Brisbane 2032 Olympics Venue Decision Coming in March

A venue plan for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games will be unveiled in March, the local government said on Tuesday, after a dramatic months-long debate between political parties.

Brisbane was awarded the Games in 2021 immediately before the pandemic-delayed Games in Tokyo. Australian Olympic Committee Chief Executive Matt Carroll said this month that a final decision on the main venues needed to be made before the end of June. The government will discuss the recommendations with the International Olympic Committee, local government host city and Commonwealth government before announcing its Games Delivery Plan on March 25.

“Our delivery plan will provide a new way forward and get the Games back on track,” Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie told the state parliament on Tuesday. “Queenslanders no longer want to be embarrassed on the world stage. We will deliver a 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games our state can be proud of and showcase what makes us a great state on the world stage.”

The review is being led by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli. Crisafulli’s predecessor, Steven Miles, had rejected a plan for a $1.72 billion revamp of Brisbane’s Gabba cricket ground and a new Olympic stadium, instead proposing the Lang Park rugby stadium to host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies with the athletics taking place in the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre. That plan was described as an “embarrassment” by a group of local Olympic champions, while Aussie triple Olympic medalist Raelene Boyle saying it would make Brisbane look like a “cheapskate” Olympics.