Sunshine Coast Council has welcomed the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) announcement that Brisbane has secured the rights to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Sunshine Coast will play an integral role in Brisbane 2032 and be home to four key venues and several sporting events during the Olympic Games, including football, basketball, marathon, mountain biking, cycling and kiteboarding.
The Sunshine Coast will also host multiple days of road-based events (marathon and road cycling) during the 2032 Paralympic Games.
Community members from across the Sunshine Coast have been celebrating the live-stream announcement from Tokyo at Kings Beach Amphitheatre, at Olympics Live presented by Westpac and hosted by council.
Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said the IOC’s announcement and awarding the 2032 Games to Brisbane was the result of over six years of hard work from all levels of government.
Mayor Jamieson was the first person to meet face-to-face with the IOC President Thomas Bach in Sydney on 30 April 2015 to discuss the potential for a SEQ Games proposal under the IOC’s New Norm model.
“Today is an historic day not only for our Sunshine Coast, but also for Brisbane and Queensland,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“Not since Sydney 2000 has our country hosted the world’s greatest sporting event.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Brisbane and for our Sunshine Coast.
“I am extremely proud and humbled that the proposals first developed by the Mayors of south east Queensland back in 2015 have come to fruition.
“But now the real work begins.
“The world is coming to our community.
“Today’s decision sets in motion extensive detailed planning for staging of the Games and support the liveability and connectivity of south east Queensland, which is one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia.
“Our key approach from Day 1 in 2015 – and one that has never changed – has been to secure the investment needed to support the communities of south east Queensland including our Sunshine Coast, as they continue to grow.
“All partners have recognised that hosting the Games should provide a legacy 10 years before and 10 years after the Games events.
“The positive impact these Games will have on our community will be second-to-none and I encourage everyone to throw their support behind Brisbane 2032.”
The four proposed Sunshine Coast venues include:
– Kawana Precinct including Sunshine Coast Stadium (football preliminaries) and the proposed Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre (basketball preliminaries) – noting that further investigations into a possible Maroochydore city centre location for the indoor sports centre are yet to be undertaken
– Alexandra Headland which will be the staging area for road based events (Olympic cycling, marathon and race walks, plus Paralympic cycling and marathon) and host the kiteboarding competition (sailing)
– Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre at Parklands (Olympic mountain bike competition)
– Sunshine Coast Olympic Village which will be located in the heart of the new Maroochydore city centre.
In addition to the built venues, the Sunshine Coast is proposed as the host location for cycling (road, time trials and Paralympic disciplines); marathon (walk, run and Paralympic disciplines); and kiteboarding – which will provide an outstanding opportunity to showcase the natural beauty and attractions of our coastline and our hinterland to a global audience.
An independent economic assessment by KPMG, commissioned by the Queensland Government, has indicated the Games will deliver a total benefit of $8.1 billion for Queensland, and $17.61 billion for Australia.
