Future Brisbane: How Brisbane can land series of global events

The 2032 Games could help Queensland secure some of the world’s biggest sporting events and global conventions – but it must avoid repeating the same mistake other Olympics cities have made.

THE World Athletics Championships, Asian Games, FINA World Swimming and significant corporate conferences could come to Queensland as the government is urged come up with a detailed and ambitious major events plan.

With the 11-year “green and gold runway”, work is underway on attraction strategies to capitalise on Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games host status from now until a decade afterwards - but experts warn

Chairman and Chief Executive of ASM Global – which operates 20 major venues across Australia, Asia and the Middle East – Harvey Lister said a “detailed, minutiae planning exercise” was needed to attract all available events.

“The mistake some cities make when they’ve got a major event coming is they think that because it is there, lots of people are going to come,” he said.

“The reality is you have to strategise it and plan it years out.”

An average international business events tourist spends double the daily rate of a holiday-maker, according to Tourism Australia, as well as sharing industry know-how.

Mr Lister cited industry-specific events of up to 500 to 1000 delegates as key opportunities, such as the upcoming World of Drones and Robotics Conference or military manufacturing forums.

He also pointed to potential mega events such as the global Rotary and Lions conference, as well as capitalising on sporting championships.

“We want to make sure as far as possible that major Oceania, or preferably world competitions for as many Olympic sports as possible are held in Australia and preferably in Brisbane or regional Queensland in the lead-up to the Olympics,” he said.

The Star Entertainment Group CEO Matt Bekier said the region should be ambitious and secure or create new major events.

He cited the previous success of The Star hosting The Logies at the Gold Coast, or this year’s Brisbane’s NRL Grand Final due to Covid.

“The same could go for the AFL grand final and the Rugby World Cup final if Australia is fortunate enough to secure the tournament for 2027,” he said.

“Factor in major concerts, key theatre opportunities, and other arts and culture exhibitions or events, and the Brisbane wish list can be truly extensive. Brisbane and Gold Coast have every reason to think big, aim high.”

Major sports attraction was a key focus for the Legacy Corporation of the London 2012 Games.

The England capital has since hosted 26 World and European Championship events.

Australian Olympic Committee Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll called for a national sport events attraction strategy to streamline events attraction and ensure the economic benefits were distributed broadly.

Asked if the region should bid for the Asian Games, and other world championships, Mr Carroll said “yes, yes, and yes”.

“There is no real framework for small business, even large business, and planning for a legacy for multiple events,” he said.

He said a national strategy would assist in overcoming these challenges and unlock economic

potential.

Tatyana McFadden of the USA wins the Women's 800m F54 Final at World Para Athletics Championships at London Stadium in 2017 (Kieran Galvin/NurPhoto via Getty Images).

He pointed to 30 major sporting events across Australia in the lead up to the Games and the

opportunity to attract popular emerging sports, such as freestyle BMX and skateboarding.

“The fact of the Olympic Games going to be held here is an attraction for international federations to stage events here,” he said.

“Athletes want the opportunity to experience the climate before the Games. We consistently

support our member sports in their bid for these events.”

Veteran sport administrator and advisor to the Brisbane 2032 bid John O’Neill said major events attraction had been a “missed opportunity” following the Sydney 2000 Games.

But, he said it wasn’t “a matter of going out and buying events”, instead developing a strategic calendar to determine opportunities that were complementary to southeast Queensland.

“There are all sorts of opportunities, not just on sport but cultural and artistic,” he said.

“The free advertorial Brisbane will get as an Olympic city, then you need a bit of a hook to get them to come before 2032.”

The Chairman of The Star, which is investing more than $6 billion in southeast Queensland mega- developments including Queen’s Wharf and The Star Gold Coast, suggested the potential to create new festivals such as a winter racing carnival or cultural shows set around the Brisbane River.

Brisbane Airport Corporation Chief Executive Officer Gert-Jan de Graaff said Brisbane was “the perfect place to host major sporting and cultural events, conferences, and global summits”.

“We must make the most of the extraordinary opportunities it presents and turn our minds to the lasting legacies it can deliver,” Mr de Graaff said.

“Showcasing the many dimensions of Brisbane and Queensland is essential.”

He said BAC supported the Australian bid for the Rugby World Cup, and welcomed the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

A spokesperson for the Department of Premier and Cabinet said major events attraction planning was underway.

“As always, we will continue to look at attracting high quality international events to Queensland and Brisbane 2032 gives us a wonderful opportunity to do just that,” they said.

One of the key documents supporting the 2032 bid, the Queensland Government’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Value Proposition Assessment, found overnight international visitor spending could grow more than $20 billion from the Games.

It cited significant major event pipeline opportunities, including 45 events across Olympic disciplines, that could use the facilities.

The assessment also found, based on current tourism patterns, about $10bn in spending would go to Queensland regional areas.

University of Queensland Associate Professor in Law and Marketing Sarah Kelly said world

championships, time trials and knowledge and industry events were critical to boosting economic and social benefit as well as showcasing local capacity.

“A lot of people think this is ten years ago build now is when the foundations of a successful

Olympics and Paralympic Gaming legacy begins,” she said.

“Now is critical to start planning and strategizing around a portfolio of events for our state that are complementary, and have positive outcomes and tangible ones that are economic and socially measurable.

“We have the plan cleverly around the ideas around home-growing events across the state, not just in the southeast Queensland hosting region.”

Originally published as Future Brisbane: How Brisbane can land series of global events