Featured image credit: Football Australia
Football Australia and Football Queensland have called for a new purpose-built stadium to be constructed for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics as part of their joint proposal to the Queensland Government’s 100-day infrastructure review for the Games.
Football Australia has called for a ‘tier 2’ rectangular stadium to be built, and has earmarked Perry Park as a preferred location for the stadium. The current Perry Park stadium has a capacity of 5,000 and is used by local semi-professional club Brisbane Strikers.
A new venue with a permanent capacity of 17,000 to 20,000 has been pitched by Football Australia and Football Queensland. The stadium would have the potential for 13,000 temporary seats during the Games.
Football Australia said the stadium would accommodate all rectangular sports and host international fixtures, domestic competitions, community events, concerts and other events. The governing body added that a new stadium would address challenges with overuse and scheduling conflicts at Suncorp Stadium.
Football Australia has also proposed upgrades to facilities such as the Queensland State Home of Community Football at Meakin Park, and has called for a regionalised approach to be taken when it comes to the delivery of the Games.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said: “A purpose-built rectangular stadium is critical to addressing the needs of the sport in Queensland. This venue will not only elevate the fan experience but also position Brisbane to host future international tournaments, strengthening Queensland’s global reputation as a leader in major events.”
Football Australia’s submission also called for the construction of a 60,000-seat ‘tier 1’ oval stadium, and a “modest” refurbishment of the existing Suncorp Stadium. Other proposals include a 15,000-seat indoor arena and a new aquatics centre.
The Queensland Government is currently in the middle of a 100-day review into infrastructure plans for Brisbane 2032, with a potential new main stadium still on the cards.
The review officially commenced on November 29 and is being led by David Crisafulli, the new Premier of Queensland. The launch of the second review was an election pledge as Crisafulli claimed a victory for the Liberal National Party in the state election in October, ending Steven Miles’ Labor Premiership.
Crisafulli has been critical of the former government’s stadium plans for Brisbane 2032. In March last year, the Miles government opted to scrap a planned revamp of The Gabba and also ruled out the possibility of building a new stadium at Victoria Park after an initial independent review of the venue infrastructure plan for the Olympics was released.
The Miles government had opted to pursue a more modest enhancement of The Gabba and also pledged to investigate upgrades to the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre and Suncorp Stadium.
In December, global design and consultancy organisation Arcadis set out the case for a new 60,000-seat stadium to serve as the centrepiece of Brisbane 2032, with its proposals for the Victoria Park area of the city gaining high-profile support.
Arcadis’ report is set to be discussed as part of the Queensland Government’s 100-day infrastructure review.
Earlier today (Thursday), former Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk claimed that a decision has already been made to build a new stadium at Victoria Park.
Speaking to Australia’s Channel 9, she said: “I’ve been told the committee has actually already decided it’s going to be Victoria Park, but it’s got no transport, it’s going to cost billions and billions and billions of dollars that Queenslanders don’t have at the moment because of the cost-of-living pressures.”
Palaszcuk played a key role in delivering the Olympics for Brisbane and was Queensland Premier when the city was awarded the Games back in 2021.
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