2032 Brisbane Olympic Games: Sydney Olympics bid boss Rod McGeoch reveals how to fix event

Sydney Olympics supremo Rod McGeoch says the political leaders have to “turn around” the 2032 Games to get the public back on board and deliver key infrastructure in just eight years.

Sydney Olympics supremo Rod McGeoch says the political leaders have to “turn around” the 2032 Games to get the public back on board and deliver key infrastructure in just eight years.

The 78-year-old, who led the team which in 1993 won the bid for the 2000 Games, has laid down the law about what needs to change in order to make the southeast Queensland event - spanning the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast - a success.

Mr McGeoch used his keynote address to the Bulletin’s Future Gold Coast breakfast to underline a need for unity, a plan to bring the community on board and a way of delivering billions of dollars in infrastructure without cost to the public.

Rod McGeoch, former Head of the Sydney Olympic Committee, speaks at the Future Gold Coast breakfast at Gold Coast entertainment at Convention Centre. Picture Glenn Hampson

WHERE BRISBANE WENT WRONG AND WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE

Mr McGeoch said Brisbane, having been the sole bidder for the 2032 Games, had lost some of the early measure other cities had enjoyed.

“Brisbane ended up being the preferred candidate and unanimously voted for, so it didn’t enjoy the sort of competitive momentum that (normally) causes you to create all these sort of initiatives that drive community support, but (now) it has to start, it must start,” he said.

“It’s got time to start because of the extra (lead-in) that were given 10 years, so in my judgment it is very important that they get it going.

”It’s going to take leadership and a lot of energy to do it, but it must be done.”

Mr McGeoch said it was critical for decisions to be made in the near future following the October state election.

“I can’t see much visibility of the organising committee and the government (and Opposition) sparring at each other (on topics such as) ‘what’s the best place to put the stadium in?” he said.

“It is so unfortunate because it just didn’t happen over this.

“If there was a change of government (in October), I understand the plan to be that they will disappear for 100 days and come back with the final solution.”

Rod McGeoch led the Sydney 2000 bid which was won in 1993. Picture Glenn Hampson

DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE COST

Mr McGeoch said too much was made about the cost of infrastructure in light of the 16 days of the Olympics and urged politicians and critics to take a longer-term view of the key projects including stadiums.

“Sydney might not have become the capital of business meetings like Barcelona has, but it definitely left a legacy of goodwill and even just put its name on the map,” he said.

“Please do not put the cost (of a stadium) up against a 16-day event because you’re going to have that venue for 50 years.

“Montreal blew things up and then Rio blew (it) but you get these things for 50 or 60 years.

“This city in particular has very much got its eye on the legacy, especially in the form of infrastructure.”

BUILD STADIUMS WITHOUT PAYING

Rod McGeoch has called for greater leadership around the Games Picture Glenn Hampson

Mr McGeoch questioned why Brisbane 2032 bosses had not considered a similar measure undertaken in Sydney in the 1990s where private companies including ANZ underwrote construction of key venues in exchange for long-term naming rights deals.

He said it was a simple solution which would remove a key impediment in the public’s perception – the high cost of government spending on venues.

We’ve got to sell some sponsorship, we’ve got to sell some tickets here,” he said.

“(The Sydney venues) were totally paid for by (private companies) in return for a management contract, so there was not a single dollar put in by the government.

“The Olympic Village just over the back of Homebush, was completely built by private enterprise and after the Games were over, they put back a kitchen, they put back a garage because you don’t need that there when it’s an Olympic village and sold it for a motza.

“Private enterprise built it for nothing, then kept the profits and it’s a hugely successful suburb of Sydney.

“So you do wonder as to why there isn’t some sort of encouragement for this to happen in Brisbane to fund some of the infrastructure.

“Now does it really matter? They’re all the government’s land. So they’re government assets, they never leave.”

MULTIPLE CLOSING CEREMONIES

There’s been much angst about the split of Olympics events between Brisbane and the co-hosts of the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Logan.

Mr McGeoch suggested multiple closing ceremonies could be held across the regions in a similar fashion to Sydney.

”With the Sydney games, we had the closing ceremony at Homebush but we also had a closing ceremony at the (Sydney Harbour) Bridge and I got out of the hospital (after having viral encephalitis during the Games) and saw that one,” he said.

“Why couldn’t they split it up here too?”