Brisbane Live is Still Alive After Pivot Away from Olympic Funding

The Queensland Government has confirmed that the long-anticipated Brisbane Live arena will no longer be funded as part of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, but will instead be delivered through a market-led process and built not at Roma Street, but at a newly confirmed location in Woolloongabba’s former GoPrint site.

Premier David Crisafulli made the announcement yesterday as part of a broader realignment of the state’s Olympic venue strategy, which includes confirmation of a new 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park. As part of that reshaping, the arena, known around Brisbane as Brisbane Live, has been removed from the publicly funded Games program but retained as a standalone project to be progressed through market-led proposals.

“Let me be clear, Brisbane needs a world-class Brisbane Arena in the CBD” Premier Crisafulli said. “I have already seen offers from the private sector, and I am confident that we can have a world-class indoor entertainment venue in Brisbane with much less expense to the taxpayer. That market-led proposal process will now commence immediately.”

The area has now emerged as the city’s new entertainment focal point, with the Cross River Rail station, busway and pedestrian connections and ongoing private development all converging to support a major new hub.

A Shift in Delivery but Not in Vision

Although the project is no longer publicly funded, the arena is still expected to move ahead, now through private sector delivery, which may actually accelerate its timeline and broaden its functionality beyond Olympic requirements.

Two major global venue operators had previously shown interest in developing a version of the arena: ASM Global and Oak View Group.

ASM Global, which manages RAC Arena in Perth, Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, and Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, signed an Early Operator Engagement Deed with the state in 2018 for the original Roma Street version of the project. The company played a significant role in shaping early business cases for a live entertainment venue integrated with Cross River Rail.

Separately, Oak View Group, the US-based firm behind major privately funded venues like Co-op Live in Manchester and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, had partnered with Live Nation and Plenary Group in 2022 to pitch a commercial delivery model for Brisbane Live. That consortium reportedly proposed building and operating the venue with limited or no government capital investment.

While these proposals were linked to the now-abandoned Roma Street location, both parties could return to the table as the government invites fresh proposals for the Woolloongabba site.

Local Funding Models Likely

With delivery now dependent on private investment, a number of familiar Australian funding mechanisms are likely to shape the future of the Brisbane Arena.

Naming Rights: A major sponsorship deal could help offset capital costs. Australian venues like Perth’s RAC Arena and Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena have successfully attracted naming partners in multi-year deals, often contributing tens of millions over the contract period.

Ticket Levies: A modest levy on event tickets, commonly used across Australian stadiums, could provide an additional revenue stream to help service capital costs or ongoing upgrades. This model is already in place at venues like Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne and Optus Stadium in Perth.

Event Partnerships and Local Programming: While anchor tenants haven’t been confirmed, the arena could become a regular host for netball championships, music concerts, esports tournaments, televised live shows, or national touring events. Partnerships with domestic promoters, arts festivals and sporting codes could help ensure year-round usage without relying on an overseas franchise model.

Public Infrastructure Support: While the arena itself would be privately funded, the government may still play a role in enabling the project, such as offering long-term leases on state-owned land, fast-tracking planning pathways, or integrating transport and servicing infrastructure into the broader precinct plan.

Woolloongabba Becomes the New Civic Spine

The selection of Woolloongabba marks a strategic shift in Brisbane’s long-term urban vision from a sports precinct to more entertainment and mixed-use development precinct. With Cross River Rail, Brisbane’s BRT, and multiple urban renewal sites surrounding it, the Gabba precinct is now positioned as a new civic spine for the city.

As part of the government’s new plan, the existing Gabba stadium is set to be demolished after the 2032 Games, freeing up a prime inner-city land parcel for large-scale redevelopment. The site spans approximately 61,000 square metres (6.1 hectares), creating a major opportunity for long-term city-shaping. The potential for mixed-use development with integrated public space, blended affordable housing and community infrastructure is significant.

Similar approaches have been taken internationally in precincts anchored by large venues:

Located next to the Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center), LA Live is a sprawling entertainment complex featuring hotels, restaurants, cinemas, and concert venues. It has revitalised the city centre of Los Angeles, making it a bustling hub for both locals and tourists. ​

In Denver, a proposed Stadium District Master Plan developed by Stantec reimagines underused parking lots and land around Empower Field into a high-density urban precinct with mixed-use development, public open space, green corridors, and transit-oriented infrastructure. The plan includes residential and commercial infill, plazas, and a stronger connection to surrounding neighbourhoods — all aimed at creating an activated destination beyond just game days.