Queensland a frontrunner for 2032 Olympic Games under ‘New Norm’ reforms

The Olympic Games have undergone a transformation under New Norm reforms, which aim to make the event as close to cost-neutral as possible. Under the new Olympics era, the 2032 Games are Queensland’s to win.

WHITE elephants and Olympics debt hangovers are dead under the new rules for winning the Games, according to the IOC.

“New Norm” reforms to the IOC under Thomas Bach and his Australian deputy John Coates have reversed winning the Games from the glitziest pitch with the biggest dollar spend to showing how the event can be held as close to cost-neutral as possible.

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Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates AC and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. Picture: AAP/Bianca De Marchi

“The aim is for Games’ operational budgets to come at no cost to local taxpayers,” Coates told The Courier-Mail’s Future Tourism event earlier this year. “Under these reforms, the Games adapt to the city, not the city to the Games.

“For the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games in February 2018, organisers were able to release more seats for the public to keep fans front and centre and eliminate the secondary international broadcast centre – real ­tangible changes. Thanks to the New Norm, these Games produced an operational budget surplus of $US55 million.

“For Tokyo 2020, we have already saved $US4.3 billion through the New Norm – utilising existing and temporary structures, shortening rental periods and optimising test events. The

What an Olympic Stadium in Brisbane could look like.

Tokyo 2020 Games has an operational budget of $US5.6 billion and will pay for themselves, with $US1.6 billion contributed by the IOC, $US800 million revenue from ticketing, $US100 million from licensing and $US3.1 billion from national sponsors, to date.

“Under this new approach, 80 per cent of venues already exist in Tokyo, with over 90 per cent for both Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.”

Early planning has found Brisbane and southeast Queensland have 80 per cent of venues already in place, and that the operational budget for the Games would be covered by the $US1.8 billion IOC grants and ticket sales.

With southeast Queensland the only region in Australia with the climate, population and sporting infrastructure suitable for a Games in the July-August broadcast window, Coates said it was Queensland’s to win. He said that SEQ had already received good marks under the “New Norm” regime, including.

● having much of the necessary sports venue infrastructure

● current and proposed transport projects that are needed to address the region’s growth

● for willing to guarantee a significant economic legacy before the Games begin in terms of employment and growth

● because no Games-specific expenditure is required

● initial financial planning indicates the Games will be cost-neutral to SEQ

● significant legacy opportunities and no apparent disadvantages to the regional approach, including the potential for preliminary competition rounds for team events in sports such as football, hockey, basketball and volleyball held in Cairns and Townsville that already have a strong history and culture in those sports.

Originally published as Queensland a frontrunner for 2032 Olympic Games under ‘New Norm’ reforms