brisbane to the Gold Coast Hockey Centre, which hosted the sport during the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The plan, which would see the GCHC undergo a relatively inexpensive $20m one-pitch upgrade, was backed by Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles.
The plan confirmed upgrades to the hockey centre would be funded by Gold Coast ratepayers.
According to the review: “The City of Gold Coast has confirmed in writing that the upgrade of the venue will be undertaken at no cost to the State, and the upgraded Gold Coast Hockey Centre site will be made available to Brisbane 2032 for Games use at nil cost. In addition, the City of Gold Coast will make available the adjacent council-owned land in close proximity to the venue to accommodate the temporary Games overlay”.
Athlete’s villages
A “satellite” athlete’s village at Royal Pines, Benowa, will provide the additional athlete accommodation required for the hockey, as well as indoor sports at the new arena, and will become residential housing after the Games.
The proposal for another Gold Coast village, slated to house athletes next to Robina Town Centre, is not specifically mentioned in the new plan, however Cr Tate said the idea was “not fully scrapped”.
“Let’s see what happens if we need it and if the growing number of sports (to be held) on the Gold Coast mean we need it, then it will be activated.”
The Games review said: “Potential site constraints identified at the Gold Coast Athletes Village at Robina Town Centre need to be investigated”.
“Proposals for several alternate sites warrant further analysis before a final decision is made on the location.”
Another satellite village, slated for the Sunshine Coast has been confirmed, while the main Brisbane village will be at the RNA Showgrounds
Judo, wrestling and Paralympic boccia
Temporary seating was to be brought in to the Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre at Carrara for the judo and wrestling, and the boccia for the Paralympics.
It would have a spectator capacity of 7500. This plan is yet to be specifically confirmed.
Football (soccer)
Gold Coast Stadium at Robina was slated to host the football preliminaries, using its regular spectator capacity of 27,400 during the Games. This plan is yet to be specifically confirmed.
Volleyball and the Paralympic wheelchair rugby
The Coomera Indoor Sports Centre was to have a temporary seating boost for these sports, yielding capacity of 11,000 during the Games.
The volleyball finals were planned to be held here, as well as some of the preliminaries, with other volleyball prelims to be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach. This plan is yet to be specifically confirmed.
Volleyball, weightlifting, and Paralympics sitting volleyball and powerlifting
The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre was to host these four sports, housing spectator capacity of up to 6000 during the Games. This plan is yet to be specifically confirmed.
Paralympic 5-a-side football
To be held at Broadbeach Park Stadium, a huge temporary venue for 12,000 spectators in the parklands near Kurrawa Surf Lifesaving Club was to be built. This plan is yet to be specifically confirmed.
Olympic triathlon and Paralympic triathlon
Southport Broadwater Parklands would host these sports in a temporary venue with spectator capacity of 5000. This plan has been confirmed.
Aquatics (swimming marathon)
This gruelling 10km swim race is to be held at the same temporary venue at Broadwater Parklands. This plan has been confirmed.
Beach volleyball
To be held at Broadbeach Park Stadium, a huge temporary venue for 12,000 spectators in the parklands near Kurrawa Surf Lifesaving Club.
A drop-in court using specialised sand will be used at the venue. This plan is yet to be specifically confirmed.
DENIED FOR THE GOLD COAST
Swimming
Cr Tate revealed last month the city had been in talks with officials from World Aquatics to bring a major international meet to the city’s aquatic centre to serve as proof the venue can, and should, host the 2032 Olympics.
The plan will now see a new 25,000 National Aquatic Centre built at Centenary Pool in Brisbane.
The government review said “there was insufficient detail” in the Gold Coast’s proposal to enable a full assessment and the board “was satisfied that appropriate venue options existed in Brisbane”.
Rowing
The head of Australia’s peak national rowing body made an 11th-hour plea for the Gold Coast to host the event at Hinze Dam - but that plea has been denied.
The request, from Rowing Australia CEO Sarah Cook and Rowing Queensland CEO Matt Bialkowski, came after speculation the events would be held in Rockhampton or Sydney.
Cr Tate said Hinze Dam was “an idyllic location that would promote Queensland to a world audience”, unlike the alternative suggestions which had crocodiles and Sydneysiders in the mix.
Cr Tate told the crowd the Gold Coast was still open to doing “a Steven Bradbury” and hosting the event “if there was a hiccup” with the Rockhampton plans.
Golf
Cr Tate suggested golf could be played at either Royal Pines, Sanctuary Cove or The Grand instead of Royal Queensland.
This was not included in the new plan, with Royal Queensland confirmed as the venue.
MORE TO COME
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