‘Doesn’t stack up’: Coates calls for Gabba rebuild to be scrapped

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says Olympic powerbroker John Coates is “stating the obvious” after he declared the $2.7bn Gabba rebuild “just doesn’t stack up”.

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Brisbane’s controversial $2.7bn Gabba rebuild is dead, with Olympic powerbroker John Coates declaring the project is damaging the Games brand and “just doesn’t stack up”.

Mr Coates called for the rebuild to be axed in favour of an opening and closing ceremony at Suncorp Stadium and the athletics at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (formerly QEII Stadium) on the city’s southside.

On Thursday morning, Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee president Andrew Liveris backed Mr Coates’s comments and slammed the lost time due to squabbling over venue upgrades.

Meanwhile, State Development Minister Grace Grace said Mr Coates had put forward “worthy proposals” but refused to say whether the Gabba rebuild was officially dead.

Mr Coates, who is the International Olympic Committee vice-president said the Olympic movement was now “on the nose in Brisbane” due to failures by the state government and Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee in promoting venue upgrades.

IOC vice-president and former AOC president John Coates

Mr Coates, Mr Liveris, Paralympics Australia president Alison Creagh and Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman on Tuesday met former lord mayor Graham Quirk, who is in the early stages of a 60-day review of Olympics venue infrastructure.

“We’ve put it to the review committee we should abandon the Gabba and we should look for another site for the athletics,” Mr Coates told The Courier-Mail.

“The Olympic movement … was something that did have community support and was going to leave a great legacy for community and sport … now suddenly we’re on the nose in Brisbane.” 

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the Gabba rebuild was “dead, buried and cremated”, as the Greens call for the Premier to officially dump the plans now.

Mr Schrinner said Mr Coates was “stating the obvious” in saying the plans should not go ahead, and that the Gabba rebuild was never the right option.

“In the end all of this has happened because we stood up and we said this needs another look,” the Lord Mayor said.

“I’m glad the state government has come on board, I’m glad John Coates is backing us up as well.

“There’s got to be a better option than wasting $2.7bn on one stadium.”

International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates with Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Evan Morgan

Greens South Brisbane MP Amy MacMahon challenged Mr Miles to make the call on ditching the Gabba ahead of the March 16 council election – with the review set to be completed several days later.

“If even the head of the Australian Olympics Committee is lining up with the Greens on scrapping the Gabba rebuild, Steven Miles needs to call it and back down from this whole ridiculous project,” she said.

“If Steven Miles doesn’t back down now and call off this whole project, the Gabba will be Labor’s electoral graveyard”

“Labor has to come clean with what their plans are for the Gabba before the council election next month, or they should expect a wipeout for them to the Greens.”

Ms Grace said Mr Coates had shared his views with her, describing him as a man who “calls a spade a spade, and he’s very good at that”.

“I’m not going to gag John Coates – he is a very important stakeholder and if he wishes to say something … I’m not going to say ‘don’t go out there and say what you need to say,” she said.

“He’s very knowledgeable, and I think they are all options that we can have a look at.

“At the end of the day, (these comments) are all part of the mix – I don’t think it’s going to be helpful me agreeing or disagreeing.”

But the Minister would not answer whether Mr Coates choosing to go public and declare the Gabba “just does not stack up” meant the rebuild of the stadium was completely off the table.

“This (60-day review) is a clean slate, and I welcome all stakeholders’ feedback into it.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace.

“If that’s the case (the Gabba rebuild being dumped), then that is the case, but honestly as Minister I don’t think it’s fair on the reviewers for me to express an opinion now, when they are working diligently through all of the stakeholder submissions that they’re receiving.”

Asked whether Mr Coates’ comments had superseded the report, Ms Grace said “no, I don’t think he has”.

“He’s put his view into the report, and the team will look at that and they’ll make their recommendations,” she said.

Premier Steven Miles has moved to distance himself from the controversial Gabba rebuild driven by his predecessor Annastacia Palaszczuk and insisted Mr Quirk would assess whether it provided value for money.

Mr Coates said Mr Miles was doing the right thing by having an open mind and acknowledged his call, supported by Mr Liveris, to scrap the Gabba meant the project was almost certainly dead.

“I’m sure it is, it just does not stack up,” Mr Coates said.

Instead, he’s put forward a proposal use Nathan’s QSAC for athletics, with the grandstands demolished and a permanent replacement built on the western side.

He said temporary stands could get the venue to a capacity of 45,000, which is 20 minutes away from the Hamilton athletes’ village.

“It makes sense we build something and that becomes a legacy for Queensland athletics that could be a very, very sensible and cost-effective solution for track and field,” he said.

Buses would likely be used to ferry the thousands of spectators to the venue.

The opening and closing ceremonies would then be held at Suncorp Stadium.

Mr Coates expected that, with it already being used for rugby and football, would prompt the NRL to employ its (Peter) “V’landys trick” of calling for a venue upgrade – which he acknowledged would likely have to be done for accessibility needs.

Mr Coates said the needs of athletes must be considered, and said they were “not going to travel to Gold Coast from Hamilton” for the ceremonies if they were moved south.

The Olympics powerbroker revealed he was upset the proposal to use the Gabba for athletics and the ceremonies came in late before the IOC considered Brisbane’s candidature.

Concept art of the Gabba as Brisbane’s Olympic stadium

He also revealed the Gabba was effectively promoted as existing infrastructure, which would be upgraded for cricket and the AFL before being used for the 2032 Olympic Games.

Mr Coates said he held concerns about using the Gabba for athletics due to the requirement for a warm-up track nearby.

The proposal to use Raymond Park drew strong community opposition which, combined with the plan to demolish East Brisbane State School for the Gabba rebuild, diminished support for Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic Games.

The proposed Gabba redevelopment for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Picture: Queensland Government

“What’s required at the Gabba is a total knockdown and rebuild and I keep stressing the Olympic movement is being blamed by the local parents and residents and the Greens for the whole of the cost,” he said.

“I find it disappointing … I haven’t seen where AFL and cricket have come out and put their hand up and said this is wonderful … they wouldn’t be intending to put any money in knowing those two bodies.” 

Mr Quirk’s review will also review the Brisbane Arena development, a multipurpose indoor arena slated to host swimming.

Mr Coates said “I really don’t know” whether it was cost-effective to build over Roma St Station, but said the Olympic cost should only include the drop-in pool and back-of-house requirements.

Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee president Andrew Liveris.

Mr Liveris said Mr Coates was one of the most experienced and respected sports administrators globally, and within the Olympic movement.

“He not only understands what it takes to put on the Games but reflects very accurately the needs of the Sporting Federations and athletes,” he said.

“I personally listen very carefully to his views.”

Mr Liveris said it was the Queensland Government’s responsibility to deliver venue upgrades with the needs of the growing local population in mind.

“The Games should fit the region, not the other way around,” he said.

“I lament the loss of time, and the distraction that has taken a little away from the amazing accomplishment of winning these Games.

“We need to move forward post haste after this independent review is completed.

“We need to not re-litigate every decision on venues and infrastructure.”

Mr Liveris declared the 2032 Games would be the “biggest event in Queensland’s history in 2032 and one for all of us to be proud of”.

Originally published as ‘Doesn’t stack up’: Coates calls for Gabba rebuild to be scrapped