AustralianFan

Brisbane Times, 6 May 2019 Lord of the Olympic rings says SEQ could host Games 'for free' The president of the powerful International Olympic Committee is "pretty impressed" with the level of detail in south-east Queensland's feasibility study into hosting the 2032 Games. With a motorcade of imposing all-black luxury vans parked out front of City Hall, IOC president Thomas Bach met Brisbane's new lord mayor Adrian Schrinner, telling him south-east Queensland could host an Olympic Games essentially for free. And when asked if 32 years would be enough time between two Australian Olympic Games - the same time period between Atlanta 1996 and the coming Los Angeles event in 2028 - the IOC president answered simply, "yes". Dr Bach and Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates are in Queensland for SportAccord 2019, one of the world's largest events for sporting and event officials, being held on the Gold Coast this week. The Olympic supremos rolled into Brisbane on Monday to meet with Cr Schrinner, who chairs the Council of Mayors South East Queensland, as well as Brisbane's former lord mayor, Graham Quirk. The Council of Mayors is considering a multi-city bid for the Olympic Games with events across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Redland, Moreton Bay and Logan instead of the traditional single-city bid. A feasibility study commissioned by the group revealed a total operating budget of $5.3 billion. It was expected the cost could be offset by a $1.7 billion contribution from the International Olympic Committee and $2.7 billion of domestic revenue, leaving a net cost of $900 million. However, it was on Monday revealed the International Olympic Committee would pitch in more cash than expected. Dr Bach said the committee would contribute US$1.8 billion to the Los Angeles Olympic Games to be held in 2028. "At least so far we have no indication that this will be less for 2032," he said. "I think this figure was new to the mayors and I could see them starting calculating in their heads and what this means for their feasibility study and for their budget." That translates to $2.58 billion coming in from the International Olympic Committee if south-east Queensland went ahead with the Games, rather than the $1.7 billion previously expected during the feasibility study. The net figure excludes the cost of infrastructure, including public transport, which Cr Schrinner said was already needed for the growing region. "The operating costs of the Games can be done in a cost-neutral manner," Cr Schrinner said. "This is a better outcome than we anticipated in our feasibility report." Last year's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games cost $1.2 billion. Dr Bach said the committee was "pretty impressed" with how detailed south-east Queensland's studies were but he did not want to compare it with other cities' planning because the 2032 Games were still 13 years away. Cr Schrinner said he did not believe a decision would need to be made on whether to progress to a formal bid until 2020. "The next step is getting the state and federal governments involved, we have been working closely with them already," he said. Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said the city would be happy to make its facilities available for the Olympic bid. "However, I said that we won't be adding any dollars towards the funding part because we did a lot of our heavy lifting during the Commonwealth Games as far as our funding and budget's concerned," he said. "It's time that Gold Coast takes a break and lets Brisbane write the cheques." Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who will meet with Dr Bach on Tuesday, said any decision to stage a bid would be on the basis that it was in the best interests of "all of Queensland". "If there is to be a successful bid to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in south-east Queensland, it will require support from all levels of government - local, state and federal - as well as the private sector," she said. A potential Olympic Games bid for south-east Queensland was first flagged in 2015. Australia last hosted an Olympic Games in 2000, when Sydney was the host city.

Australia must get behind 2032 Games before bidding: IOC president Credit - Brisbane Times, 4 May 2019: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/australia-must-get-behind-2032-games-before-bidding-ioc-president-20190504-p51k2d.html International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach says Australia must decide whether it wants to 'host the entire world' once more before it makes a final call about diving headlong into a bid for the 2032 Games. Bach was in Sydney to address the annual general meeting of the Australian Olympic Committee. It was the first time a sitting IOC president had done so and Bach also fronted a press conference where he addressed a suite of local and more global Olympic issues. Australia last hosted the Games in 2000 but Brisbane and the surrounding regions of Queensland's south-east are contemplating a bid. Paris and Los Angeles will host in 2024 and 2028 with Queensland a potential site for the next installment. A feasibility study by regional mayors said SEQ could host a Games but it would require $900m, not including vital upgrades to road and rail links. Brisbane's then Lord Mayor, Graham Quirk, said that figure was less than the cost of hosting the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018. Bach said he was impressed with initial details, which conform to the Olympic Agenda 2020 ideals that require potential hosts to make use of existing venues, but there was a more fundamental decision to be made at the various levels of government. "We can't go into details at this very early stage. What I can read is that this concept is really reflecting the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020 by making excellent use of existing facilities," Bach said. "There would be no need to have any infrastructure being built for the purpose of the Games. This would lead to, I think, a pretty strong candidature. As has to be taken into consideration at the first stage is, for the Australians to say, 'Yes, we want to be a host to the entire world'. "That's the first decision. Yes, we want to host all athletes from the 206 national Olympic committees. If this will is clear, then the reforms offer them the chance for that to come true.

Does anyone have a link to the full replay of the 2018 Gold Coast Opening Ceremony? Been searching everywhere as have not seen it. Channel 7’s youtube parts 1-4 only go to just before the OC starts. Cheers,

Feasibility Study Supports A Brisbane 2032 Olympic Bid That Could Cost AUD $5.3 Billion By Robert Livingstone | Published Feb 22, 2019 8:39 AM https://gamesbids.com/eng/summer-olympic-bids/future-summer-bids/feasibility-study-supports-a-brisbane-2032-olympic-bid-that-could-cost-aud-5-3-billion/ A 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid by Australia’s South-east Queensland and led by Brisbane would be an important catalyst to much-needed transportation improvements in the region, and could leverage existing facilities to cut other costs – this according to a commissioned feasibility report released Thursday by French company Lagadere. The 265-page report outlines a plan to upgrade as many as 60 percent existing venues, add temporary seating where possible and build at least one new stadium. But the plan is contingent on the separate delivery of major transport projects that are needed to protect the state from future gridlock. The report suggests that coupled with an Olympics, those projects can benefit from an increased financial return. The operating cost for the Games is estimated at AUD $5.3 billion (USD $3.77 billion) which could be partially funded by a $1.7 billion cash and in-kind contribution from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and $2.7 billion in domestic revenue leaving a tax-funded deficit of about $900 million. The Commonwealth Games hosted in Gold Coast last year had a net cost of $1.2 billion, but that bottom line was not supported by a contribution from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). The IOC contributes funds to the organization of an Olympic Games based on a share of broadcast revenue, much of which is already locked in for 2032. On Friday Queensland’s Premier Annastasia Palaszczuk underlined the need for strong support from all level of government before moving forward. She said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald “first and foremost, there would have to be agreement on all levels of government. “Secondly we would have to see a very strong contribution from the federal government, the likes of which we saw for the Sydney Olympics, and we have not had any of those conversations with the federal government.” “And thirdly I don’t think Queenslanders want an Olympics just concentrated in the south-east. “We’re a very big state and it would have to be inclusive of Queensland.” The Premier promised to examine the newly-released report in further detail. Brisbane’s lord mayor Graham Quirk said a bid was first considered based on the IOC’s recent efforts to reduce the costs under the organization’s Olympic Agenda 2020 reform package. “We were keen to see whether SEQ could deliver a cost-effective plan to host the Olympic Games by reusing the region’s existing facilities, and in turn, creating a catalyst for infrastructure delivery and job creation,” Quirk said. “This study has shown that SEQ could mount a successful bid without the need to build venues just for an Olympic Games. “In doing so, we would be able to keep costs to a minimum while maximizing the potential benefits and legacies for the region.” The report outlines plans for Brisbane to host 21 of the venues with the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast each providing five and Ipswich and Toowoomba two. Three other venues would be leveraged elsewhere in the region. Brisbane would be home for the main Olympic Village with athletes also housed in additional facilities in the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast https://gamesbids.com/eng/summer-olympic-bids/future-summer-bids/feasibility-study-supports-a-brisbane-2032-olympic-bid-that-could-cost-aud-5-3-billion/

Melbourne is not bidding this time, nor is Sydney. Both are capable to host but you’ve got to be in it to win it and neither currently look to be interested. Brisbane’s odds of bidding look to be solid now.

In Australia, none of those bids ever went to a popular vote (despite the frequency of popular votes /referenda in the northern hemisphere).

Australian bidding for huge sporting events including Melbourne 1992 Olympic bid, Brisbane 1996 Olympic bid, Sydney 2000 Olympics, 2006 Melbourne CW Games, 2010 Football World Cup bid and 2018 CW Games Gold Coast. I know popular votes thave sunk several Olympic bids in the northern hemisphere on recent years. But in Australia, of these bids above ever went to a popular vote. That’s the recent history in sportsmad Australia. Aussies love sport and being on the world stage with big sporting events, including this potential Brisbane 2032 bid. There’s no indication (yet) that this bid will buck this history and go to a popular vote if a bid is now developed. SE QLD: Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast combined have thousands of hotel rooms and more will be built if the bid proceeds. Lets see what a formal bid comes up with. You can be assured it won’t be any half-ass bid but a comprehensive, thoroughly prepared and well financed bid.

https://www.9news.com.au/2019/02/21/18/04/queensland-news-brisbane-olympics-bid-one-step-closer ( Source: 9News.com.au ) 21 February 2019, “Green Light Given To Brisbane Olympic Bid” A bid by Brisbane for the 2032 Olympic Games has taken a big step towards becoming a reality, after a crucial transport and feasibility study gave the project the green light. The long awaited report, carried out by French company Lagadere and seen by 9 News, says major infrastructure upgrades would be needed for a successful bid, in particular transport and stadiums. While many see the Olympics as too expensive to host, the study argues upgrades are already needed in the South East, and an Olympics would provide an extra financial return on the projects. In particular, the report highlights travel times throughout the South East, expressing concern at the length of the commute from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast. It also identifies the M1 between Brisbane and the Gold Coast as being of particular concern. The Council of Mayors has already recognised that another major stadium would need to be built in addition to Suncorp Stadium. Brisbane does have time to invest in the projects though, with the International Olympic Committee won't decide on the host until 2025. The study, which was commissioned in 2016 by the Council of Mayors, also says South East Queensland's stadiums are adequate, but only if they receive upgrades.”

What has changed since is the awarding of the 2024 and 2028 Ganes, both to 2 northern hemisphere cities and today’s announcement today by AOC. There is still plenty of time to get a competitive bid together, 7 years, before the 2032 Games are awarded.

24 October 2018: Mr Matt Carroll, CEO Australian Olympic Committee, today addressed the National Press Club in Canberra. Mr Carroll spoke and then fielded questions. He said that there was an opportunity for a 2032 Summer Olympic Games bid from Australia and hosted by Brisbane / South Eastern Queensland. He went on to say that by 2032 the Summer Games will have been in the following hemispheres/continents: Europe / Northern Hemisphere - 2012 London South America / Southern Hemisphere - 2016 Rio Asia / Northern Hemisphere - 2020 Tokyo Europe / Northern Hemisphere - Paris 2024 North America / Northen Hemisphere - 2028 LA Australia / Southern Hemisphere - 2032 Brisbane ? He went on to say that the weather in Brisbane/SE Queensland during July (northern hemisphere summer) is more suited to hosting an Olympic Games at that time than other more southern Australian cities.

The Closing Ceremony soon to start.

Does anyone have a link to watch a replay of the Opening Ceremony? I missed the live ceremony as was ar work. Been searching everywhere, including the 7 network in Australia.

The round white floor is actually tonnes and tonnes of beach sand that has been trucked into the stadium as part of the Opening Ceremony featuring lots of Surf Life Savers.

Anyone heard anything about Gold Coast’s Opening Ceremony or preprations/rehearsals?

A week to go before we get to see what is planned to wrap up what so far has been a very successful Olympic Winter Games.