News Gabba Upgrade & Olympics News

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The LNP did say no new stadium initially.
They covered themselves with the 100-day review later, so i don't think it will be a problem for them promises wise.
I can only speak for myself, but I look at that as them being typical shifty politicians, wanting to have their cake and eat it too. A review doesn't preclude their initial promise of no new stadiums, and I haven't heard them actually disavow that. But we'll see what happens.
 
I don't think anyone has posted this article below. It is dated 14/7/24
Link below but i have covered all the story

At least some of the Minor Venues Program have funding approval.

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The funding deal to upgrade the Sunshine Coast Stadium for the Brisbane 2032 Games has been signed. | Photo: Supplied by Queensland Government.


Funding deal signed for Brisbane 2032 venues

The first five minor venues for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics have officially been funded.

The Federal Department Infrastructure announced today that the Australian and Queensland Governments had signed a Federation Funding Agreement (FFA) for the first five approved Minor Venues Program projects for the Brisbane Games.

It said the FFA outlined the agreed project milestones and Commonwealth payments for:

  • The new Chandler Indoor Sports Centre and Precinct works.
  • Upgrades to the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.
  • Upgrades to the Sunshine Coast Stadium.
  • Upgrades to the Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre.
  • The new Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre, which would be jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments.
The Department said investment in the venues would place a focus on:

  • Accessible, inclusive and fit-for-purpose sporting and community spaces that left a lasting community legacy, and
  • Construction targets that achieved sustainability outcomes and increased participation of women, First Nations people, and trainees and apprentices.
The announcement comes almost two months after some contracts for the work hit the market.
 
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/po...e-public-before-election-20240819-p5k3jb.html

New Gabba upgrade plans might not be made public before election​

By Matt Dennien and William Davis

August 19, 2024 — 5.25pm

The news​

The public might not see the government’s updated plans for Gabba upgrades until after the Queensland election in October, Premier Steven Miles says.
But he has brushed off concern about the loss of Test cricket from the Brisbane stadium in 2026-27, saying an earlier rebuild idea meant the sport was already looking to alternatives.
The Gabba’s current site, home to sport since 1896, is constricted by busy Vulture and Stanley streets.

The Gabba’s current site, home to sport since 1896, is constricted by busy Vulture and Stanley streets.Credit:Tony Moore
But Cricket Queensland reiterated concerns the stadium is falling behind national counterparts, and questioned what a planned $500 million upgrade would provide.

Why it matters​

Cricket Australia’s plan for the next seven summers showed the Gabba was set to lose its annual cricket Test for the first time in almost half a century.

This year’s government-commissioned 2032 Games venue review found that work to keep the stadium operational and building-code complaint beyond that event was about $1 billion.
A full rebuild was planned initially, but ultimately not recommended by the review.

Instead, Miles decided to pursue a yet-to-be-detailed $500 million upgrade said to focus on bringing the venue up to code.
Despite the premier’s insistence the Gabba could be upgraded, some senior government figures had publicly acknowledged the need for thinking about the stadium’s longer-term future.
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What they said​

“I understand it was always their intention, given the original Gabba redevelopment proposition, to assess what games could be played during that period,” Miles told journalists when asked on Monday about Cricket Queensland’s concerns.

“Now that we are working through the details of what the new plan for the Gabba looks like, we’ll continue to work with cricket to make sure that they have venues for their games.
“We, of course, want to see those games played here, but we also want to upgrade the Gabba, and so that might take it out of action for some period of time.
“We’ve got more than $500 million on the table for upgrades at the Gabba … and we’ll continue to work with the stadium to determine how that is allocated”.
“Look, I hope so, but I can’t guarantee that.”
Steven Miles’ response to a question about whether the public would see Gabba update plans before October’s election.

Perspectives​


On Monday, former Australia cricket captain Allan Border said the Gabba should be pulled down.
“It’s a great Test match pitch, but the actual stadium is getting a bit tired,” he told Nine’s Today.
“The ground is hard to get to, and when the crowd leaves it’s a nightmare getting out of the place … For all those reasons we need to knock it down and do something else.”
In an open letter at the weekend, Queensland Cricket chair Kirsten Pike and chief executive Terry Svenson called for more transparency as other stadiums became “more commercially attractive”.
“It is deeply disappointing that the 2026-27 Gabba Test has become a casualty of the uncertainty around the infrastructure planning and development ahead of the 2032 Olympic preparations, specifically around the Gabba,” the letter said.

“The lack of detail about timings, promised improvements, and actual investment in the Gabba is driving uncertainty and is likely to continue to affect our operations until it is addressed.”
 

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Unless the Gabba's capacity can be lifted to at least 50,000 a 1 Billion dollar makeover is not going to give us a suitable Oval Stadium long term... we have had "sell outs" and the crowd has been circa 34,000, we have over 60,000 members and the SE Qld population is growing rapidly.

WE NEED A BIGGER OVAL STADIUM YOU NUMBSKULLS.

Victoria Park is still my preferred site.
 
Harvey Lister is the Director of AEG Ogden, with 21 venues under management as part of the AEG Worldwide network of 130+ venues. In Brisbane, AEG Ogden operates the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and Suncorp Stadium.

 
But he has brushed off concern about the loss of Test cricket from the Brisbane stadium in 2026-27, saying an earlier rebuild idea meant the sport was already looking to alternatives.
Bit of a difference between losing Test Cricket in Brisbane for a few years and not having Test Cricket for 6+ years because cricket australia doesn't want to play at the Gabba, even when it's 'upgraded', due to how poor it is to other stadiums.
 
Crisafulli's remarks in the Courier Mail sure suggest that QSAC is dead if the LNP win

--

“I would be no better than Steven Miles if I said to you this is the option and it’s the only option. It has to be driven by all levels of government and the best and brightest minds – if you don’t, you end up with a captain’s pick from a premier who chooses QSAC and he is the only person who thinks that is the right option.

“I’m going to do things vastly differently. I’m talking about exactly the model NSW did in 1995 when they set up an independent infrastructure co-ordination authority. We have time. I want Queenslanders to know there has been 1000 wasted days of time, but within 100 days we will get the show back on the road.

“They’ve plucked QSAC out of the air. I’m talking about all levels of government – the best and the brightest, not a political pressure valve (like the Quirk review was)."
 
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As it should be, no expert is going to recommend QSAC as a venue for the Games. Hell, even the Quirk Review recommended against it.

100%. Although if it does go ahead, I propose that it's called Raygun Arena.
 
WE NEED A BIGGER OVAL STADIUM YOU NUMBSKULLS.
They know, they just don't care. They either want league to utterly dominate Aussie Rules, or they don't care about sport at all. I have more respect for the second group I guess, at least they're equal opportunity haters and probably didn't want the Olympics to begin with.
 

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They know, they just don't care. They either want league to utterly dominate Aussie Rules, or they don't care about sport at all. I have more respect for the second group I guess, at least they're equal opportunity haters and probably didn't want the Olympics to begin with.

Agree, SEQ Qld is growing all the time and there is room for both AFL and NRL.

As an aside, I am not sure that RL/RU can continue with the same rules due to concussions in the medium term. There would have to be serious wavers signed if not. AFL would also need some rules changes in this case, but will be able to survive more intact. Also, can't play our game and cricket on those rectangular fields. There is no way cricket is dying with continued interest from most traditional nations and boosted by the Asian teams (many who will be multi generational Australians as well). Also the USA should have a relatively strong cricket team in the next few years as well, which will create buzz.
 
Agree, SEQ Qld is growing all the time and there is room for both AFL and NRL.

As an aside, I am not sure that RL/RU can continue with the same rules due to concussions in the medium term. There would have to be serious wavers signed if not. AFL would also need some rules changes in this case, but will be able to survive more intact. Also, can't play our game and cricket on those rectangular fields. There is no way cricket is dying with continued interest from most traditional nations and boosted by the Asian teams (many who will be multi generational Australians as well). Also the USA should have a relatively strong cricket team in the next few years as well, which will create buzz.
Cricket is the 2nd most popular sport(fan wise) on the Planet behind Football/Soccer.

2) Cricket:

Hugely popular in countries like India, Pakistan, and Australia, cricket boasts an estimated fan base of 2.5 billion people. The sport has an extensive following in Asia, Australia, and the UK, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) recognizing 125 countries participating in cricket. Cricket’s unique blend of tradition and excitement has made it a cultural staple in many parts of the world.

  • Estimated Fans: 2.5 Billion
  • Regional Popularity: Asia, Australia, UK.
  • A popular sport with a massive following in India, Pakistan, and Australia.
  • The International Cricket Council (ICC) identifies 125 countries participating in cricket.
 
Cricket is the 2nd most popular sport(fan wise) on the Planet behind Football/Soccer.

2) Cricket:

Hugely popular in countries like India, Pakistan, and Australia, cricket boasts an estimated fan base of 2.5 billion people. The sport has an extensive following in Asia, Australia, and the UK, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) recognizing 125 countries participating in cricket. Cricket’s unique blend of tradition and excitement has made it a cultural staple in many parts of the world.

  • Estimated Fans: 2.5 Billion
  • Regional Popularity: Asia, Australia, UK.
  • A popular sport with a massive following in India, Pakistan, and Australia.
  • The International Cricket Council (ICC) identifies 125 countries participating in cricket.
There is a few people in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well.
 
Nothing could go wrong with the Brisbane River of course!
(For those interested check out the 1893 Brisbane floods. Helped establish the Valley for commerce after South Brisbane kept getting destroyed)
Oh great , I had one vision in my head ,a periscope popping up in the middle of the ground , now I have a hero tug boat pilot holding the stadium from floating away during a flood.
Please let it happen, for my sanity.
or was that insanity.
 
Oh great , I had one vision in my head ,a periscope popping up in the middle of the ground , now I have a hero tug boat pilot holding the stadium from floating away during a flood.
Please let it happen, for my sanity.
or was that insanity.
Actually, that area of the river which is kind of an old river delta, isn't quite as floodprone as the areas upstream.
 
Crisafulli will still have to deal with the IOC but by February Coates will have finished his term.
Coates still may have some influence. That yet to be determined.
But someone will still be representing the IOC and will have a big say in certain venues.

However just because Crisafulli thinks QSAC is not a good choice he still has some thinking to do.
Where to put athletics if not QSAC, because The Gabba is needed for T20 Cricket & the Lions/cricket need somewhere to play.

That only leaves a couple of options one being a new Stadium which he has said no to but could change his mind.
What he can say is that at the time when Brisbane was given the games no cricket was being played at the Olympics.
Then cricket was a late entry sport to the LA games and that changes things considerably.
You need big oval venues to play cricket.

The only other viable option is Carrara but there is not enough space and planning to increase their Olympic Village accommodation to move track & field athletes planned for Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
Gold Coast: 2600 athletes
Northshore Hamilton: 10,000 athletes. I think Miles called for tenders last week.
Carrara also needed for T20 cricket in my opinion.

Below a reminder of what the IOC feasibility assessment in 2021 was when the Government put their original plan to them.
Carrara over a new stadium. I think it was the Albion Parkway site at that stage.
Optus Aquatic Centre Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games venue over Brisbane Arena a new venue.
Ballymore (hockey) use existing Gold Coast hockey center 15k capacity. Used in the 2018 Commonwealth games.
Move Redlands Whitewater Center to Penrith being an upgraded 2000 Sydney Games legacy venue.

Note my pet hate the Brisbane Arena was not thought of being needed by the IOC.
As i have said repeatedly it is not needed for the Olympics and will cost upwards of $2,500,000,000

To date no IOC recommendations have been implemented.
So, my take is the IOC possibly not happy with the State Government since this time.
You could probably ignore one or two of their recommendations but not all of them

I mentioned in another post the Olympic governments funds money should not be broken up as it is now.
You will be able to get a new stadium if that agreement is changed to 50/50 funding.
That way Crisafulli can say that's what should have been done in the first place.

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Certainly looks bloody spectacular(I suppose most artists impressions would). The third image looks like we are playing the Crows in the 2030 Grand Final... Starce and Zorks honoured by the look of the Wall of Fame, can not make out the other players.
1724131950753.png
1724131996719.png
1724132098768.png
 
Certainly looks bloody spectacular(I suppose most artists impressions would). The third image looks like we are playing the Crows in the 2030 Grand Final... Starce and Zorks honoured by the look of the Wall of Fame, can not make out the other players.
View attachment 2085618
View attachment 2085622
View attachment 2085623
Berry, Ah Chee, Wilmot, and might be McKenna, and judging by their expressions they may have just been run down by their opponents in a must-win clash. Plus ça change
 
Crisafulli's remarks in the Courier Mail sure suggest that QSAC is dead if the LNP win

--

“I would be no better than Steven Miles if I said to you this is the option and it’s the only option. It has to be driven by all levels of government and the best and brightest minds – if you don’t, you end up with a captain’s pick from a premier who chooses QSAC and he is the only person who thinks that is the right option.

“I’m going to do things vastly differently. I’m talking about exactly the model NSW did in 1995 when they set up an independent infrastructure co-ordination authority. We have time. I want Queenslanders to know there has been 1000 wasted days of time, but within 100 days we will get the show back on the road.

“They’ve plucked QSAC out of the air. I’m talking about all levels of government – the best and the brightest, not a political pressure valve (like the Quirk review was)."
Another committee is a pretty tough sell.
 
The problem with ideas like this is that they are over ambitious, unrealistic and a tough sell, especially when the number 1 sport isn’t involved. If cricket and footy and some people in government want a new oval stadium, they need to shoot for 45k - 50k. Making it bigger than Suncorp puts 3/4s of the state offside.
 

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