Images: Walker Corporation
Australian property development company, Walker Corporation, has unveiled the latest infrastructure submission for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a new complex for the Sunshine Coast that would be anchored by a “world-class” 7,000-seat arena.
Designed to be a premier destination for Brisbane 2032, the Horizon Centre would also comprise an athletes village and five-star hotel. Plans for the Horizon Centre have been entered in a detailed submission to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority’s (GIICA) Brisbane 2032 Olympics 100-Day Review, which is due to come to a close on March 8.
Walker said its submission focuses on the legacy outcomes for the Sunshine Coast whilst delivering key infrastructure needed for the Games. The 1,400 athlete beds will transform into accommodation for the Coast, whilst the 7,000-seat multi-format arena is envisioned to evolve into an arts, music, convention, entertainment and exhibition centre, “finally unlocking” the region’s potential to host the biggest global concerts and events.
Walker managing director and CEO, David Gallant, said: “This will be an iconic destination that delivers major events for sports, entertainment, the arts, conventions, exhibitions and other community uses, enabling Queensland to reap the benefits for decades to come, after putting on the best Olympic Games ever.
“The Horizon Centre has always been central to the Maroochydore City Centre vision to create a landmark economic and social hub which drives growth and unlocks opportunity for the Sunshine Coast, so we are excited to accelerate the delivery of this asset, to create a powerful Brisbane 2032 legacy.”
The Horizon Centre development will integrate with a multi-modal transport system to maximise usability of public and active transport. The precinct will also deliver large areas of open space, allowing athletes to relax between competitions while providing long term recreation areas for the Sunshine Coast community.
The project will be delivered as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Walker, construction company Built and architects Woods Bagot. Walker group executive of development, Peter Saba, said the PPP will enable the private sector to provide the necessary funding needed to begin the A$1bn (£504.1m/€605.9m/$634.4m) Horizon Centre sooner, ensuring delivery certainty and the quality to exceed Brisbane 2032 requirements.
“By uniting the combined strengths of the public and private sectors through the PPP model, a balanced approach to risk sharing will enable innovative, legacy driven outcomes to be realised on time and on budget,” Saba added.
“The PPP model provides the certainty needed to deliver the Sunshine Coast the multi-use arts, music, convention, entertainment and exhibition centre the region has been in desperate need of for decades, while ultimately giving the Coast a world class venue to host more Olympic competition or heats action.”
Built and Woods Bagot are currently delivering the A$450m Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre together in Victoria. Built executive chairman, Marco Rossi, said: “We are excited to leverage our global experience to create this architectural landmark for Maroochydore that will be a sustainable, world-class events space, while also providing critical social and employment outcomes.”
Woods Bagot CEO, Sarah Kay, added: “The Horizon Centre will be a premium architectural icon for the Sunshine Coast seamlessly integrating the arena with a multi-modal transport network, providing a secure athletes village, and carefully blending open space, landscaping and community into a cohesive outdoor environment.”
Full-time nears on Brisbane 2032 review
The Horizon Centre proposal is currently under review with GIICA, which is set to present its recommendation from the 100-Day Review to the Queensland Government next month.
Earlier this month, KIRK became the latest design studio to put forward a proposal to remedy the challenge of delivering a main stadium for Brisbane’s staging of the 2032 Games. KIRK, which is headquartered in Brisbane, presented its proposal for a new 60,000-seat ‘Gabba West’ stadium to the 100-Day Review Committee, which was launched on November 29.
In December, 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’ Brisbane BOLD 2032 report, put together in association with architectural, landscape and urban design company, Archipelago, has been discussed as part of the fresh 100-day review into infrastructure plans for the Games.
Victoria Park has already been proposed and dismissed as the site for a new stadium. However, an oval stadium with a seating capacity of 60,000-plus is the centrepiece of the 22-page report drawn up by Arcadis.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) this month warned that a final decision must be made on Brisbane 2032 venues by July. AOC chief executive Matthew Carroll, speaking at a Senate hearing in Canberra, put forward the deadline due to escalating concerns about venue plans from the state and federal governments.
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