Brisbane 2032 Olympics: Gabba precinct bidder had original arena concept

Two global and venue heavyweights are among the 200 private companies to express interest in redeveloping the Gabba precinct.

Harvey Lister (right) with Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris

Two global venue and entertainment heavyweights are among the 200 private firms willing to build a new inner-city arena as part of a reimagined Gabba precinct.

ASM Global, which already manages Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Entertainment Centre and Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in Queensland, were the first to publicly confirm their interest on Tuesday.

Live Nation, which operates hundreds of venues globally and is a partner in The Fortitude Music Hall, and Australian mega construction firm Lendlease have also registered their interest.

ASM Global Chairman and chief executive Harvey Lister said the 9ha Goprint and Gabba stadium combined site was a much larger deal, and added opportunity for development across a larger precinct, compared to the previous Roma St arena location.

“We’re aggressively competitive, we’ll have a crack, and if somebody beats us to it, then very best of luck, and I hope they actually make money out of it,” he said.

The idea of an inner-city venue was floated in 2016 as part of a private consortium led by Mr Lister when ASM Global was known as AEG Ogden.

The company has already trademarked use of the words “Brisbane Live” and “Brisbane Arena”.

Mr Lister remained coy on specific details of what ASM Global’s vision for the arena and wider precinct would include.

An early concept for a Brisbane Live arena at Roma St

“We’re in 412 great venues around the world, we see all the best, we see what’s new, what’s coming, what the artists and what the sports teams want,” he said.

“We would want to make sure that a new Brisbane arena at the Goprint site could deliver everything that Queenslanders are going to need for the next 100 years.”

The Queensland government last Tuesday opened the formal market engagement process for the Woolloongabba sites, as they remain at odds with the federal governments over whether $2.5bn of federal cash already allocated to the arena can be spent on other Games venues.

Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie said the process would help determine if the Goprint site and the Gabba stadium — which will host event until 2032 — should be tendered separately or as one.

A Live Nation spokesperson said it had registered interest to deliver a world-class arena in Brisbane’s CBD.

“Our vision is for the Brisbane arena to become a premier entertainment destination, attracting global tours and driving economic growth for decades beyond the Olympics,” the spokesperson said.

Minister for Sport, Olympics and Paralympics Tim Mander said receiving more than 200 registrations so far was very encouraging.

“That’s great for the state, (for) people to see the potential for a commercial return, and also for a facility that Queenslanders, and particularly those in Brisbane, really need,” he said.

Originally published as Brisbane 2032 Olympics: Gabba precinct bidder had original arena concept