Brisbane unveils plans for 60,000-seater Stadium ahead of 2032 Olympics | More sports News

This photo shows the entrance to Victoria Park, where a new 60,000-seat stadium will be built for the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, Australia. (AP)

Brisbane has unveiled plans for a new 60,000-seat Olympic stadium to be constructed in inner-city parkland, marking a significant change in the planning for the 2032 Summer Games.
Queensland’s third premier since Brisbane was awarded the 2032 Games, David Crisafulli, presented the latest plans at a Future Brisbane forum on a rainy Tuesday.
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More than 1,340 days have passed since the International Olympic Committee‘s decision in 2021, yet construction on Olympic venues has not begun.
“The time has come to just get on with it — get on with it, and build. We are going to start immediately. We’ve got seven years to make it work — and make it work we will,” Crisafulli said, marking his 150th day in office.
The proposed Olympic precinct near downtown Brisbane includes a 25,000-seat aquatics centre alongside the main stadium at Victoria Park, a former golf course.
With only seven years remaining from the initial 11-year preparation period, leaders across federal, state, and local levels agree that construction needs to begin immediately.
The IOC’s newly elected president Kirsty Coventry has received updates on the changes from Andrew Liveris, who chairs the 2032 organising committee.
Liveris confirmed continuous engagement between the 100-day review panel and his local organizing committee.
“The stage matters. We’ve still got 7½ years to go, and we have a plan. This is a go-get-it-done plan,” Liveris stated.
Brisbane secured its host status through a new IOC process, becoming the first Summer Games host selected through exclusive, fast-track talks without competing bids.
Local organizers abandoned initial plans to rebuild the Gabba cricket ground as the Games’ centerpiece a year ago, following recommendations for a new stadium in city parkland.
The previous premier, Steven Miles, had rejected these recommendations and proposed upgrading existing facilities instead.
Despite campaigning against new stadiums, Crisafulli initiated another review after taking office and received cabinet approval for the new plans.
Recent media reports raised concerns about crocodiles at the Olympic rowing venue on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton.
Crisafulli addressed these concerns, noting that numerous events had been held there previously, including Australia’s pre-Olympic rowing camps.
Rowing Australia acknowledged the media’s exaggeration of crocodile concerns but raised questions about the river’s current and Olympic suitability.
“There’s sharks in the ocean and we still do sailing and we still do surfing. It’s a bit kind of Hollywood-ish. I’m not worried about crocodiles,” Liveris responded.
Protesters gathered at both the riverside announcement location and Victoria Park, expressing opposition to the stadium plans.
The Save Victoria Park community group is seeking legal action to prevent stadium construction in the 64-hectare park.
Olympic events will be hosted across various Queensland locations, from the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast to Cairns and Toowoomba.
The initial venue budget agreement between state and federal governments was set at approximately 7 billion Australian dollars.
A significant portion of federal funding was originally allocated for an indoor arena with a drop-in pool near the city centre.
This project has been cancelled, with the government now seeking to redistribute federal funding and attract private investment for a similar arena near the Gabba.
The new plan includes demolishing the Gabba after the 2032 Games to make way for housing, with current tenants relocating to the Victoria Park stadium.
The Victoria Park stadium will maintain a capacity of 63,000 after the Olympics and Paralympics, serving as the new home for the Brisbane Lions and Queensland Cricket.