Brisbane 2032: Experts demand Brisbane Arena be built

The much-hyped Brisbane Arena is rumoured to be on the chopping block, as the state government tries to keep costs for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games down, but experts say it must be built now or it never will be.

• Games opportunity: If not now, when?

Brisbane Arena must be built now or it never will be – leaving Woolloongabba’s Cross River Rail station at risk of becoming a white elephant and the city missing out on huge economic benefits, city leaders say.

First flagged in 2016 – well before Brisbane leaders seriously considered bidding to host the Games – Brisbane Arena was agreed to and allocated $2.5bn in funding by the federal government in 2021.

However, it is understood the proposed 17,000-seat inner-city venue is now on the chopping block by the state government as it attempts to keep the cost of 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games infrastructure within the existing $7.1bn funding envelope.

The Arena was first floated in 2016 as part of a private consortium led by entertainment venue magnate Harvey Lister’s AEG Ogden, now ASM Global.

It was then slated for the Parmalat site at South Bank, but was relocated to above the Roma Street Railway Station for Brisbane’s 2021 bid for the Olympic Games.

Cost pressures and disruption to the railway network raised last year prompted then premier Steven Miles to move the arena to the northwest corner of Roma Street Parkland – however Games insiders considered it a stopgap measure.

It is understood the arena has now been proposed for Woolloongabba’s former 4500 sqm Goprint Site – across from the Gabba stadium – as part of the draft Games infrastructure review.

An artist’s impression of the proposed Brisbane Arena.

The fate of the arena remains uncertain, however, with the government thought to be considering axing the venue and pushing the federal government to reallocate its $2.5bn elsewhere.

Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie, in Cairns, refused to say whether Brisbane would benefit from an inner-city arena to host entertainment events after the 2032 Games, despite moments later arguing the Olympics should be the catalyst for “transformational infrastructure”.

Asked if the Brisbane needed an arena for after the Games, Mr Bleijie dismissed the question.

“That’s a very good try,” he said.

“We set up the Games Independent Infrastructure Coordination Authority (GIICA) to conduct a review... the Labor government had 1200 days to plan the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2032 and they did nothing other than red carpets, glitz and glamor and party like there’s no tomorrow.”

Moments later, Mr Bleijie said the Games should be used as

“We are encouraging GIICA... look at ways we can get infrastructure built that wouldn’t ordinarily have been built had we not had the opportunity for the Games,” he said.

“Remember, the Games has been a fraction of this piece of puzzle or this pie. It’s two weeks.

“We’re talking about generational, transformational infrastructure after, well after the Games.”

He also declined to say whether the government should accept the advice of experts and build Brisbane Arena if it relies on those experts as justification for breaking an election promise and building a new stadium

“The Premier and me, I’ve been asked a million times whether we would holus-bolus endorse the recommendations and we said we don’t know what the recommendations are going to be and I still don’t,” he said.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, in Brisbane on Monday, would not say if a Coalition government would commit the $2.5bn required for the Brisbane Arena or if he thought the city deserved an inner city entertainment venue.

“I think the 2032 Games is going to be an amazing event for Brisbane, I think for our country,” he said.

“As we saw in Sydney in 2000, as we saw with the Commonwealth Games here on the Gold Coast, it’s a huge opportunity for there to be a legacy … so that’s part of the debate that’s underway at the moment.”

Mr Dutton confirmed he had not yet been briefed on the report but expected he would “at the appropriate time”.

“We want there to be great legacy assets for our state because it means we’ll get great concerts,” he said.

One of the proposals for the Brisbane Arena had it positioned close to Roma St Station and the Roma St Parklands. Photo: Supplied

Mr Dutton also refused to reveal whether a Coalition government would splash more cash on Brisbane 2032 if the state government’s infrastructure review delivered a bill beyond the $7.1bn funding envelope.

“We’ll wait to see what the review says and I’ll have a discussion with the Premier and we can make any announcements from there,” he said.

City leaders are demanding the state include the arena as part of the 2032 Games, arguing it will deliver long-term economic and cultural benefits well beyond the four-week sporting event.

Committee for Brisbane chief executive Jen Williams said it was as critical as a new stadium and warned if politicians didn’t show courage and built the Arena now, they never would.

“Look at last week, we had Drake and Kylie Minogue at the Boondall entertainment centre and none of Brisbane felt the benefits,” she said.

“Having an inner-city arena is vital to boost the economy and surrounds.

“Billions of dollars have been invested in Cross River Rail and upgrading transport infrastructure and we need to have a use at Woolloongabba.

“It would be a waste of taxpayer dollars if we ended up with just green space or residential.”

Ms Williams, a former boss of the Property Council, said the Games had to remain a catalyst to fast-track infrastructure Brisbane needed anyway.

“Be big, be bold and absolutely make the most of it,” she said.

“If we don’t invest in our city now, when will we?

Ms Williams said “a lot of time has been lost” in Brisbane’s infrastructure planning but she remained optimistic the government would deliver a strong outcome.

Federal Sports Minister Anika Wells on Friday said Brisbane Arena was on time and on budget, but acknowledged the location of the arena was still being discussed.

“There’s always debates about where it should be, but I haven’t actually heard anyone advocating against the arena as something that should be part of Brisbane 2032,” she said.

Originally published as Brisbane 2032: Experts demand Brisbane Arena be built