In the event that the Brisbane Olympics 2032 pushes through, plans are in the works to redevelop Woolloongabba’s beloved stadium Gabba instead of creating a new building in Albion.
In the past, the Queensland Government had set their sights on constructing an all-new stadium in Albion Park, however it seems that the locals who had previously disapproved of this development will now have less to worry about. It is looking more likely that the new home of the 2032 Olympic Games — should the Brisbane bid push through — will be The Gabba in Woolloongabba.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk suggested that the beloved stadium in Woolloongabba could be used for the games’ opening and closing ceremonies on top of athletics, however, it will need to be upgraded to accommodate up to 50,000 people.
The construction of entirely new buildings will no longer be necessary, but it is clear that the existing venues will need to receive a series of improvements in the event that the Olympics 2032 will take place in Brisbane.
Photo credit: Facebook/The Gabba
The Gabba, which had previously hosted seven games for the 2000 Olympic Games Men’s Football tournament, would have to be completely rebuilt from the ground up in addition to its slew of potential new upgrades, says Premier Palaszczuk.
One of these upgrades would include a new pedestrian plaza that would link the Gabba to the upcoming Cross River Rail station, which is still in the midst of construction. This plaza could become a games hub, serving as an exciting venue for concerts and medal presentations.
The stadium’s sheer accessibility and proximity to the CBD is what makes the Gabba the ideal venue for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, and the development of an Athletes Village, or Olympic Village, within close proximity of the Gabba could also bring in a range of benefits to the community.
Photo credit: CC BY-SA/Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons
For instance, the 2018 Commonwealth Games Athletes Village in Southport in the Gold Coast, is now home to over 2300 people, and it’s estimated that this number will rise to 3000 in July 2021. Unit complexes and commercial centres could transform Olympics infrastructure to a residential and commercial precinct to bolster the local economy.
The Gabba is located at Vulture St, Woolloongabba. For more information, visit their website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates concerning the stadium. Stay up to date with the Olympics and related announcements by following their Facebook page
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