New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) The Queensland government will announce the venue plan of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games next month, ending more than 1,200 days of Games chaos.
Brisbane secured the Games in 2021, but ongoing political disputes, especially over the main stadium and athletics venue, have delayed a final plan. After his election as Queensland Premier last November, David Crisafulli appointed a seven-member board to reassess venue options.
According to ABC News, an independent panel reviewing the Games infrastructure will submit its report to the state government on March 8, offering recommendations on whether a new stadium should be constructed and the location for the athletics events.
Earlier this month, the Australian Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll stressed the need to decide on the main venues for the 2032 Olympics before the end of June.
The government will consult with Games partners, including the International Olympic Committee and the Commonwealth, before Cabinet approves the delivery plan on March 24, with the announcement scheduled for March 25.
“Our delivery plan will provide a new way forward and get the Games back on track after three years of Labor delays and wrong priorities, there is little time to waste,” Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie told state parliament on Tuesday.
“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,”
Former Queensland Premier Steven Miles had previously rejected a AUD 2.7 billion redevelopment plan for Brisbane’s Gabba Cricket Ground, as well as a proposed AUD 3.4 billion Olympic Stadium in Victoria Park.
Miles’ alternative plan proposed using Lang Park for the ceremonies and holding athletics at the outdated QSAC venue, a move criticised by local Olympic champions as an “embarrassment”.
–IANS
bc/ab
