Brisbane, 27 March 2024 – A bold new proposal has been put forward for Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic Games which merges both Brisbane Live and the Gabba stadium into a new “Gabba Olympic Park”. The plan aims to host both the swimming and athletics events at the same location, creating a single vibrant hub for athletes, swimmers and spectators alike.
Presented by local architecture firm Hayes Anderson Lynch Architects, the Gabba Olympic Park proposal includes a 17,000-seat Aquatic and Entertainment arena set above the Woolloongabba Cross River Rail station, connected to a new 55,000-seat Gabba stadium to replace the current facility. A spectacular new footbridge across the SouthEast freeway will link the precinct with Southbank, the Brisbane river and the CBD via the Goodwill bridge.
Architect Elizabeth Anderson from Hayes Anderson Lynch Architects commented, “Our proposal creates a legacy of a unique entertainment and sporting precinct, with a distinctive Queensland feel, located in the inner city and above a newly built train station. Brisbane needs a new entertainment centre and a new stadium anyway, so it makes sense to combine both into one precinct; with 50% funding from the Federal Government, we are offering Queensland an extraordinary opportunity at half the cost!”
The proposal aligns with the vision of Premier Stephen Miles and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli to avoid building a third stadium in Brisbane. And centralising both the swimming and athletics to one precinct significantly reduces construction costs and improves construction efficiency, with estimates of over $1b in cost savings.
“As local architects based at Kangaroo Point, our vision is for an iconic Olympic legacy for Brisbane, just like Expo88 was for Southbank. Woolloongabba is perfectly located, sized, and serviced to feature Brisbane on the world stage. In the short and long term, it is the only location that makes any sense for sports and entertainment in Brisbane. All the other Brisbane Olympic stadium locations are a joke. Why would we destroy koala habitats or change a beautiful inner-city park when we have a superior location on our CBD doorstep?” remarked Anderson.
The short term relocation of the AFL and Cricket to the RNA showgrounds would allow unimpeded construction of the precinct, with the sporting codes returning to a world class stadium which will last many years into the future. “The English would never extinguish Lords, so why would we do the same to the historic Gabba?”, questioned Anderson.
The proposed Gabba Olympic Park already boasts a comprehensive transport infrastructure network, including a new train station, a new metro station, and existing bus interchanges. This network ensures cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency during the Olympic events and beyond.
This transformative project heralds a sustainable and vibrant future for Brisbane and its residents.
Key Features of The Gabba Olympic Park:
- 55,000-seat iconic Olympic Ceremony stadium to replace the current Gabba Stadium (to be demolished and rebuilt)
- New world-class Arena, featuring a 17,000-seat Entertainment Centre and Aquatic Park above the Cross River Rail station, metro, and bus interchange
- Innovative green elevated Olympic Plaza, open-air auditorium, and parkland
- Preservation of heritage-listed East Brisbane State School and former police station
- Creation of an iconic Olympic green footbridge linking directly to the Brisbane River, Southbank Riverwalk and CBD via the Goodwill bridge
- Inclusion of a warm-up track at Raymond Park
- Minimal disruption to surrounding road networks and transport hubs
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