Money delivers success: Norman’s plan to make Brisbane’s Games the best ever

Golfing great Greg Norman has a vision to make Brisbane 2032 the best Olympic and Paralympic Games ever, but that it’ll take money to ensure the event realises its full potential.

Greg Norman has joined the Brisbane Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Royal Queensland Golf Club, Eagle Farm. Picture: Liam Kidston

Champion golfer Greg Norman says his experience “spending money to create success” will help make Brisbane the “North Star” of all future Olympic Games.
The former world number one on Friday returned to Royal Queensland Golf Club, where in the 1970s he worked in the pro shop, to spruik his involvement organising the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Norman said his leanings from almost five decades of sporting and business experience would ensure Brisbane delivers a unique Games.

“I truly believe it would be the North Star for not major cities, but every city who’s thinking about hosting the Olympics going forward,” he said.

“It’s the greatest sporting event in the world and it will remain the greatest sporting event in the world.”

The Queenslander, who now lives in Florida, argued Brisbane should not be spooked by the spectacle Los Angeles promises to deliver in 2028.

“You can’t benchmark yourself with what happened in LA or what happened in Paris or what happened in London,” he said.

“The great thing you can do is you can learn about what didn’t happen in LA and what didn’t happen in Paris and what didn’t happen in the previous cities.

“Brisbane has all these other incredible attributes and nuances that other Olympic cities will never have.

“So it’s up to us to unlock those and present them to the world in such a fashion that Brisbane is so unique in its own right.”

Greg Norman and Minister for Sport Anika Wells at the Royal Queensland Golf Club. Picture: Liam Kidston

Norman brushed off the ongoing challenges facing Brisbane Games venues.

His appointment comes as the state government considers a draft infrastructure plan that will deliver the final Games venues blueprint – likely within the existing $7.1bn agreed to by the state and federal governments.

While appointed as the “sports expert”, Norman said his experience building LIV Golf and a business outside of golf would be critical.

“I’ve had the insight into what it takes to spend the money to make something successful over a period of time so I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“My database is pretty extensive after nearly five decades of getting to know prime ministers and presidents and CEOs and all that stuff that makes it important for the continuity of existence between private, public, sport, success.”

Federal Sports Minister Anika Wells said the government had committed its share of Games funding for Brisbane Arena and expected the state government would include it in the 2032 plan.

“It has to be, it is one of the linchpins of the bid,” she said.

“Brisbane Arena is exactly the kind of infrastructure that speaks to that kind of generational legacy that I know Premier (David) Crisafulli has spoken about.

“I haven’t actually heard anyone advocating against the arena as something that should be part of Brisbane 2032.”

Originally published as Money delivers success: Norman’s plan to make Brisbane’s Games the best ever