Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket on Tuesday welcomed the announcement by the Gabba to undergo substantial redevelopment for the 2032 Olympics. Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s Interim CEO, said the upgrade would ensure the Gabba remains a world-class cricketing venue for many generations to come.
If Brisbane’s bid to be the host city is successful, then Gabba is set to become the centrepiece of the 2032 Olympic Games, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies and athletic events.
Hockley said, “The Gabba is one of the most important, iconic and historic cricket grounds in Australia and we are delighted that the Queensland Government has agreed to a major redevelopment should Brisbane win the right to host the 2032 Olympic Games.”
Gabba would likely be upgraded to increase capacity from 42,000 to 50,000 spectators and the anticipated redevelopment would cost “around the $1 billion mark”.
Brisbane is the front runner for hosting the 2032 Summer Olympics. After the success of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Queensland, President of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) John Coates said he strongly supported a bid from Queensland for the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Bidding process
Bidding for the Olympics requires the following stages:
- The Invitation Phase (not a formal commitment to bid)
- The Candidature Process (a formal commitment to bid)
- Stage 1: Vision, Games Concept and Strategy
- Stage 2: Governance, Legal and Venue Funding
- Stage 3: Games Delivery, Experience & Venue Legacy
Evaluation Commission
Evaluation Commission analyses the Cities’ Candidature File Submissions. The Commission verifies the information presented by the Candidate Cities, studies the feasibility of the proposed plans, determines each city’s ability to deliver successful games. To further strengthen the analysis, the Evaluation Commission visits each city during Stage 3 of the Olympic Candidature Process. The Evaluation Commission then publishes its Report which highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by each candidature.
Potential bids that could rival Brisbane
Asia
- Seoul–Pyongyang, Korea
- Chengdu–Chongqing, China
- Shanghai China
Europe
- Istanbul, Turkey
- North-Central Italy
- Rotterdam–Amsterdam, Netherlands
- London, United Kingdom
- Budapest, Hungary
North America
- Montreal–Toronto, Canada