Premier not sold on ambitious new Brisbane stadium pitch

The news

Queensland Premier Steven Miles has pushed back against the claim that a new $6 billion, 60,000-seat stadium to anchor the 2032 Games could be funded with no, or little, public money.

The idea, from a consortium calling themselves the Brisbane Design Alliance and including the architects behind the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, was announced on Saturday.

A riverfront stadium would be the centrepiece of the proposal for a staged, decades-long project dubbed “Northshore Vision 2050”, which would initially include an athletes’ village, hotel and restaurants.

Despite suggestions that taxpayers would incur no cost for the stadium, the alliance is hoping the state would offer up the 150-hectare site between Hamilton and Eagle Farm, and also upgrade transport links.

Why it matters

The issue of 2032 Games stadiums has been running for years, with initial plans for a Gabba rebuild now dumped in favour of a renovation of the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre in Nathan.

This was despite a government-commissioned review suggesting the ageing Gabba should be replaced with a new $3.4 billion stadium at Victoria Park – a pitch rejected by Miles.

Minister Di Farmer said on Saturday some tenders had already been issued for the QSAC work and existing plans for an athletes’ village in Hamilton.

The LNP has not commented on the new proposal beyond reiterating its pledge for a new 100-day review of Olympic planning if it wins October’s election.

What they said

“I think it’s highly unlikely that you could build this stadium using private funds,” Miles told journalists on Sunday when asked about what he described as an “interesting proposal”.

“It would require a very significant investment of state taxpayer dollars and resources, but it’s very preliminary. From what I can tell, the only details I’ve seen are the drawings in the paper. So we’ll look forward to them bringing forward new ideas.

“I would make the point, though, that in the past, I’ve seen early drawings and estimates from architects and they’ve proved to be out by an order of magnitude [on cost]. So any proposal here that this could be built for free, I think, is probably misleading Queenslanders.”

Another point of view

The alliance describes the proposal on its website as a “private finance model that will minimise cost to the state”, and in weekend reports, it pointed to Perth’s Optus Stadium as a potential model.

That project, which alliance member HKS Australia designed, required the West Australian government to cover 60 per cent of the construction cost for the $1.8 billion venue.

“A new, world-class stadium at Northshore can be purpose-built for cricket and [AFL] while creating a unique Brisbane 2032 Olympics experience and venue to be proud of.”

HKS Australia director Andrew Colling

“Stage one would establish a sports and entertainment precinct that accommodates the 2032 Olympics,” the alliance website notes, adding it would address the city’s sports infrastructure challenges.

“We love the Gabba and its history, but its potential will always be constrained by its narrow site,” HKS Australia director Andrew Colling is quoted as saying.

Subsequent stages would incorporate 12,000 apartments, sports science facilities, green space, an elevated walkway connecting to Doomben station, and a pedestrian bridge to Bulimba.