The Queensland government says it won’t be demolishing the Gabba and building a new Olympic stadium in Brisbane, despite the recommendations of an independent review of venues for the 2032 Games.

The snap independent Sport Venue Review for Olympic Paralympic Games infrastructure was completed by an independent panel led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, and handed to the government on March 15.

The government said in a statement on Monday it had accepted 90 per cent of the recommendations of the review.

However, the 27 recommendations the government has agreed to don’t include the demolition of the ‘end-of-life’ Gabba and its rebuild as an Olympic stadium.

Need for ‘world class stadium’

The review panel said Brisbane needed a world class stadium and arena.

It said a greenfield 50,000 seat stadium at Victoria Park would cost up to $3.4 billion but provide “an opportunity to deliver the best outcome and overcomes many of the shortcomings faced at the Gabba due to its space restrictions”.

The government said it didn’t accept that view, and would opt for “a more modest enhancement of the existing facility” instead.

“One of their recommendations would have meant the demise of the Gabba, which is something we couldn’t accept for such a beloved venue,” Premier Steven Miles said in a statement.

“And while the concept of a new stadium at Victoria Park has merit, the uncertainty around final cost means it is unfortunately not an option.”

Keeping within the funding envelope

He said the government response prioritised community benefit while ensuring costs remain within the $7.1 billion joint state-commonwealth funding envelope.

“No one wants to see money spent on facilities that are only needed for four weeks,” he said.

The review concluded the $7 billion program was enough to support a new stadium to replace the Gabba, an inner-city arena, five multi-sport indoor sports centres to address ‘chronic shortages’, upgrades to regional stadiums and facilities for rowing and canoe.

No one wants to see money spent on facilities that are only needed for four weeks.

Premier Steven Miles

The government has agreed to the relocation of Brisbane Arena and says it will also explore upgrading the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre and Lang Park, in lieu of a new stadium at Victoria Park.

The new indoor sports centre at Moreton Bay is also being investigated for expansion, with recommendations to build indoor sports centres in Logan and the Sunshine coast accepted.

Plans for a new stadium to replace the Gabba had lost the support of Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner, who late last year walked out of an intergovernmental forum in anger over plans to convert the Brisbane arena into a temporary replacement for the Gabba during its redevelopment, with Council expected to chip in towards the $137 million bill.

Cr Schrinner said he had also withdrawn support for the plan, put foward by the previous government, to demolish and rebuild the Gabba.

Government News has sought comment from Brisbane City Council on the government’s response to the review panel’s report.

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