Milano Cortina's Dispersed Olympics Model Offers Lessons — and Warnings — for Brisbane 2032
The first Winter Games to follow a dispersed venue model has produced insights that could shape Brisbane's approach six years out
Milano Cortina spread its events across multiple cities and venues rather than concentrating everything in a single Olympic park. Brisbane 2032 is also planning a dispersed model, with events to be held across South East Queensland including Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast.
The Italian experience has highlighted both advantages — including reduced construction costs and better use of existing infrastructure — and challenges, particularly around transport logistics and maintaining a cohesive Games atmosphere.
Brisbane organisers will be closely studying how Milano Cortina handled the coordination challenges of a multi-city Games, including athlete transport, spectator movement, and broadcast logistics.
Analysis
Why This Matters
Brisbane 2032 is shaping up to be one of the most geographically spread-out Summer Olympics ever. Getting the dispersed model right will be critical to the Games' success and legacy.
Background
The dispersed model was partly born of necessity — neither Milano nor Cortina could host all events alone. Brisbane has adopted it by design, leveraging existing venues across SEQ.
What to Watch
How Brisbane's organising committee incorporates lessons from Milano Cortina into transport planning and venue selection over the next six years.