One of the key delivery partners behind the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has shared insights with Sunshine Coast business and community leaders on how regional cities can leverage major sporting events for long-term benefit.
Global infrastructure and engineering firm Egis visited the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday, January 28, as a guest of Sunshine Coast 2032, with Egis Global CEO Laurent Germain outlining how regional centres in France used the Paris Games to deliver lasting economic, transport and community outcomes.
Mr Germain highlighted examples from cities including Lyon and Marseille, where Olympic-related investment was used to accelerate infrastructure projects and support long-term regional growth rather than short-term event delivery.
Egis played a significant role in the Paris Games, providing engineering and project management expertise to around 40 per cent of Olympic venues. This included overall site and project delivery of the Élancourt Hill Mountain Bike venue — a discipline set to be hosted on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
Sunshine Coast 2032 chair Roz White said the visit offered valuable, real-world lessons for the region as planning for the 2032 Games continues.
“We were thrilled to welcome Egis to the Sunshine Coast and to give our business and community leaders the opportunity to hear directly from those who have recently delivered an Olympic Games,” Ms White said.
“The insights from Paris 2024, particularly around regional transport, infrastructure and legacy planning, are highly relevant as we look ahead to Brisbane 2032 and beyond.”
Ms White said learning from international partners who delivered a modern, sustainability-focused Games would help ensure the Sunshine Coast was prepared to maximise long-term benefits.
“These conversations help position our region to deliver lasting economic, social and community outcomes well beyond 2032,” she said.
