BRISBANE, Australia — The excitement surrounding the Brisbane 2032 Olympics is in full swing, yet the construction of the event’s main stadium won’t commence for another year or two. This comes as planners move swiftly to meet deadlines.
The International Olympic Committee awarded the event to Brisbane nearly four years ago, but it wasn’t until recently that a coordinated venue plan was solidified. The ambitious construction program, worth 7.1 billion Australian dollars (US$4.4 billion), now enters a critical phase with the project countdown officially underway.
Stephen Conry, chairman of the Brisbane 2032 independent infrastructure coordination authority, indicated the timeline for starting construction on the main stadium is between 2026 and 2027. This phase includes necessary design and approval processes. “When investing billions in infrastructure, careful preparation is required,” said Conry, who completed a comprehensive 100-day review of potential venues this month, reporting back to the state government. “With over seven years to build the stadium, our team plans for it to be ready by 2031.”
Conry and Andrew Liveris, president of the Brisbane 2032 organizing committee, recently addressed the Infrastructure Association of Queensland to outline the Olympic construction and legacy strategy. This presentation followed state Premier David Crisafulli’s unveiling of several new concepts.
A central feature of the Games will be a new 60,000-seat stadium located within inner-city parkland. Other venues will include a sailing center on the Whitsunday Islands near the Great Barrier Reef and a crocodile-friendly rowing site in central Queensland. The theme among officials and the public seems to resonate with a desire for action: “just get on with it.” Initially, there were plans to renovate the historic Gabba cricket stadium to serve as the event’s primary facility. However, since those plans were scrapped last year, the current government has expanded the development to include various locations along the Queensland coast, tapping into potential tourism benefits.
The ambitious project includes a proposed 25,000-seat aquatic center in the Victoria Park precinct, destined to train future national swimming champions. “Australia’s national swimming program is already a ‘gold medal factory,’” according to Liveris. “It’s essential to provide our athletes with facilities that will allow them to excel internationally, as they demonstrated during the Paris Games and with our Paralympians.”
While the project is gaining momentum, some critics voice concerns that the new stadium could reduce green spaces, increase traffic congestion, and inflate the budget beyond the initial A$3.4 billion ($2.15 billion) estimate for Victoria Park, which has already risen to nearly A$3.8 billion ($2.4 billion). Funding and construction efforts are a shared responsibility between Queensland and the Australian governments, with the Brisbane organizing committee ensuring the Games go ahead smoothly.
Following the recent announcement, Liveris expressed optimism, saying, “Finally, we have a plan. I am confident in our team’s ability to deliver this event. Our preparations have been thorough over the past few years, contrary to the narrative of time wasted.”
Local public polls indicate widespread enthusiasm and support for the Games, a sentiment Liveris echoed. “Even the fiercest skeptics are now eager to move forward,” he said. “This is a tangible moment of opportunity—a gift for the community.”
