QLD Premier David Crisafulli reveals venues for 2032 Olympics

The venues for Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been revealed.

Four years since Queensland was awarded the Games, the controversial* and costly venue plans are taking shape.

On Tuesday, QLD Premier David Crisafulli set out which cities would host what events up and down the Sunshine State.

Sports fans also learnt which stadium would host the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics.

The premier confirmed that a new Olympic stadium would be built at Victoria Park, as would a 25,000-seat National Aquatic Centre, which would become the home of Australian water sports.

The RNA Showgrounds would become a 20,000-seat boutique stadium, next to a relocated Brisbane athletes’ village.

While on the campaign trail, then-Opposition Leader Mr Crisafulli had promised voters no new stadiums would be built.

But a brand new stadium, at the sprawling inner-city Victoria Park, was announced at Tuesday’s event as the flagship* venue of the Games.

Protesters against the new build gathered outside the announcement event on Tuesday. The new 60,000-seat stadium would become home to the Brisbane Lions and Cricket Australia matches after the Games.

On stage, Mr Crisafulli acknowledged his broken “no new stadium” promise, saying he would take responsibility.

“By being honest and copping that on the chin. I have to own that, and I will, and I am sorry, and it’s my decision, and I accept that decision,” he said.

Upgrading the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre was “politically easier” than building a stadium at Victoria Park, Mr Crisafulli said.

“I wasn’t prepared to take the politically easy option when the truth is that wouldn’t be for the benefit of the state. And so, yeah, I accept it absolutely, but it’s the right call,” he said.

Mr Crisafulli said a slew* of major stadium, arena and infrastructure* developments were “fully funded”.

Multiple Olympic and Paralympic sports organisations would move their headquarters to the new National Aquatics Centre.

Mr Crisafulli had dreamt about the ageing Gabba* hosting a “swansong*” of Australian cricket gold medals at the Games.

But upgrading the Gabba was untenable*, he said, meaning Victoria Park was required.

“It became a choice between spending billions on temporary facilities and temporary stands that delivered no legacy*, or securing the future of AFL and cricket at a new home,” he said.

“The time has come to just get on with it.”

Brisbane Tennis Centre would also be upgraded with a new 3000-seat court next to Pat Rafter Arena and 12 additional new courts.

Soccer would be hosted in Cairns and Townsville. Sailing would be “co-hosted” in Townsville.

Hockey would be played at an upgraded centre on the Gold Coast.

WEIGHING ALL THE OPTIONS – WHAT WERE THEY?
The major decision for the state government had been which of four stadium concepts would host the track and field and the opening and closing ceremonies.

Victoria Park, within walking distance of three train stations, was always on the table, but during his election campaign, Mr Crisafulli had made the now broken promise that no new stadium would be built.

A $2.7 billion rebuild of the Gabba was also floated, which would have forced the closure of a school and left major professional sporting teams without a home ground. It also had local residents up in arms.

The third option was a $1.6 billion temporary upgrade to the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre. This plan would only accommodate 40,000 seats, shutting out thousands of people from attending the major events of the Games and likely pricing out locals.

The most expensive and final option for the main stadium was an ambitious new $6 billion, 60,000-seat stadium at Brisbane’s Northshore, with a hotel and 2500-apartment athletes’ village.

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GLOSSARY

• controversial: contentious, disputed, causing disagreement or debate
• flagship: largest, most important or best product, idea, building etc
• slew: a large amount or number of something
• infrastructure: everything from public buildings like hospitals and schools, to services like roads, tunnels and bridges, public transport vehicles and so on
• The Gabba: the Queensland Cricket Association ground at Woolloongabba, Brisbane
• swansong: final act, farewell appearance, last piece of work, achievement or performance
• untenable: unjustifiable, unworkable, something that can’t be defended or brought into being
• legacy: long-lasting impact, something important and enduring passed down to future generations

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QUICK QUIZ

1. Which venue will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics?
2. Which big campaign promise has the Queensland Premier David Crisafulli just broken?
3. As well as the stadium, what’s the other significant Olympic venue that will be built at Victoria Park?
4. What will these Olympic venues be used for after the 2032 Olympic Games?
5. How much was it going to cost to rebuild the Gabba?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Queensland Olympic upgrades
While the new facilities being built for the 2032 Olympics are costly, there are also long-running benefits for the state of Queensland.

Outline the pros and cons of upgrading and building new sporting facilities to host the Olympic Games.

Think about the cost, social benefits, sporting benefits, tourism benefits, employment, advantages to other Queensland cities and other events that could follow on.

PROS

CONS

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health & Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Do you think protesting is an effective measure for creating change or changing decisions?

How else could people publicly disagree with political decisions without public protests?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
A new Olympic category
Imagine the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee has decided they should revise the Olympic sports and make sure they haven’t left out any competition. Write a letter to the committee trying to convince them that your own talent should be classed as a sport and included in the Brisbane Olympics. Remember to include clear reasons why your talent should be included, use persuasive and emotive language, and back up your reasons with detailed explanations.