I know we all generally focus on something for Brisbane Roar to play out of properly like Ballymore, but news in today that AFL will have to continue using the bed they made 20 years ago with the last renovations to the Gabba

Brisbane Olympic Games 2032: QLD government won’t rebuild Gabba, no new stadium, QSAC $1.6 billion redevelopment plan, latest news (foxsports.com.au)

Glad this is happening, any time AFL (by extension) gets something out of nothing is a great day.

EDIT: My line should have said any time AFL gets nothing out of something is a great day. Whoops

Qld State Government has just kicked the can down the Road

There will have to be a new Stadium built for Cricket and AFL, but without Federal money when it happens

Truly crazy decision by the QLD government. So the Gabba isn’t big or new enough to host the athletics or opening ceremony, so they solve the problem by moving it an older stadium with a lower capacity of 40k, then diverting the opening ceremony to Suncorp. 

Absolute pure clusterfuckery of the highest magnitude. Then again, it is Labor , so no surprise.

I dunno, smart of them to spruce up a stadium that already has an athletics track, than to build something completely new.

This way they can touch up the Gabba as they need to over the years. Remember, that was also expanded on just after Lang Park (unless we got fed backwards news in NSW 20 years ago).

To me, personally, it doesn't make sense to build a new stadium that, after the Olympics, the major sports that will use it have no relation to the Olympic Games whatsoever. Remember Rio did similar, despite all the other white elephants they built.

Spruce up ?

"upgrade QSAC Stadium to 40,000 seats for the Games, with 14,000 seats in legacy mode, at a cost of $1.6 billion"

and be left with a training facility

I mean... it's at 48,500 at the moment if I'm believing the online numbers correctly...

Temp seating will be 50 years old by 2032. Whole place has to be rebuilt

Here's the report , its very easy to read



https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/87581/sport-venue-review-23.pdf

Touch up ?

"keep the Gabba operational and compliant beyond 2032 at a cost of $1 billion."

and be left with a 2nd class Stadium at the end of it's life

"A $1 billion spend at the Gabba does not increase capacity or improve functionality for spectators, players, staff and hirers. Further, the Gabba works would be maintenance, rather than being part of the Sport Venue Program and under the terms of the Intergovernmental Agreement would likely reduce the Australian Government’s overall Financial contribution to the Sport Venue Program."

You can keep things operational and compliant for a long time. MCG and SCG have been around in their current location for 170 years. Sure, the stands have been redeveloped, I highly doubt that the Gabba needs as much work as they would have had over the years

Just a couple of small quotes, but there's heaps more in the report

Lol the athletics track will need to replaced anyway. So spend $1.5 billion on a temporary stadium in order to save $1 million on installing an athletics track at the Gabba? Then spending another $1 billion on the Gabba to bring it up to code. Then spending another $10 billion plus in 15-20 years anyway because the Gabba is no longer fit for purpose.

Labour or LNP here Rusty and you'd struggle. This is a case of trying to polish a turd no matter which way you look at it.

In any case when Labour get booted this election coming up we'll see if the LNP up there can roll that turd in glitter after all.

Not at all. Brisbane and SEQ already has a bunch of facilities and stadia that are Olympics ready. Cycling, tennis. basketball etc. It just needs an indoor venue to activate Roma Station and a new oval 50-60k stadium to futureproof Brisbane for international cricket and AFL. Bris needs these things anyway, the Olympics is a perfect excuse to get them built whilst using federal funds. If it costs $3.5 billion, while that is a lot of money, it will only get more expensive as time goes by. Labor’s plan however is a car crash.

Well in a few months time the LNP can have a crack. Let's see what they do.

And that goes back to my original point.
Why should the Olympic Games futureproof international cricket and AFL?

Personally, you're all making valid points from a QLD taxpayer point of view (long term use within the wider state) - I'm not one so I can't really comment on that. We're in a football forum, so that's why I'm bringing up this perspective.

What's been lost in the media is that QLD Gov is still putting forward about half a billion to refurbishing the Gabba before the Olympics...

It’s not a real refurbishment, they aren’t building any new stands or increasing the capacity. Most likely it relates to disability access, corporate facilities, dressing rooms upgrades etc. Really exciting stuff.

Well, as I said in the above post, why should the Olympic Games futureproof international cricket and AFL?

Ok, since then, I didn't realise Cricket is actually an Olympic sport as of 2028, so that can be a factor. But this pandering of stadiums for AFL is just ridiculous. Look at all the hoopering and a-hollering that happened in Sydney with stadiums over the past 25 years, because AFL stuck their fingers in the pie.

QSAC should be knocked down and redeveloped into something actually useful. Was shit even back when they had the commonwealth games there. (Thankfully they looked to have done their dash too.)

Can see the olympics in the future being given to cities that have previously hosted them (obviously not Athens or Rio) or whole countries. 

Why build giant new facilities for sports which never have crowds except for the olympics when they exist a 1 hour flight away.

That’s whey they gave it to Brisbane. Most of the infrastructure is ready to go. No need to build an Olympic village or any expensive white elephants. Gabba needed an upgrade anyway and the Brisbane Live venue had been on the cards for years before any Olympics talk. 

They gave it to Brisbane because they were the only ones silly enough to volunteer to have a giant millstone hung around their neck. Every other city said 'fuck that'.

In any case I'm not talking specifically about Brisbane but seeing we are, does Brisbane have a whitewater kayaking course, for example, or will that need to be built at a cost of millions? 

Because there's a perfectly good Olympic standard one in Penrith an hour away. 

No no, they're going to build one at a cost of millions. Waste of money and within 2 weeks of the closing ceremony a white elephant.

That's my point.

Finding 5.5 – The Redland Whitewater Centre proposal presents a compelling case.

The Review Panel saw a range of advantages to building the facility including strong legacy outcomes
 
There is a sound Financial model for the facility

The facility provides a regional attraction which could have broader benefits to the Redlands

 The centre would provide a convenient training facility for State Emergency Service, Queensland Surf Lifesaving and other First responder agencies

Yes yes I read that too. You can retrospectively justify anything. I'm betting London to a brick that whilst they can use it it will be well in excess of anything they'll ever need.

In any case pick any other sport which is niche and the facilities exist elsewhere so you don't have to spend millions building a white elephant.

Maybe Bridget 'Shotgun' Mackenzie or Daryl Maguire can be given a seat on the Brisbane organising committee. They have form getting brand new giant oversized facilities for sports that are niche and undeserving.

It's a badly made one. 

They awarded the games to Brisbane 12 years before the games. It's not  that we were IOCs only option, rather the business case stacked up, we were trusted and preferred. They didn't really look at anyone else. If not Brisbane, of course, of course, the 2032 games weren't going to be cancelled because every other city said "fuck that".

As per my previous comment, the idea of giving it to Brisbane is most of the venues here are Olympics ready. The key word being 'most'. Some new builds will cost millions, but millions will also be earned in tourism, economic activity, in addition to all the transport infrastructure, legacy benefits, etc. At the very least, QLD will have a white water rafting facility, just like the 25 year old one in Penrith.

Lol 1.6 Billion on an Athletics Stadium that will be used for 1 week then be completely useless. That is absolute madness. Then they acknowledge the Gabba will need a billion or so spent at some point anyway. As well as Lang Park will be getting old soon. 

The report said that the Gabba will be at the end of its useful life in 2030 so it won't be touch ups that will be required.

Touch ups is probably a facetious word by me.

But... useful life is all up to how it's looked after.

MCG has been around for 170 years, and it's most recent redevelopment in 2002-2006 for the Commonwealth Games cost $450m, all while being able to still use at 70,000 capacity during the 4 years. Yes, I know inflation means that figure is more like $750m in today's money. But 'useful life' isn't all about knockdown rebuilds / relocation. (See Roosty's post below that summarises what's in motion for the Gabba with this QSAC decision)

It’s not a real refurbishment, they aren’t building any new stands or increasing the capacity. Most likely it relates to disability access, corporate facilities, dressing rooms upgrades etc. Really exciting stuff.

This looks like the triumph of cynical politics over common sense. I think Labor are hoping to wedge the Libs in the leadup to the State election later this year by opting for the worse but cheaper option. If the Libs oppose Labor's plan, Miles will accuse Libs of not caring about cost of living. Labor will be desperate after getting smashed in weekend by-elections. 

You know the Olympics are a dead duck when a shithole like Brisbane is the only bidder and through gritted teeth the IOC awards it to them. (Because of course you have to have it somewhere.)

QUEENSLANDER!!!!!

Brisbane is making the Athens Olympics look organised

People involved in actually delivering the games have said from the start that the Gabba is a bad option.

The AFL-media led whinging is ridiculous and shows how out-of-touch some people are. The Gabba hosted their GF but now getting half a billion to refurbish it is a disaster...

Vic Park is much needed greenspace and should never have been an option.
The outcome to use/upgrade Lang Park and to rebuild our _athletics_ stadium and have a real legacy to host future IAAF events makes complete sense. Spending billions on a new stadium that would host one test a year, some T20's and a dozen unpopular AFL games was utterly insane.

If the AFL is really upset they can move out to Ipswich where the QLD government just built them a $70M stadium. I'm sure the Gabba's staff would prefer to see the back of them.

Ok buddy. Spending a combined $3 billion on a couple of el cheapo refurbs to maybe host some future IAAF makes “complete sense” while building a new brand new 50 year stadium to cater for Olympics, cricket, AFL and atheltics is “utterly insane”? You’re utterly insane.

Brisbane is a growing city, and will continue to grow and grow. At some point in the near future, Gabba will be too old and too small, and we are going to need that 50k+ stadium built anyway.  The long term economics of building a new stadium makes complete sense whilst keeping the two tired old relics on life support to showcase our status as a new world city to the world is utterly insane.

There is a 50k+ stadium. Suncorp.

How often does the Gabba sell out?

This Brisbane Stadium chat doesn't involve any rectangular stadiums, it doesn't matter to football.

Well… it kinda does involve rectangular stadiums

QSAC, whilst an athletics ground, is a rectangular ground within that. It was the Matilda’s base for the World Cup.

Plus the headline grabber from the media, is that Suncorp is getting a minor facelift/upgrades instead of a new (primarily) AFL stadium for the Olympics

You're an anti-vaxxer :) You're also right, but not about the Gabba. Lang Park needs the upgrade.
The Gabba's size is more than enough for Brisbane's needs now and in the future. It's also functionally newer than Lang Park and used far less.

Lang Park hosts multiple clubs throughout the year (Broncos/Dolphins/Roar/Reds), yearly internationals with Socceroos/Matildas/Kangaroos/Wallabies, festivals like Magic Round, State of Origin, big concerts and other unique events. It honestly should've been upgraded to 65/70K years ago. It also means that the QLD Govt can make a real play for the NRL GF and other events that the current size of Lang Park denies them.



Just call them football stadiums. The people who say the four syllable 'rectangular' instead of the more traditional 'football' are the same people upset about this decision.

The flow on effect of this decision is that Lang Park will reclaim the title as the best football stadium in the country and likely force NSW's hand into re-configuring Stadium Australia into a football ground. If BNE and SYD both have large, modern football stadiums then good luck to MEL events when competing for touring clubs/nations... More high quality football grounds in this country is not a bad thing for a football fan.

By george! You want to spend $1.5 billion downgrading the QSAC, $1.5 billion samegrading the Gabba, and another ~$2 billion upgrading lang park, and you're trying to argue this makes complete sense? The hilarious thing is you've spent close to $5-6 billion once you factor in public transport upgrades, and you've actually acheived a net reduction in seats, once QSAC is demolished to 14k. Wouldn't it make more sense to just build a new stadium, one which will be eventually needed anyway, and will last at least 50 years, and will provide a viable alternative to Suncorp to host major performing artists like Taylor Swift? Even the pro environment /green argument fails as Gabba and QSAC now redundant can be converted into green space or sustainable housing precincts. Your argument is bizarre and sucks on every level; financially, environmentally, practically, economically. Just build the new stadium ffs! They could even boost the capacity to 60-70k, then you would have a genuine competitor to Sydney to host NRL/AFL finals.

Just going to touch on two points:

provide a viable alternative to Suncorp to host major performing artists like Taylor Swift

Is providing an alternative not just providing another white elephant?

They could even boost the capacity to 60-70k, then you would have a genuine competitor to Sydney to host NRL/AFL finals.

The AFL Grand Final is never leaving Melbourne again unless forced to by a pandemic, etc as it was for 2020/2021. NRL, maybe. But that won't be in an upgraded cricket/AFL stadium, that will just be in Suncorp. This obsession with trying to have a Melbourne-class (not going to say world-class because of the sport) AFL stadium astounds me...

Sure, it might work for the Olympics, but do you really think the Brisbane Lions are going to get above 40k regularly to a standard season game? Upgrading/building a new stadium for the Olympics to accomodate that is just having seats there that won't be used. BBL hovers around 25k, and Lions only get crowds like they got for the first game when they're premiership contenders. No one should be building things for AFL, full stop.

No it’s not another white elephant because you’re effectively doubling Brisbane’s capacity to host major concerts. Currently Suncorps capacity to host them is capped due to concerns about impacts on local residents around Milton and Paddington.

As for the NRL/AFL argument, the only event it regularly sells out Suncorp is state of origin. Maybe once or twice year. But that isn’t a reason to reduce its capacity, just because 99% of time it is a “white elephant”. The same applies for the new Brisbane stadium, 99% of the time it will be useless , but occasionally , maybe once or twice a year, its insurance policy will be activated and it will sell out. 

It's also not about total capacity these days

It's the revenue that can be generated.  Old stadiums are being replaced by ones with more and better corporate facilities that bring in much more $ per head
Once you've sold all the corporate boxes you're missing out, regardless of whether some of the top tiers have empty seats

For Example, The new Spurs Stadium has been specifically designed to get people in the ground earlier and have people staying longer as well.

This certainly applies to Music promoters when they come to choose which 3 cities their artist will pick to play in

Yes, football stadiums. What have been floated though are big round stadiums, not suitable for football. Nothing to see folks.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/21/brisbane-olympics-2032-no-new-stadium-victoria-park-suncorp-gabba

Sounds like he's been wedged, but doesn't care.

Announcement just to get/keep votes before the election, and doesn't have to do anything until after he's in.  
Probably give his main rival a hospital pass as the  "Minister for the Olympics"