The ten things we can tell Brisbane about staging a major event like the Olympics

We all agree that the Gold Coast must have a seat at the table of the 2032 Olympic organising committee. But what do we do when we get there?

WE all agree that the Gold Coast must have a seat at the table of the 2032 Olympic organising committee. But what do we do when we get there? We must tell the truth about our Games experience.

Opposition leader David Crisafulli hinted at this when he spoke recently in state parliament on the legislation being created for the south-east Queensland event. He suggested getting a 20-year tourism plan.

A police officer patrols near a designated Commonwealth Games Lane on the Gold Coast, Wednesday, March 28, 2018. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Mr Crisafulli said the 2018 Commonwealth Games was a “missed opportunity in some regards because so much emphasis was put on telling people about traffic chaos and gridlock and not being able to get there that people quite frankly stayed away”.

Southport MP Rob Molhoek believes the Olympics must be on broader canvas than cafe owners just stocking up on staff and their fridges for a two-week bonanza from tourists which might not eventuate.

“We’ve done a lot of heavy lifting with the Commonwealth Games. We have a lot of expertise,” he told your columnist.

“We had a lot of Olympic teams based here in 2000. We know how to run events, we’re an event city. The thing we want to make sure is we don’t overlook opportunities in the lead-up.”

Traffic is quieter on Gold Coast roads thanks to the Commonwealth Games. Picture Amanda Robbemond Gold Coast Highway, Surfers Paradise.

Olympics marketing guru Michael Payne, at the recent Bulletin’s Future Gold Coast event, urged organisers to “don’t be shy” and study every single Games operation going back to Barcelona 1992.

“Look at what they did to make their Games special, how they made their city-region a standout, look at the mistakes they made, and how to avoid making the same mistakes,” he said.

Having digested all of that talked to so some our heavy lifters from 2018, here are the ten things Brisbane must do, and learn from the Coast.

Nerang Broadbeach Road during the Commonwealth Games.

(1) Put out the message every day to tell everyone to drive on the M1 to a Games venue. You will get there, don’t stay at home.

(2) Talk to small businesses about how to maximise sales before and after the event, leveraging marketing opportunities.

(3) Embrace your volunteers. We did, we had 15,000 and many still proudly wear their shirts.

(4) Don’t build white elephants. We resisted adding permanent seats to Carrara. The Suns are not likely to pack the venue out soon.

Celia Sullohern (left) and Eloise Wellings of Australia compete in the Women's 5000m Final on day ten of the XXI Commonwealth Games, at Carrara Stadium. Behind them a stand created for the event. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins).

(5) Don’t pull up valuable assets. We removed the warm-up track at Carrara.

(6) There are host broadcasters providing an entire feed, and your national broadcasters. Make sure our national broadcaster shows the feed for the entire closing ceremony, because that’s where the problem started with our viewers missing out seeing the athletes say goodbye.

(7) Ask 2018 Commonwealth Games chair Peter Beattie and CEO Mark Peters to give a presentation to the Olympic organising committee.

(8) Refer back to point two. Then keep repeating to businesses that the tourism benefits will not kick in until 18 months after the event. This is the reality.

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) Chairman Peter Beattie — invite him for a beer. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

(9) Also keep repeating to fans that swimming and athletics will be staged at odd times. This could be late at night to fit in with US television viewers.

(10) Ask Peter Beattie after his presentation for a beer, and get some off record advice on how to handle the political leaders and media in the lead-up to the Games.

Finally, it’s all about joining together for the party of our lives. We’re paying for it. So everyone put down your political weapons and stop your parochialism, and we will all be winners.

Follow @PaulWestonGC