Construction of the $1.4 billion Brisbane Arena at Woolloongabba is set to begin within weeks, after the Queensland government announced Sunday that the Gather Brisbane consortium had been selected to deliver the 17,000-seat venue as part of the Gabba Entertainment and Housing Precinct.
The precinct covers nine hectares and will replace the Brisbane Entertainment Centre at Boondall. The nearby Gabba Stadium will be demolished after the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of a state government plan for almost 4000 homes.
On Sunday, the government announced that Gather Brisbane, a consortium of Plenary, Live Nation, Oak View Group and Webuild, would be responsible for designing, building, financing, maintaining and operating the arena. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the consortium’s selection marked a major milestone, with work expected to start in January.
“The stage is now set for something special at Woolloongabba. This will be transformational for the area, and generational for millions of people who will come to live, visit and enjoy this new precinct,” he said.
Bleijie criticised the previous Labor government’s plans for a $2.4 billion arena, which he said had to change locations three times, and said the current government had instead partnered with the private sector. Once the arena is completed, the state will make a one-off $600 million capital investment, which Bleijie said would not be paid until 2031 and would be offset by the sale and staged release of the Gabba stadium land to the consortium.
Brisbane musicians The Veronicas backed the project. “We were saying we are definitely down to christen the arena once it’s fully up and running,” Jess Origliasso said.
Plenary Group head of development Sergio Calcarao said the project would redefine how city precincts in Australia and abroad are designed, developed and delivered, and described it as arguably the most significant urban renewal legacy opportunity from the Games infrastructure program.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The arena is a key legacy project for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, expected to host concerts, sports and events.
- The precinct will include up to 4000 new homes on redeveloped Gabba land.
- The public-private partnership structure reduces upfront state costs compared to earlier government proposals.
Background
The Brisbane Arena is part of a broader precinct plan for Woolloongabba, replacing earlier proposals for a $2.4 billion arena at Roma Street. The Gabba Stadium will be demolished after the 2032 Olympics. The state government shortlisted Gather Brisbane and Ignite for the build earlier this year.
Key Perspectives
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie: says the consortium selection marks a major milestone and the arena will be transformational for the area, respecting taxpayers’ money.
The Veronicas (Jess Origliasso): says the arena will give the next generation of artists a bigger stage and offered to christen it when complete.
Sergio Calcarao (Plenary Group): says the project redefines how city precincts are designed and is the most significant urban renewal legacy from the Games infrastructure program.
What to Watch
- Work expected to begin in January, with arena opening by 2031.
- Sale and staged release of Gabba stadium land for housing development.
- The precinct’s impact on Brisbane’s entertainment and event landscape after 2032.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedConstruction of the $1.4 billion Brisbane Arena is set to begin within weeks.The Age - Latest News: “Construction of the $1.4 billion Brisbane Arena is set to begin within weeks”
- SupportedThe Gather Brisbane consortium was selected for the Woolloongabba project.The Age - Latest News: “Gather Brisbane has been selected to deliver the Gabba Entertainment and Housing Precinct.”
- SupportedThe government announced on Sunday that Gather Brisbane would deliver the 17,000-seat venue as part of the Gabba Entertainment and Housing Precinct.The Age - Latest News: “On Sunday, the government announced Gather Brisbane, which brings together Plenary, Live Nation, Oak View Group and Webuild, would be responsible for the arena’s design, build, financing, maintenance and operation.”
- SupportedThe precinct covers nine hectares.The Age - Latest News: “The Gabba Entertainment Precinct, which comprises two pieces of land totalling nine hectares”
- SupportedThe nearby Gabba Stadium will be demolished after the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of a state plan for almost 4,000 homes.The Age - Latest News: “The nearby Gabba Stadium will be demolished following the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of a state government plan for almost 4000 homes.”
- SupportedGather Brisbane comprises Plenary, Live Nation, Oak View Group and Webuild and is responsible for designing, building, financing, maintaining and operating the arena.The Age - Latest News: “On Sunday, the government announced Gather Brisbane, which brings together Plenary, Live Nation, Oak View Group and Webuild, would be responsible for the arena’s design, build, financing, maintenance and operation.”
- SupportedBleijie said: “The stage is now set for something special at Woolloongabba. This will be transformational for the area, and generational for millions of people who will come to live, visit and enjoy this new precinct,”The Age - Latest News: ““The stage is now set for something special at Woolloongabba. This will be transformational for the area, and generational for millions of people who will come to live, visit and enjoy this new precinct,” he said.”
- SupportedBleijie said the previous government had a $2.4 billion arena plan that had to change locations three times, and that the current government partnered with the private sector instead.The Age - Latest News: ““You will recall the previous government had a plan for an arena at a cost of $2.4 billion that had to be changed three locations because it was over the old Roma Street railyards … we said we’d partner with the private sector, and we’ve gone through a competitive process,” Bleijie said.”
- SupportedThe state will make a one-off $600 million capital investment after the arena is completed, and Bleijie said it would not be paid until 2031.The Age - Latest News: “Once the arena is completed, the state government will make a one-off $600 million capital investment in the project”
- SupportedBleijie said the state’s contribution would be offset by the sale and staged release of Gabba stadium land to the consortium.The Age - Latest News: “Bleijie said the contribution would be offset by the sale and staged release of the Gabba stadium land to the consortium”
- SupportedJess Origliasso said: “We were saying we are definitely down to christen the arena once it’s fully up and running,”The Age - Latest News: ““We were saying we are definitely down to christen the arena once it’s fully up and running,” Jess Origliasso said.”
- SupportedCalcarao said the project would redefine how city precincts are designed, developed and delivered in Australia and abroad, and called it arguably the most significant urban renewal legacy opportunity from the Games infrastructure program.The Age - Latest News: “Plenary Group head of development Sergio Calcarao said the project would redefine the way city precincts in Australia and abroad are designed, developed and delivered. “With a diverse range of housing and community infrastructure being integrated into this master planned precinct, this project is arguably the most significant urban renewal legacy opportunity stemming from this Games infrastructure program.””