Future Gold Coast: City will not need to spend money to get bigger benefits from 2032 Olympics

The 2032 Olympics will be bigger for the Gold Coast than the 2018 Commonwealth Games, with new research revealing the giant economic splash it will make.

The 2032 Olympics will be bigger for the Gold Coast than the 2018 Commonwealth Games providing a $2 billion economic injection and more visitors, according to the latest research.

But the big win for the city will be the lack of capital expenditure required courtesy of the Coast hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

A private briefing paper, prepared for councillors in a closed session on the State of the Games, confirms the Gold Coast has all the necessary venues to support its proposed Brisbane 2032 competition program and associated training.

Greenheart and Home of the Arts (HOTA) future stages and the Gold Coast Light Rail are all key priority legacy projects.

The City may only have to accelerate a few capital costs to repair roads for the triathlon, resurface some competition floors and improve airconditioning in venues.

While the costing remains secret and removed from a final redacted report, council officers predicted the “benefits to the Gold Coast to be similar in nature to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games” which injected $2 billion into the local economy.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate with GC Rollerblaze during a visit by the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.

The 2032 Olympic Games from July 23-August 8 along with the Paralympic Games from August 24-September 5 will generate an estimated $8.1 billion in economic and social benefits to Queensland.

More than 80,000 rooms are required with Brisbane dependent on accommodation venues on the Glitter Strip.

A City source said: “We know the Olympic Games will be bigger for the Gold Coast than the Commonwealth Games.”

Mayor Tom Tate took the Olympic Organising Committee including its chief Andrew Liveris on a tour of the city’s venues in March and first outlined the Gold Coast’s masterplan.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate (pictured right) with Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic Games chief Andrew Liveris at the Carrara Indoor Sports Centre.

Officers in their report said capital costs had not been included in costings because the City has all the necessary venues to support the proposed Brisbane 2032 competition program and associated training.

“There may be some accelerated recurrent capital costs - venue capital renewal for items like replacement of airconditioning, resurfacing of competition floors or for road reseals to support the triathlon,” officers wrote.

Mayor Tate believes the City is in a strong position to bid for the swimming and upgrade the Southport Aquatic Centre and push for legacy items like light rail to the city airport.

“The additional people visiting will be twice, two-and-half times the people for the Commonwealth Games,” he said.

Mr Tate said the political will at a State level had set a target of one million people living in the city by 2041.

“It will be one million people by 2032 because of the Olympics,” he said.

“The light rail is good for the Olympics and all of that but it is a true legacy for those people who cannot afford private car or more expensive motor transport.”

The Organising Committee is developing a Long Form Legal Deed and Land Use Agreements that will further define the City’s financial commitment.

Officers said it was not possible to determine what, if any, acceleration of planned works would be required.

While a detailed financial assessment cannot be made yet, here are key findings:

• There are less competition events for Brisbane 2032 on the Gold Coast, but spectator numbers are likely to be in excess of those for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, when combined numbers of Olympic and Paralympic Games and extended competition period are factored in;

• With less venues activated on the Gold Coast for Brisbane 2032, the prediction is localised impacts on City Services to be less widespread but this is likely to be offset by the longer duration of the response, increased security requirements and larger crowd volumes;

The Gold Coast and the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games - this graphic shows the road map for decision making in the lead-up to the event.

• There is likely to be a greater number of visitors and for a longer period of time, primarily driven by the limited availability of hotel and short-stay accommodation in Brisbane where most the events will occur;

• The global audience for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games was 1.5 billion, the Olympics can expect 3.5 billion. About 1800 media attended the Commonwealth Games, this increases to 18,000 for the Olympics. There are “incredible opportunities for reputational benefits”;

• There is significantly less capital investment required on the Gold Coast for Brisbane 2032 compared to the 2018 Games;

• Less Gold Coast areas will need to be activated, but areas that are used will require a City Services response for longer period;

• The City will again work with the Queensland Government regarding cultural activations, trade programs and securing future events;

• Capital renewal programs will be brought forward - beach nourishment, road reseals, venue upgrades, sustainability investment and park improvements.

The Gold Coast and the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games - this graphic shows legacy items highlighting light rail and the trams to the airport.

The major benefits include “growing and developing the reputation of the Gold Coast as an international destination for sport, events and business” providing opportunities to win business though the Investment Attraction Program.

The event would “strengthen the city’s international reputation in the sporting sector and enhance the city’s rankings as the best Sport City in the World rankings”.

Surveying from the Commonwealth Games found at least 93 per cent of visitors rated their sporting experience as excellent or good. Only two per cent thought it was a downer.

The city in the future would most likely see a potential 440,000 extra visitors from its hosting of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, it was forecast.

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Originally published as Future Gold Coast: City will not need to spend money to get bigger benefits from 2032 Olympics