The Brisbane Olympics stadiums fiasco has had wild twists and turns in just the last few days, but we still might not have seen the end of it.
The first big news came on Monday. The review handed down by former Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk recommended that plans for a $2.7 billion knockdown rebuild of the Gabba should be scrapped, instead recommending an even more expensive new $3.4 billion stadium at Victoria Park.
This in turn was rejected only hours later by Premier Steven Miles who later told the media that: “I know that I said I’d do what the Quirk Review recommended, but I cannot support the option that they have landed on. I cannot support building a brand new stadium, while Queenslanders are doing it as tough as I know that they are.”
The new plan that he has now chosen will involve an upgrade of Suncorp Stadium for a billion dollars and an upgrade followed by a downsizing after the games of the Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre, QSAC, for $1.6 billion.
The figures involved in all three plans are not only incredibly expensive, but are of questionable value for money. Especially once they are compared to the cost of other major stadiums in Australia.
The recent knockdown and rebuild of Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park cost $828 million, the construction of Optus Stadium in Perth cost $820 million and the Adelaide Oval redevelopment cost $535 million.
Going a bit further back, Docklands Stadium cost $460 million in 2000 which works out to $930 million today. That adds up to $3.1 billion combined. In addition, there was also the cancelled plan to do a knock down and rebuild of Stadium Australia in Homebush for $810 million, which is in the same ballpark.
The original plan to do a knockdown and rebuild of the Gabba would be enough to build three major stadiums, while the Victoria Park proposal would be enough for four major stadiums. But even the new $1.6 billion plan for QSAC would be enough for two new major stadiums, while the billion dollar upgrade at Lang Park would be enough for a knockdown and rebuild there.
In regards to QSAC, the budget sets aside $600 million for the stadium itself and a further one billion for surrounding buildings and works. But even just the $600 million figure would be enough for a major stadium and is well in excess of what you would expect for a temporary one.
For example, the temporary Empire Field in Vancouver cost $14.4 million Canadian in 2010 with a capacity of 27,528 fans which isn’t too far off the 40-thousand for the proposed QSAC redevelopment. That would work out to around $33 million once converted and adjusted for inflation for 40 thousand seats, which is well below $600 million.
In addition, there was also another 20,000-seat stadium that would be built at the Brisbane Showgrounds under the first plan if the Gabba is unavailable to the Lions and the Heat, which would be reduced to 12,000 seats after the Games.
This would cost $137 million with the state government covering just $45.7 million of the total with the clubs, the RNA and Brisbane City Council making up the rest.
This could in turn then mean that the new Springfield Central Stadium which opened in October 2022 for the Lions at a cost of $82 million could be abandoned. According to state government minister Shannon Fentiman: “They’ve told us they don’t want to go to the Gold Coast. They don’t want to go to Springfield. They want to play in Brisbane city.”
But it’s the cost for the upgrade at Lang Park where things get interesting. As I mentioned, the billion dollar figure for the upgrade would be enough for a knockdown rebuild.
In fact, the questions are already being asked.
In an interview on 4BC Afternoons, Sofie Formica asked General Manager of Suncorp Stadium Alan Graham the following: “Alan, is there any, is there any possibility, is there, is the infrastructure in place for there ever to be a roof on Suncorp?”
To which he replied: “Ah look, I think in the current context we’re talking about, I can’t see that happening, you know that is an absolute massive job and you know, would almost require total reconstruction.”
Given that spending a billion dollars on an upgrade for a stadium but then not putting on a roof isn’t likely to go down well with the public, the next move will be to call for a knockdown rebuild to do it properly. This will then mean that the Broncos and Dolphins will be left needing a new home while Lang Park is unavailable.
Where they would end up going is the question. They probably won’t want to go to the Gold Coast, as the Lions and the Heat seem to have made clear already.
The Broncos and Dolphins might have to play at a temporary stadium at Brisbane Showgrounds, similar to the Empire Field design. Then when it comes to the Lions and the Heat, they could stay at the Gabba while the Olympic stadium can be constructed.
Probably at Albion Park Paceway in order to avoid the politically sensitive public green space at Victoria Park, which has been described as “Brisbane’s Central Park”. Then, a new rectangular stadium can be built for Brisbane Roar at the Gabba after it’s knocked down, so as not to let the Cross River Rail link go to waste.
Until now, the focus has all been on the Gabba as the main source of problems. But if Lang Park is getting a full knockdown rebuild as well then that really throws a spanner in the works.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
It’s all fun and games until someone hosts an Olympics.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
We use to just get busses in from the local rugby clubs in the 80’s and 90’s and thought it was a piece of cake. Never had any issues even as a young teen going solo from wests.
Rhino11
Roar Rookie
Go the Ekka!
Rhino11
Roar Rookie
Interestingly a number of years back the big discussion point was whether to re-develop the Ekka ground and turn it into the key Rugby stadium for Brisbane. As always politics played its hand and Lang Park was upgraded. The Ekka has rail line going straight through it or at least it used to a few years back and hence would have been perfect for getting people in and out quickly rather than the nightmare around Lang Park. My father attended Rugby test matches there back in the 1960’s. Go the Ekka !
RadAd
Roar Rookie
Where on earth did you get the idea that Suncorp will be knocked down? Talk about muckraking.
Spunkmeyer
Roar Rookie
Ballymore is worse now than before the upgrade, still no hill bar no back bar toilets are a shambles and no free parking anymore. Absolute shite place!
Rob9
Roar Guru
Vic Park was a great public course! Used to love teeing off into the Brisbane skyline…. It’s a shame it’s gone, but if it can’t be a golf course I’m ok for it to be the Olympic precinct. There’s Downey Park to the north and Roma Street Parklands to the south and the precinct designs seemed to maintain plenty of surrounding parkland with the ICB being built over the top of.
matth
Roar Guru
I’m a little bitter here about the closure of Victoria Park golf course. They did it promising public free space, even though like Roma Street parkland I suspect we will see a ring of units on the outside soon enough. But if they resume that course and green space to build a fourth major stadium, to me that removes Brisbane’s last opportunity to have significant green space near the CBD.
Dub Boy
Roar Rookie
Let’s forget the QLD Olympics and use the money to improve the health system, education, public transport etc. Pay the ‘fine’ and get on with it. The reality is that the IOC should take the Olympics back to Greece as a permanent venue thus preventing countries mortgaging themselves up to the hilt believing that the infrastructure that remains somehow justifies the exorbitant cost.
mushi
Roar Guru
"For example, the temporary Empire Field in Vancouver cost $14.4 million Canadian in 2010 with a capacity of 27,528 fans which isn’t too far off the 40-thousand for the proposed QSAC redevelopment. That would work out to around $33 million once converted and adjusted for inflation for 40 thousand seats, which is well below $600 million." 27.5 is a long way from 40. I'm not sure there are temporary modular options for 40k seat stadiums
Monorchid
Roar Rookie
I live just north of Brisbane GWSingapore. The press here has had articles every day for months about whatever the Labor government is proposing that week. What Jacko says below might have some basis. Coates is supposed to have hounded Palaszczuk into going toTokyo to lead the bidding team. She then decided that an independent organising body would not be formed to deliver the Games, and took control through her own government department. Her department was supposed to coordinate the roles of five other public service departments. The organising committee which was formed doesn't seem to have done much in almost three years. Many people accused Palaszczuk of using the Games as a legacy project to define her Premiership. The new Premier, Stephen Miles commissioned a past Lord Mayor of Brisbane to report on locations for stadia. The recommendation was to build a new stadium on the old Victoria Park golf course which is centrally located in Brisbane. Miles promptly debunked the report and plugged for the old Commonwealth Games site at Nathan. Miles has extraordinarily told the press that the he chose QSAC at Nathan because Coates told him too. Unfortunately, as the media likes to say, there's more to come.
Ballymore Brumby
Roar Pro
In practical terms, regardless of whether its a knockdown-rebuild or multi-year significant upgrade, the compensation cost for the potential loss (or impact i.e. reduced seating etc) of Broncs, Dolphins, State of Origin, Magic Round, the Roar (any Socceroos or Tillies matches, the Reds, rugby internationals, British and Irish Lions matches, Rugby World Cup matches and major music events would be astronomical.
Rob9
Roar Guru
The Raymond Park warm up track wasn’t going to involve the resumption of houses. It seemed like plans were in place to navigate the challenges of the Gabba becoming the site for the stadium, but if what you’ve put forward there didn’t make it feasible, the Vic Park option is more favourable than QSAC. Of course there’s no law saying an Olympic stadium has to be built in the middle of the city, but there’s an unwritten law that says you want to develop stadium infrastructure that doesn’t become a white elephant. Most of Australia’s successful stadium precincts are in areas with people, transport and entertainment venues and these factors decline the further out you go. Homebush is at least close to the geographic heart of Sydney. It’s location hasn’t exactly been void of criticism throughout it’s lifespan though either.
matth
Roar Guru
The Gabba is just not a great option. It is not fit for purpose, remembering that you have to also hold a para-olympics, there is not any space for a warm up track or sufficient space to stage the athletes, even after relocating a 100 year old school, so they were putting the warm up track and staging area over near the Pineapple Hotel. but because the Pineapple is heritage listed, they were going to have to resume more homes around the park. And then the athletes warm up and then get bussed to the Gabba! There is no law that says the Olympic stadium must be in the inner city. Sydney built Homebush out in the boondocks. that is where the space is, to make the builds cheaper.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Anna P saw her name in lights. Sucked in. Then does a runner.... Total BS.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Geez i hope the staff are far better than my local bunnings staff.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Fentiman is useless.
GWSingapore
Roar Rookie
Perhaps Peter V'Landys should be appointed as sole decision maker and project manager for the entire design, build and deliver. (He could also lead the Opening Ceremony by walking on water down the Brisbane River.)
GWSingapore
Roar Rookie
Was Queensland suckered into taking the Olympics? The Premier of NSW said that NSW could not afford the Olympics even as a back up. Victoria could not afford the Commonwealth Games.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Funding is coming from the IOC and Federal government. It is not the state governments money. False and false.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yep. Actual direct construction costs of a project are about 50%-60% of the total cost. Because you have management, permits, design, etc that accounts for the remainder of the cost. Potentially even less if land costs are high. It's absolutely inconceivable that wage costs can account for triple the cost of something - given wages are only a portion of that 50-60%. One of the biggest factors is the market. There is only a small number of contractors capable of delivering these projects. That small number is also less than it was only a few years ago. Meaning there is much less competition. People love to act like John Holland winning big civil projects in Victoria is some untoward relationship with China as they are now Chinese owned. But the reality is only CPB and Acciona have the same capabilities as they do. So immediately you are down to 1 of 3. I've heard Acciona are on the nose due to performance and litigation. So now it's 1 of 2 before you consider available resources and current capability.