Queensland is unlikely to see any big-ticket infrastructure projects if it wins the 2032 Olympic bid, with Brisbane’s mayor saying up to 90 per cent of the venues would be temporary or existing.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said “a few more need to be built” but they would instead be focussing on transport.
“Under the IOC’s new norm, there’s a greater ability to use existing venues,” he said.
“It keeps the cost down.
“There’s also the opportunity to use temporary venues as well, we’ll be taking advantage of that.
“So, we have 85 to 90 per cent of the venues that are either existing venues, or the ability to have temporary venues.”
Cr Schrinner said transport infrastructure needed improving across south-east Queensland.
“Better roads, better transport, they’re the things that need to happen,” he said.
“We’ve got 11 years to make sure everything is geared up.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the infrastructure required is already part of Queensland’s five-to-10-year plan.
“The Olympic Committee are looking for existing structures,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“They don’t want countries or states to go and invest in monumental stadiums that are not going to be used in the future.
“This is transformational infrastructure for our city and our region and it would bring huge economic benefit and jobs as part of our economic recovery as we come out of COVID.”
‘Commonwealth Games helped Brisbane’s case’
Brisbane was announced overnight as the “preferred candidate city” to host the Games, after a campaign started by the state’s mayors six years ago.
Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates said the successful Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018 helped secure Queensland’s case.
It is also the first time the International Olympic Committee has shown interest in a region, rather than a single city.
Events are planned for the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, with athletes to be housed to the north and south of Brisbane.
“Instead of having one city, you can have cities or a region,” Mr Coates told Channel 7’s Sunrise program.
Mr Schrinner said Queensland would be the talk of the world today.
“That will go on for the next decade.
“Now, whether that’s the better infrastructure that it brings, or whether it’s the incredible boost to tourism, that doesn’t just happen for those two weeks [when the Games are on], it happens on an ongoing basis.”
Daniel Gschwind from the Queensland Tourism Industry Council said the Games could be a potential win for the whole state.
“That it will bring potentially so much direction and so much enthusiasm and so much opportunity to the state and we should all be proud of that,” he said.
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