2028 Olympics Brisbane Bid – time for Brisbane to Shine

Fresh from the mild success of Australia and slightly underwhelming hosting of the Rio 2016 games is the news of a 2028 Olympics Brisbane bid. What a wonderful idea, and what better way to share the capital of the Sunshine State with the world.

Often overlooked by the more trendy and glamorous cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Yass, it is time for Brisbane to shine.

It’s not as if Brisbane couldn’t handle it either. The city has hosted big sporting tournament before like the 1982 Commonwealth Games, regular large annual sporting fixtures and the 2001 Goodwill Games. Who could forget the giant Matilda winking at us all as she moved gracefully around QEII Stadium. Who could remember what the Goodwill Games were.

Brisbane isn’t up against much either. With potential other hosting nominees coming from Budapest, Paris, Berlin, Netherlands, Russia, Busan in South Korea, a joint bid from Malaysia and Singapore, Qatar, Casablanca in Morocco, Nairobi and Buenos Aires. All completely beatable when offering up the Sunshine State. Given the popularity of the Russian and Qatari Football World Cup wins, it seems unlikely that the IOC would make that mistake. Other cities will fall by the wayside when they see what we have to offer.

The Australian Olympic Committee knows this too, and has put Brisbane ahead of Melbourne for the bidding city of 2028. The $870,000 to be spent on a year long feasibility study will look like tremendous value once the games come to town.

Because there’s nothing like a huge sporting event like the Olympics coming to town to boost a broke state and stop levels of government arguing about infrastructure spending. With that in mind maybe a few things could be fixed in time.

• Completion of Petrie to Kippa Ring rail line. First proposed in 1885, almost ready.
• Upgrading of every highway into Brisbane
• Building of a new Boondall somewhere more convenient to the rest of Brisbane and with decent transport links.
• Upgrading of other sporting venues that belong to more obscure and less News Ltd interesting sports that also aren’t Suncorp Stadium or Broncos related.

So where would all the events be held? Is Brisbane ready? It sure is, and most of the events could be held tomorrow if it was needed.

2028 OLYMPICS BRISBANE BID MAIN STADIUM

Where would the main stadium be? The most ridiculous answer would be to be build an entirely new stadium. I guess we’ll have to wait for another federal election for that to happen, but as politicians are in charge of governments don’t rule it out. That leave upgrading of either QEII, the Gabba or Lang Park.

As Lang Park is already one of the great rectangular stadiums of the world, it should not be touched so it ends up as bad to view a game from as Sydney’s Olympic Stadium. QEII is the right shape and has previous, but it is a pain in the arse to get to for anyone outside a tight radius that begins at Klump Road and ends at Banoon and Altandi stations.

The Gurgler’s answer is upgrading the Gabba somehow. It currently is Australia’s most soulless major stadium, and is in desperate need of something. Upgrading it for the Olympics means we might be back up to third preference for major sporting games in the future too. It may also eradicate the final excuse for not building the cross river rail and station and Wooloongabba.

2028 OLYMPICS BRISBANE BID READY TO GO

Thanks to Brisbane already hosting major sporting tournaments like the 1982 Commonwealth Games and 2001 Goodwill Games, Brisbane already has some sporting venues that are ready to go, and only need a little touch up to host.

Swimming at Chandler, Convention Centre for Gymnastics, Hockey at Colmslie, Football at Lang Park. Moreton Bay already provides a fantastic venue for Sailing. Beach Volleyball could be split with the Sunshine and Gold Coasts getting a taste.

2028 OLYMPICS BRISBANE BID LEFT FIELD THINKING

The many fan of The Gurgler will know we aren’t short of advice, and also don’t stop from suggesting something from outside the box. Here for the BNE2028 Olympic Organising Committee is a few suggestions for locations for other sports to give the 2028 Best Games ever a real Brisbane flavour.

ARCHERY – on the STORY BRIDGE
Would there have been a more dramatic Archery playing arena than the Bradfield Highway otherwise known as the Story Bridge. The iconic Brisbane ladmark would be pure Brisbane and add some much needed colour to an event that Australia rarely cares about except for medals.

MARATHON – following the GREAT CIRCLE BUS LINE
Although longer than the entire Bus Route, what better way to see the most of Brisbane than travelling the 598 or 599 route. Only decision is the best shopping centres to visit.

EQUESTRIAN – KING GEORGE SQUARE
Since there’s not much greenery left anyway, and the sizes are about the same, why not turn the CBD centre square into a world class equestrian arena. The longer races through the country side would be perfect in Roma Street Parklands just next door too.

WEIGHT LIFTING – RIVERSTAGE
Good enough for touring bands, good enough for the huuuuuuuuge weight lifting exploits. Renamed the Darrell Eastlake Arena in honour of the great man who made everything sound exciting.

BOXING – at the New Casino Room named the FESTIVAL HALL
With Brisbane bound to get at least one new casino in the next decade or so, Olympic Committee should be asking that new Casinos create a function room big enough to host Olympic Boxing with the name of Festival Hall Room a nod to the previous exploits of the sweet science in Brisbane.

CYCLING – LAKESIDE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Instead of lying semi-dormant, why create a new cycling hub good enough for track and road cycling. Only problem for the road race would be the many laps of the track the cyclists would probably have to do to cover the distance required.

ROWING – HORNIBROOK BLAST
If the Rio 2016 could be held on open water, why not up the ante for Brisbane 2028. Rowers would have to travel from Brighton to Woody Point along the great structure of the Hornibrook Highway. Hays Inlet side of course.

WALKING – TOLL ROAD TOUR.
What better way to advertise all the great progress in transport in Brisbane by connecting them all with a loop between Airport Link, Clem 7, Gateway Bridge, Go Between Bridge and Legacy Way. Tolls incurred could be given to charity for the duration of the event. Only.

GOLF – WANTIMA COUNTRY CLUB
Rumoured that F1 ace Lewis Hamilton played there. So, good enough for Lewis Hamilton, good enough for Olympics.

MOUNTAIN BIKING – MOUNT BEERWAH
What better test of man/woman and machinery than to start at the peak of Mt Beerwah and get to the bottom fastest and alive. Could be worse, it could be Mt Tibrogargan.

WRESTLING – CAVILL AVENUE
Given that most weekend nights end up in something similar.

ATHLETES VILLAGE – SPACE CITY INSPIRED ACCOMODATION AT PINKENBA
The usual story of Athletes Villages is transforming an area of dire appearance and prospects into a bustling and blooming village. Is there an area in Brisbane that is more ready for upgrade than Pinkenba. Not far from the City Centre, most other venues, the Gateway Motorway for easy access to everywhere else, and just a stone’s throw from the Airport. Boxes tick in every category. They could even reinstate the Pinkenba rail line and have an Athlete’s express for ultra tight security.

You may ask, what the Space City all about? Well as explained here sort of, Space City was a Space themed Shopping Centre that was built in the northern suburb of Kallangur in the 1970’s. Whoever thought that installing giant domes in the suburbs should be hailed a genius and ahead of their time. Sure it didn’t work as it was left as a Heroin Dungeon and then torn down for a much more modest Shopping Complex, but it has been etched into the meory of anyone who lived in the Pine Rivers Shire during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

What better tribute than to build massive apartment blocks in the Space City Domes as a homage to a piece of architecture that tried to be different. In no other city in Australia, and probably the world would someone have the heart and courage to build giant dome Space themed buildings.