'Gabba Favored for Brisbane '32: On the Scene

(ATR) The focus may be on the historic ‘Gabba, but its renovation is expected to drive improvements that will make the entire city of Brisbane a Games venue.

‘Gabba – a cricket and Australian Rules football venue – hosted soccer events during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. This time around it would host track and field events as well as opening and closing ceremonies, according to a government decision earlier this week.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said, "Every Games needs a home. The ‘Gabba has been home to our sport since 1895. A home for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games could be its crowning glory."

The move echoes the use of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which transformed from an international cricket stadium to become the athletics and main stadium for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

The MCG also hosted the 1956 Melbourne Olympics (which were opened by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh), so using an existing cricket facility as a main stadium is not without Olympic precedent.

An upgrade would increase stadium capacity to around 50,000, up from 42,000. It also recently underwent an AUD$35 million (approximately US$27 million) facilities facelift before hosting the high-profile India versus Australia cricket Test Match earlier this year.

The proposed future redevelopment of the ‘Gabba stadium for 2032 would also include a new pedestrian plaza linking the stadium to the Cross River Rail station, which is currently under construction.

The ‘Gabba is just two kilometers from Brisbane’s CBD and locals believe this will give the Queensland Bid an advantage other Games hosts haven’t previously enjoyed.

Organizers envisage the entire city would become a Games venue with hundreds of thousands able to share the atmosphere and the sunny weather, inside the stadium or out.

Thousands will be able to board trains at a new Albert Street station in the city and arrive in as little as three minutes, much like London’s ‘Olympic Javelin’ rail service in 2012.

Palaszczuk says she believes this will make the Games more accessible to people with disabilities and the elderly.

She also said the pedestrian plaza could become a Games hub with concerts and even medal presentations.

"I can see the (Brisbane) river lined with people watching big screens all taking part in the fun and excitement of the Games.

"There’s South Bank leading to West End which is connected to Roma Street via the Kurilpa Bridge with a new bridge under construction for the new Queen’s Wharf development.

"There are city cats (river ferry) offering even more options for transport. All of this is infrastructure we already have," she added.

The ‘Gabba has been home to Queensland sport for 126 years, hosting its first cricket international against South Africa in 1931. It moved ahead of the main stadium for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Carrara Stadium in nearby Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.

Historically, the stadium has always hosted the first international Australian cricket test of the summer. This year it became the first host of the AFL Grand Final other than Melbourne for 123 years, thanks to Queensland’s success in managing the pandemic.

The other option that was being considered – a brand new stadium at Albion in Brisbane’s north – appears to have moved onto the backburner, as organizers contemplate how to utilize existing facilities and reduce the risk of white-elephant venues.

ATR understands that a full costing is not yet complete, but those in charge say they believe renovating the ‘Gabba will be significantly cheaper than building a stadium for the Games.

The ‘Gabba is currently used on average 40 weeks of the year for professional sport. It would join Cairns, Townsville, the Sunshine Coast, and the Gold Coast as Games venues.

The news comes just a week after Brisbane delivered its latest 2032 submission in the IOC’s "targeted dialogue" phase.

The IOC has been clear that there is no timeline for a decision for 2032 pending delivery of the Future Host Commission report.

But If all the requirements are met, the host of the Games of XXXV Olympiad could be named as soon as the next IOC Session ahead of the Tokyo Games in July.

Homepage photo: Twitter @GabbaBrisbane

About the author: Philip Pope was the Head of Communications at the British Olympic Association from 2001-2005 during London’s 2012 bidding phase - and the Chief Press Attaché to the Great Britain Olympic Team at the Athens Olympic Games and the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. He is the former Public Affairs Manager of Cricket Australia and the former General Manager Communications, Queensland Rugby Union. Philip is the Director of Media Services for the Curious Minds Media Agency in Brisbane.

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