Olympics 2032 The pivotal questions surrounding Queensland’s hosting rights application

1 Why should Queensland host the Olympic Games?

As a result of the IOC’s reforms and circumstances in Queensland, it is possible to host the Games at relatively low cost to the community, using existing venues and only building new infrastructure if there is a clear ongoing community need for it after the Games. The IOC will now not award the Games to a country unless they meet those criteria.

Queensland ticks all the boxes and hosting the Olympic Games in 2032, like no other initiative, would provide a minimum 20-year platform (10 years before and 10 years after) to create jobs, attract investment and talent, supercharge tourism, and enhance and showcase the extraordinary lifestyle, place and people of Queensland to the world.

The Games offers a similar landmark place-defining opportunity for SEQ as Expo provided for Brisbane in 1988.

2 What will it cost? Can we afford it?

There are three categories of cost associated with hosting the Games – operational, government services (including police and spectator transport), and capital costs for building new venues.

The IOC is now committed to delivering Olympic Games that are operating cost neutral to the host. This is enabled by large and continuing growth in IOC revenues. TV network NBC has already committed $US2.3 billion for the US broadcast rights all the way up to 2032. IOC president Thomas Bach has confirmed the IOC would contribute not less than $US1.8 billion to a SEQ Games – a contribution which, together with conservative commercial revenue projections, would more than cover the estimated operating cost for the Olympics. The small surplus would contribute to the subsidisation necessary for the Paralympic Games.

There will still be a need to absorb costs of some state services for operational costs like policing to host the Games. Current estimates have them pegged at lower levels than the equivalent services cost for Sydney in 2000. Capital 1 costs fall into two categories: Things that SEQ was going to do anyway, and can be used for the Games, like public transport infrastructure required to support SEQ population growth. These generate no Games-related cost. 2 Things that SEQ was going to do anyway, but will do sooner or a little differently to enable the Games, such as planned transport infrastructure; maintenance and modernisation of existing stadiums; housing for Games Villages; the Brisbane Arena (Brisbane Live); community indoor sports facilities.

No venues would be built that were not clearly required to meet the needs of the community.

3 What would hosting the Games do for Queensland? Wouldn’t any money required be better spent elsewhere?

With our population projected to grow by 1.8 million, to more than 5 million by 2041, SEQ is at a crossroads. If nothing is done, particularly around transport infrastructure and housing, the lifestyle that we treasure is under real threat. If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change. The types of legacy benefit opportunities 1 include:

Timely delivery of the transport infrastructure required to meet the demand that anticipated population and economic growth will generate over 2 the next 10 years.

Deliver necessary community sport, recreation and lifestyle facilities and urban infrastructure to maintain and enhance SEQ’s enviable active 3 lifestyle.

Regional transport connectivity delivered for the Games will enable the world class tourism experiences of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast to be marketed more collectively.