Australia announces new stadium for 2032 Olympics

AFP, Sydney:

Australia will build a 63,000-seat stadium a plush indoor swimming venue for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, officials said on Tuesday after shelving contentious earlier plans.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli detailed a slew of Olympic upgrades that included the new Brisbane Stadium in the heart of the city, and an aquatic centre that could host 25,000 fans.

“Finally, Queensland has a plan. The time has come to just get on with it. And get on with it we will,” Crisafulli told reporters.

The Queensland capital was awarded the 2032 summer Olympics and Paralympics in July 2021, returning the Games to Australia for a third time after Melbourne 1956 and then Sydney 2000.

Two years ago, the state’s then centre-left Labour Government announced plans to expand the famous Gabba cricket ground and create a new 17,000-seat indoor stadium for the Games.

Crisafulli scrapped those plans on Tuesday, saying Australia would have wasted “billions” on temporary facilities that “delivered no legacy”.

The 63,000-seat stadium was billed as a “world class” venue that would also host other major sporting events in the future.

Temporary seating would boost the capacity of a new national aquatic centre to 25,000, the state government said, hosting swimming, diving, water polo and other sports.

The main athletes’ village would be built nearby at the existing Brisbane Showgrounds, while two smaller villages would be located on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.

Officials also announced a series of upgrades to smaller venues such as the Queensland Tennis Centre and Gold Coast Hockey Centre.

Although official costs are yet to be released, Australia has previously set aside around US$4 billion for Games infrastructure.