Green light for Olympic Stadium in Brisbane a warning to NSW Government

Sydney’s long-term grip on the NRL grand final is under serious threat with confirmation of a new $3.8 billion stadium for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

An artist impression of Brisbane Stadium in Victoria Park for Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Source: Queensland Government

Sydney’s long-term grip on the NRL grand final is under serious threat with confirmation of a new $3.8 billion stadium for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

The NSW Government announced on Sunday the retention of the premiership decider for 2025, but stadium wars are approaching flashpoint with Queensland to build a 63,000 seat venue as Australia’s next big event destination.

Sources close to the Queensland Government said the showpiece stadium for the 2032 Games would need prime content before and after the two weeks of Olympic competition.

“They will need to steal major events, they will need to make money on the stadium, they will need to fill it, and the NRL grand final is one that would be right in the sweet spot for Queenslanders,” one source added.

Concerned Sydney sports and business leaders have called on the Minns Government to urgently address ageing grandstands at the SCG and place a roof on Accor Stadium or run the risk of losing major events to states with more contemporary infrastructure.

Accor Stadium

Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou added to the warnings on Wednesday saying: “Putting a roof on Accor Stadium is beyond urgent … and the NSW Budget in June is the perfect opportunity to give it the priority it deserves.

“It would be a tragedy if Sydney was to lose the NRL grand final or any other major sporting event because of the absence of a world class stadium.”

Accor Stadium opened the year before the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After the NRL visit to Las Vegas last year, Sports Minister Steve Kamper said a roof at Accor “is something we’re seriously looking at”.

More than a year later a government spokesperson told The Daily Telegraph: “The NSW Government is working methodically through a business case for the roof however we have made clear there are other pressures on the budget … that take priority.”

Former Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey was in Vegas earlier this month for the second NRL all-day extravaganza at Allegiant Stadium and told this masthead: “I’ve always been a big advocate for lids on stadiums because it means the infrastructure can be used for more events.

“Not only rugby league, but for concerts, for artistic performances … if you’re bringing huge acts to Australia they don’t want to be rained out and the crowd doesn’t want to be out in the rain.”

Former Federal Treasurer and Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman

On the NSW Government’s continued review into a roof at Accor, he said: “Talk’s cheap until you deliver”.

Mr Hockey, who announced the Western Sydney Airport in the 2014 Federal Budget, added it was the role of governments to invest in infrastructure.

“You bite the bullet and over time you get the return,” he said. “That’s what governments do.

“You’re investing a helluva lot of money upfront but the benefit over the longer term is far greater and if flows through to all other infrastructure.”

The O’Reilly, Churchill and Brewongle grandstands at the SCG were built between 1980 and 1986 – pre-dating the original Allianz Stadium which was subsequently razed and redeveloped – while Accor Stadium is now 25 years into its life.

Brisbane’s new Olympic stadium will add to a clutch of more modern venues across the country.

Perth’s 60,000 seat Optus Stadium opened in 2018, the redeveloped Adelaide Oval with a 53,500 capacity came online in 2014, and a roofed stadium in Tasmania will be ready in 2029 to house a new AFL team.

Originally published as Green light for Olympic Stadium in Brisbane a warning to NSW Government