2032 Olympic Games: Toowoomba called to unite behind ‘realistic’ opportunities after stadium dream scrapped

With hopes of hosting events in 2032 all but dashed, experts say Toowoomba needs to unite behind a “realistic” vision for Olympic Games opportunities. Here’s how our region can still cash in:

Toowoomba needs to unify behind a “realistic” vision for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, as the dream of the city hosting events in eight years’ time fades away.

That’s the view of the region’s chief economic lobby group, which says the Darling Downs can still cash in on the games in a variety of ways aside from “events delivery”.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise, which hosted a special event into Olympic opportunities last week, says the city’s 2032 goals should be refocused on sporting infrastructure suitable to host athletes and even warm-up tournaments for team sports.

It comes nearly six months after the state government scrapped plans to upgrade the Toowoomba Sports Ground following a snap 60-day review by Graham Quirk, worth about $80m.

The stadium was the only vector for Toowoomba to host events, with its removal from the slate of works all but shutting the door on the city’s direct involvement with the games.

Conceptual designs for the expanded Clive Berghofer Arena by the St Mary's Old Boys.

The expansion of Clive Berghofer Arena by the St Mary’s Old Boys (basketball, netball, futsal, squash, badminton, volleyball), the Equestrian Centre of Excellence (ECE) at the Toowoomba Showgrounds, a purpose-built athletics facility (most likely at Charlton) and the Toowoomba Hockey Club have all been identified as infrastructure that could support pre-games activity.

But TSBE chairman John McVeigh said the Darling Downs could play a key role in supplying to the games through industries like food and beverage, construction, professional services and security.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) chairman Dr John McVeigh talks to media, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“The Toowoomba Sports Ground opportunity has come to pass, it’s gone,” he said.

“Do we need to be realistic right now? Absolutely, (but) TSBE has not given up, we’ll continue to focus on those two things, attracting events and connecting our businesses to Olympics-related opportunities.

“Our members (could be) providing services like food or engineering support to the infrastructure (for the games), so it’s our job to put our businesses in touch with those opportunities.”

Mr McVeigh, who is also on the board of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland, said the organisation would continue to push for the construction of the ECE regardless of its potential to host Olympic events.

“The way it’s been designed, it will have optionality for the Olympics, so that means the powers that be could decide that might be an option,” he said.

“The current plans are for the equestrian events to be held in Brisbane (but) we’re eight years out.

“It was being built anyway, but it will be made to that standard.”

Mark Mason of TSBE on the panel at the Future Toowoomba lunch at Wellcamp Airport, Friday, December 3, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

TSBE Olympic strategy and legacy project manager Mark Mason said Toowoomba’s community and political leaders needed to unite behind an attainable goal for the games.

“We can provide a whole suite of services and goods for the games — that can be food and beverage, security overlays, venue overlays,” he said.

“That’s how we can leverage outcomes from the games, we will be the support mechanism, not the games delivery mechanism.

“Our region can play a key role but part of it is our preparedness, so over the next six to eight years, we’ve got to scale our facilities up to make them functional.

“It’s about being games-ready — there’s lots of good news in this.

“It’s far from dead, all that has happened is we’re not getting soccer.”

Among the sports jostling to be “games-ready” is the Toowoomba Hockey Association, which is investigating how its Glenvale facilities will need to be upgraded — including the potential replacement of its two fields for millions.

Clyde Park playing fields of Toowoomba Hockey Association, Thursday, December 17, 2020. Picture: Kevin Farmer

THA secretary Michael Truskinger said the group was already developing a hit-list of nations that it could host for training and pre-games tournaments.

“We’re looking at what we need to do to be Olympic-ready, (because) when the games come up, the players will want to play on the same pitch as they do at the games,” he said.

“We’ve collated a list of nations we want to approach, and we’re trying to engage with the right people to get the pre-Olympics out there (at Glenvale).

Hutchinson Builders team leader Sean Lees. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“The only thing we have to wait for is in 2027 when the organising committee nominates the type of turf that will be used.

“Once we do that, our next step is to get our suppliers to put the turf down and then we’ll progress to see if these nations will come up here.”

Toowoomba’s building firms are also gearing up for a slice of the billions in construction required to host the games.

Tenders are being released for three venues on the Sunshine Coast worth nearly $300m, with more opportunities to be released in the coming years.

Hutchinson Builders’ Toowoomba team leader Sean Lees said he would be eyeing off tenders closer to the Darling Downs, which he said the firm was well-placed to secure.

“I see the games as a potential opportunity,” he said.

“Obviously the Toowoomba stadium would’ve been ideal (for us), but if they are planning to host events just outside Brisbane we will be looking at that.

“It’s not clear to me what that work will look like, but once that work comes closer to home, I’ll be all over it.”