News Gabba Upgrade & Olympics News

[Gadzorks]

I don’t get why we need so many stadiums. The only issue that has ever been raised regarding the suitability of stadiums in Brisbane is really the age and need to refresh the Gabba.

Turning the Gabba into a boutique entertainment venue is a giant waste of space close to the cbd.

According to a news report at the end of last year 300, 000 southerners moved to seq last year, exacerbating
housing problems.

Population growth isn't going to stop and housing density is continuing to increase.

Bigger populations consume more events - sport, music, entertainment, green spaces.

Need more facilities for entertainment

So bigger/ more stadiums contribute to happier people with events to look forward to.

Improves social connection, makes for better societies.

Afl for example - people of all sizes, shapes, colors, backgrounds come together with a common interest. That's a great thing.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Na, hasn't blindly defended the school yet.

Blindly? I explain and justify my opinions. Perhaps you could try doing that too?

 

[StevoJenkins]

Blindly? I explain and justify my opinions. Perhaps you could try doing that too?

I did, but you pretended my points didn't exist/didn't address them and didn't even respond to my last response to you regarding this topic.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

I don’t get why we need so many stadiums. The only issue that has ever been raised regarding the suitability of stadiums in Brisbane is really the age and need to refresh the Gabba.

Turning the Gabba into a boutique entertainment venue is a giant waste of space close to the cbd.

Yes I am on the fence here , more so on the other proposal being for affordable housing on the Gabba site.

There was a Jounalist named Nathan Hidebrandt. dated 17 January 2023 who also had these thoughts.
Title - Gabba redevelopement- Brisbane Olympic Stadium - alterative location ( google it or if someone can copy and paste please do ).
His proposal or idea was Vic park , but an alternate location to what i have seen , interesting ideas but I would think too problematic being that he proposes the site to be built over the Brisbane city bypass , thus creating a pedestrian bridge to the city,
Then the housing at the gabba site, and an indoor venue at Roma street.

Some good ideas, but from what the guy ( Steve,Johnny Bananas) on tripple M said this morning was that Roma street has too many problems and as said earlier the Gabba to be the site for the indoor entertainment hub.
I think it's all about getting the federal money to pay for a fair chunk of these projects as it's a one off offer , being an Olimpic Venue upgrade).
All these ideas stack up better than rebuilding an oval at the Gabba.

Edit: except the proposal to build on the bypass, that's not happening. A possible concource bridge maybe not a bad idea, but $$$$ .

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Turning the Gabba into a boutique entertainment venue is a giant waste of space close to the cbd.

So why does every other major city in Australia do exactly that? There's the Sydney Opera House, Sydney International Convention Centre, Rod Laver Arena, John Cain Arena, Perth Arena and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Gold Coast are trying to do the same thing at the moment too.

 

[Jivlain]

Can't they just play the Olympics at Dittmer Park?

It's convenient for the busway

 

[weevil]

Just now on tripple M , had the guy who was involved with the Southbank redevelopment planning and so forth.
Steve , last name eludes me.
Marto's old boss years ago apparently.
Putting it out there bascially, the golden triangle.
Build the new stadium at Vic park .
Then rebuild the Gabba into a Madisan square garden type arena for concerts - more or less replacing Boondal as that place for entertainment.
Also an upgrade on Suncorp.
His main point was that we shouldn't turn our backs on this federal government money that would be available.
I think the figure mentioned was $4 Billion being the available amount. ( there might be more to this figure , not sure on any details)

At least there are more proposals being put to light out there, I wonder if Steve follows Bigfooty.

The issue would surely be money.

Ever since the initial cost estimate jumped from 1 billion to 2.7 billion public sentiment about the costs and the government’s ability to manage them has been absolutely toxic.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I did, but you pretended my points didn't exist/didn't address them and didn't even respond to my last response to you regarding this topic.

When I have multiple people responding to my comments at once, sometimes it's hard to manage responding to them all and some get overlooked. I didn't mean anything personal by it. I have other things in life that need my attention too sometimes. I'll give you a response now.

Coorparoo is less than 5 minutes up the road, has a designated drop-off area and has bigger and better facilities. Also, as previously mentioned, less pollution.

But it isn't close for kids to walk or cycle to. It's only 5 minutes up the road for people who are driving. And not everyone can drive their kids to school. This is why we have local facilities instead of just a small number of giant schools across the city where everyone commutes to, particularly for primary schools.

Pollution isn't a reasonable point in my opinion, because we allow residential development along major roads too. Why is it okay for kids to be near car fumes at home but not at school?

I'd also say this is going to be less of a problem in future as electric cars replace petrol cars. We're already past the worst of it.

The problem with the Woolloongabba area is that there is little space available that won't stuff up traffic in an area that already has that issue.

I'd argue all of Woolloongabba is changing to be high density and based around public and active transport rather than traffic. Anywhere with high density will have traffic issues because there is limited road space for many people. Does that mean schools shouldn't be allowed in such areas?

You're looking at the bulldozing of land from the creek down Churchie/Coorparoo way - which won't be happening - or putting the school where a park currently is (which also isn't happening). There's not a lot of spare land without harming protected land/the environment or making the current issues Woollongabba has worse.

Too bad for the government then. A growing area needs a school. It's up to the government to placate the locals if they want to take away the school and send it somewhere else, even if it's politically difficult. Their failure to do that is part of the reason why the Gabba demolition and complete rebuild won't be going ahead.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

The issue would surely be money.

Ever since the initial cost estimate jumped from 1 billion to 2.7 billion public sentiment about the costs and the government’s ability to manage them has been absolutely toxic.

I can't get through the paywalls on the paper platforms, but they are running this Steve's proposal on a few of them.
I would think it would go into what type of money would be supplied by Federal gov.
No idea really how there would be any extra $ available for the different site upgrades or new builds than what is on offer now.
i haven't read it, but yes you would think if more money was to come from the State or Council purses there will be negative responses.
For what it's worth my feelings is that the Governments need to sell, make money on the old Gabba site , selling it off to private enterprise.
Whether that be a new indoor venue or High Rise housing , take your pick.

 

[Bjo187]

Just now on tripple M , had the guy who was involved with the Southbank redevelopment planning and so forth.
Steve , last name eludes me.
Marto's old boss years ago apparently.
Putting it out there bascially, the golden triangle.
Build the new stadium at Vic park .
Then rebuild the Gabba into a Madisan square garden type arena for concerts - more or less replacing Boondal as that place for entertainment.
Also an upgrade on Suncorp.
His main point was that we shouldn't turn our backs on this federal government money that would be available.
I think the figure mentioned was $4 Billion being the available amount. ( there might be more to this figure , not sure on any details)

At least there are more proposals being put to light out there, I wonder if Steve follows Bigfooty.

Is there a link to this interview? I'm keen to hear it, but unable to find it on a basic search.

I wonder if this guy is mates with quirk and he is putting it out there to culture the public to the idea. Well here's hoping.

They really have to stage manage every step of the new proposal announcement perfectly, you'd hope a team is working on that in the background concurrently (well if the new proposal serves afl needs that is).

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Is there a link to this interview? I'm keen to hear it, but unable to find it on a basic search.

I wonder if this guy is mates with quirk and he is putting it out there to culture the public to the idea. Well here's hoping.

They really have to stage manage every step of the new proposal announcement perfectly, you'd hope a team is working on that in the background concurrently (well if the new proposal serves afl needs that is).

Links? , as I said in the post above yours , there are articles in a few papers , one being the Courier Mail, I think have this guy talking about it. Paywall.
then maybe you could google MMM morning show or something , maybe podcast, but podcasts aren't my thing.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Full text below.

Bold Games plan puts stadium at Victoria Park, arena at the Gabba

A 50,000-seat stadium should be built at Victoria Park, Suncorp Stadium upgraded and the Gabba transformed into a Madison Square Garden-style arena as part of a “golden triangle” events precinct for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a Brisbane power couple has declared.

Frustrated with talk of a “cut-price Olympics”, former South Bank chairman Steve Wilson and his company director wife Jane have called for Brisbane not to squib the opportunity to build transformative Games infrastructure.

The Wilsons, disappointed with the increasing focus on cost over legacy, have called for Brisbane residents and stakeholders to spend the cash and ensure the city’s sporting venues were among the world’s best.

“We couldn’t sit by and watch us have the worst own goal and run with a cut-price Olympics … having waited 30 years since Sydney for our chance to shine,” Mr Wilson said.

“These dollars of expenditure are simply bringing forward to a deadline what are necessary anyway.

“Suncorp is not big enough for the NRL Grand Final, World Cup Rugby and Taylor Swift, the Gabba has dropped to number five test cricket venue and could go lower … everybody in Brisbane knows Boondal is a dog.

“We’ve got to call it out because you can get these cheap points by saying we’ll slash the price and pour it into public housing – this is dedicated venue money.”

Mr Wilson, who chaired the South Bank Corporation board between 1996 and 2012, has proposed new and upgraded sporting and events venues – dubbed the “three pearls of Brisbane”.

He is calling for a 48,000-seat circle stadium at Victoria Park, modelled on the Sydney Cricket Ground, to be built for cricket and AFL.

“It’s got the three necessary principals, it’s rich with existing and soon-to-be-completed public transport, it’s central and it will stimulate precinct growth,” he said.

“The Lord Mayor has this wonderful idea of turning Victoria Park into a fabulous parkland, the stadium wouldn’t take up that much space.

“Parklands that aren’t activated do have security issues – we learnt that at South Bank.”

Mr Wilson argued Brisbane’s “most exciting venue”, Suncorp Stadium, should be upgraded to sit 65,000 people, rival the best British football stadiums and host the biggest global events.

Mr Wilson is proposing the controversial Gabba be demolished in favour of an 18,000-seat Brisbane Arena events centre.

Collectively, the three new venues could be linked through connecting green avenues and sporting hero walkways, Mr Wilson said.

“Most people tend to look at an individual venue in isolation,” he said.

“The real power here is with the golden triangle … these new three heroic pearls and what’s within – in between we have a number of other pearls, Southbank, Dexus’s Waterfront Precinct and Queen’s Wharf.”

Mr Wilson noted of Queensland’s $87bn budget, Games infrastructure costs of $400m each year made up some 5 per cent - with the federal government also offering to allocate $4bn.

“It’s money that would have been spent anyway,” he said.

“It’s a false narrative to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

“Brisbane is not on the global map … Andrew Liveris has said that – we have our chance and we may well win the price for the most chicken-hearted Games.”

Former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk is undertaking a review of venue infrastructure and is due to report to State Development Minister Grace Grace on March 18.

Mr Wilson labelled his interjection in the Olympic infrastructure debate as a “call to arms” about what type of Games people wanted the city to host.

“Stop this nonsense of having a second-rate Olympics,” he said.

“It’s a once-ever opportunity so I encourage everybody to make a noise.”

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/brisbane-olympics-and-paralympics-2032/bold-games-plan-puts-stadium-at-victoria-park-arena-at-the-gabba/news-story/67b56b99d0a22ad77ac4e046da1cf182

 

[Bjo187]

Links? , as I said in the post above yours , there are articles in a few papers , one being the Courier Mail, I think have this guy talking about it. Paywall.
then maybe you could google MMM morning show or something , maybe podcast, but podcasts aren't my thing.

Yes sorry I've read the article previously but meant the audio of this Steve guy. Triple m podcasts I find harder to track down than most others.

 

[M Malice]

"Brisbane power couple" never heard of them.

Section 5 >>>> the power couple.

 

[BRAB]

But it isn't close for kids to walk or cycle to. It's only 5 minutes up the road for people who are driving. And not everyone can drive their kids to school. This is why we have local facilities instead of just a small number of giant schools across the city where everyone commutes to, particularly for primary schools.

This is such an inner city mindset tbh. Try setting these standards for the majority of students in the state system and see how quickly it falls apart.

 

[M Malice]

This is such an inner city mindset tbh. Try setting these standards for the majority of students in the state system and see how quickly it falls apart.

Yes BRAB, I am so disgruntled that it takes me 20 minutes or so to walk to the Gabba on game days, I require a closer venue so I can live the lifestyle I deserve.

 

[Dalions]

This is such an inner city mindset tbh. Try setting these standards for the majority of students in the state system and see how quickly it falls apart.

But I don’t want to get in my car!
And why should I have to?
Everything should be within a short stroll.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

This is such an inner city mindset tbh.

Ironic thing to say, given I was raised in the suburbs, currently live in the suburbs, and until recently I worked in Logan.

Try setting these standards for the majority of students in the state system and see how quickly it falls apart.

Life is different in the suburbs. Traffic is lower because there are more roads and fewer people. People know what they're signing up for and can plan their lives based on things being far apart. This is necessarily a different standard to the inner city, where if everyone tried to drive, it'd be pandemonium. Forcing more people in the inner city to drive is utterly horrendous urban planning. If you think these people's concerns and unimportant and deserving of ridicule, well, just remember the convenient things in your life can also be taken away in the name of the greater good one day.

 

[Dalions]

Ironic thing to say, given I was raised in the suburbs, currently live in the suburbs, and until recently I worked in Logan.


Life is different in the suburbs. Traffic is lower because there are more roads and fewer people. People know what they're signing up for and can plan their lives based on things being far apart. This is necessarily a different standard to the inner city, where if everyone tried to drive, it'd be pandemonium. Forcing more people in the inner city to drive is utterly horrendous urban planning. If you think these people's concerns and unimportant and deserving of ridicule, well, just remember the convenient things in your life can also be taken away in the name of the greater good one day.

I am quite often on the roads at school drop off and pick up times and I am not sure where you live, but it doesn’t matter where I drive or what suburb I am in the roads are shit.
Inner City or outer Suburbs.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Full text below.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/brisbane-olympics-and-paralympics-2032/bold-games-plan-puts-stadium-at-victoria-park-arena-at-the-gabba/news-story/67b56b99d0a22ad77ac4e046da1cf182

Thanks Johnny , that makes it easier.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I am quite often on the roads at school drop off and pick up times and I am not sure where you live, but it doesn’t matter where I drive or what suburb I am in the roads are s**t.
Inner City or outer Suburbs.

So is it a good thing to make it even s**tter for this area, by making more people drive their kids to school and clog up the drop off and pick up, instead of walking or cycling?

 

[Dalions]

So is it a good thing to make it even s**tter for this area, by making more people drive their kids to school and clog up the drop off and pick up, instead of walking or cycling?

There is not going to be more traffic on the road around the Gabba when the School moves

 

[Section 5]

The Brisbane Olympics has just 2 big ticket items funding wise.
Thank heavens we don't have many more expensive venues to build like previous game cities have had to deal with.

Brisbane Arena (17,000 seats) on a dodgy site at Roma Street costing $2.5 billion funded by the Commonwealth to a limit of $2.5 billion. Anything in excess of that amount is to be paid for by the Qld Government.
The Gabba (50,000 + seats) on existing site costing $2.7 billion including the pulldown of 12 story Gabba Towers and uninterrupted pedestrian access across Main and Stanley Streets, plus other improvements.
In my opinion much more scrutiny should be put on the Brisbane Arena by the media than The Gabba.

The Qld Governments main reason for proposing the Brisbane Arena is they want to replace the Boondall Entertainment Centre.
They felt this was a good opportunity to get that done and have it half paid for by the Commonwealth (when taking in both sites' costs).
However, it had to be tied to the Olympics to get that 50/50 costing split.
So, someone come up with "let's throw a swimming pool into a building that has to be removed later" design idea.
No costing available for this separate exercise but it would be very expensive.

The new Entertainment Centre should be handled separately, and a commercial deal struck with interested parties.
It could very well be on that Roma Street site, but a few others are possible in the vicinity, but they may also have construction issues.
I will do the Google Maps thing popular at the moment.
How about the horribly hot hardly used site King George Square, opposite the City Hall. Smack bang in the middle of the CBD.
Has a carpark underneath that may or may not be able to be built over? If not design one in the construction.
Also has an entrance in Adelaide Street to the underground King George square bus stations.
Central rail station just 1 block up the road (Ann Street) and the new (Cross River Rail) Albert Street city station just 2 blocks away when completed.
Could have construction issues like Roma Street but could be looked at as the New Entertainment Centre
Ownership i am not sure about could very well be BCC.
I am sure they could find one CBD site that could fit the bill for an Entertainment Centre.

It certainly does not have to be looked at immediately and be tied to the Brisbane Olympics.





I have said before The Brisbane Arena venue should be dropped and i suggested to the Review panel swimming should be moved to Chandler Aquatic Centre.
The reason i suggested Chandler is i believe it will be a better legacy for swimming than the IOCs suggestion (below) of the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre now called Broadwater Parklands. It's an existing Olympic venue hosting the Olympic triathlon and marathon swimming and Paralympic triathlon. So, does fall within the "terms of reference".

Should the swimming be moved to the Gold Coast i would agree with that decision and clearly would get IOC approval.

 

[Section 5]

"Brisbane power couple" never heard of them.

Section 5 >>>> the power couple.

Don't know them other than what's mentioned in the article.
Obviously qualified in his/her area of expertise.

It is the same as Coats going to The Courier Mail, but he did at least front the review panel.
If you are a known person or personality like in TV/radio/social media, you get a stage on the media with your opinion.
The modern media are very lazy in investigating/researching anything.
Did anyone from the media ask said power couple if they made a submission to the review panel.
The answer to that is probably no they did not.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Full text below.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/brisbane-olympics-and-paralympics-2032/bold-games-plan-puts-stadium-at-victoria-park-arena-at-the-gabba/news-story/67b56b99d0a22ad77ac4e046da1cf182

I must admit this talk of the capacity being 48,000 or even 50,000 has a massive whiff of "why bother?" to me.

I mean, sure, the Gabba has a capacity of only 36k or so when you account for things like the video scoreboards and the verandah and what not... But what's to stop this new stadium, wherever it ends up being, from having the same? We could have this whizbang "50,000 seat stadium" that in 20 years time we'll be saying "erm get yer facts straight, it only holds 43k because of x, y and z".

Stop pussyfooting around and make it minimum 55k, preferably 60k, so you can comfortably seat 50k AND have your verandah or whatnot if so desired.