Brisbane Arena (Live) Concept

[timh]

So if this is built, you level Boondall and put more concerts on in the city, is that the plan?

That then gives a private company a monopoly on large concerts. Drinks are dear enough at Boondall!

That is unfortunately the plan. Stadiums Queensland has deemed that Boondall is nearing end-of-life and I've found a lot of punters don't like the location, due to the fact there's nothing to do before/after the concert in the near vicinity. At the Roma street location at least if you don't like the food and drink prices at the venue, you've got plenty of other options around

Aside from the location though honestly not sure what the main complaints are with Boondall. Structurally it's fine, the loading dock is more than adequate and the spec of the rigging is fine even for larger arena shows. We had Drake and Cirque du Soleil in there over the last few years, both of which had massive rigs (40+ trucks) and they worked no problem.

If Brisbane Live does go ahead I'm not sure what the plan is with Boondall. Demolish? Repurpose? Redevelop? (Location could suit a TOD)? I think some have said though that it's better for the swamp to retake it. The wetlands could benefit from it and the land there isn't great for major developments afaik

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[Gazza]

If Brisbane Live does go ahead I'm not sure what the plan is with Boondall. Demolish? Repurpose? Redevelop?
If it were up to me I'd move the ekka out there.

[SurfRail]

Give it back to the swamp would be my suggestion.

[James]

If Brisbane Live does go ahead I'm not sure what the plan is with Boondall. Demolish? Repurpose? Redevelop?
If it were up to me I'd move the ekka out there.

You'd never get the Ekka moved out there, especially given how they've just redeveloped the land there to be a year-round income stream for the RNA.

In reality it'll probably be demolished and either turned into housing (as a PDA) or given back to the swamp, depending on the ground conditions and demand for housing. An outside chance would be a venue for 1-2 olympic sports, but being so far from Chandler really limits your options.

[timh]

If Brisbane Live does go ahead I'm not sure what the plan is with Boondall. Demolish? Repurpose? Redevelop?
If it were up to me I'd move the ekka out there.

You'd never get the Ekka moved out there, especially given how they've just redeveloped the land there to be a year-round income stream for the RNA.

In reality it'll probably be demolished and either turned into housing (as a PDA) or given back to the swamp, depending on the ground conditions and demand for housing. An outside chance would be a venue for 1-2 olympic sports, but being so far from Chandler really limits your options.

I was talking with a friend about this actually, and in fact you could use it as a site for the main Olympic stadium. Yeah it's a bit far out but it's right on a train station, and right on the gateway for good access for trucks.

I don't think proximity to Sleeman is a factor in determining potential Olympic venues. The plan is to spread the venues out over all of SEQ and realistically most of the Sleeman venues aren't up to modern standards. You could use the pool for water polo, the Velodrome for cycling, the bmx track for bmx, and the theatre maybe for weightlifting like it was originally designed? And the arena could be for idk volleyball?

Either way I am of the thinking that it may become a PDA for housing if the land is appropriate

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[Gazza]

You'd never get the Ekka moved out there, especially given how they've just redeveloped the land there to be a year-round income stream for the RNA.

It sucks now though because all the "pavillions" at the RNA are the bottom floor of car parks etc.
And there arent enough rides due to the land carve up.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Rethink on Roma Street Games venue amid congestion concerns

The Queensland government is examining alternative sites for the yet-to-be-built venue to host the Olympic swimming and water polo near Roma Street Station.

The move comes after serious pedestrian, cycling and road traffic issues in the area were highlighted in a report on the Roma Street sector of the Cross River Rail project.

The Brisbane Arena – to be known after the Games as Brisbane Live – is based on a long-standing proposal to transform the area around the old transit centre into an events and entertainment precinct.

Under the original plan, a 17,000-seat venue would host the Games' swimming and water polo events in a temporary pool, which Brisbane Times understands has already been designed and verified against FINA requirements.

But Brisbane Arena has yet to find a final home amid concerns that Roma Street and its railway lines present too many constraints, and that surrounding areas would be overwhelmed by pedestrians. ...

[#Metro]

The Queensland government is examining alternative sites for the yet-to-be-built venue to host the Olympic swimming and water polo near Roma Street Station.

Why not put it out at UQ St Lucia? Plenty of space for an Olympic Swimming Pool, Excellent PT, will be served by Ferry and Metro AND it can be used after the games as well.

[timh]

The Queensland government is examining alternative sites for the yet-to-be-built venue to host the Olympic swimming and water polo near Roma Street Station.

Why not put it out at UQ St Lucia? Plenty of space for an Olympic Swimming Pool, Excellent PT, will be served by Ferry and Metro AND it can be used after the games as well.

Because the venue is not a pool, it's a live arena, similar to BEC, and is ultimately being constructed first and foremost as a replacement for BEC. The pool is temporary. It's got a much more important role going forward as a live music venue, and UQ is not a great place for that. Neither is Boondall, hence the need for change.

[#Metro]

I appreciate the gov wants the music venue within the Inner city. But I'm not sure that there really is the space anywhere.

It isn't impossible to put a venue above a rail station - Federation Square in Melbourne is built above one. But it might be more pain and cost than it is worth.

The only other places I can think of are:

- South Brisbane on Industrial Land
- Bowen Hills near RNA/Exhibition or Bowen Hills on industrial land
- Newstead on industrial land
- Portside Hamilton
- Eagle Farm
- Brisbane Airport

Is Boondall Entertainment Centre really that bad that we have to build yet another stadium? What is the problem being solved here, exactly?

[verbatim9]

The Queensland government is examining alternative sites for the yet-to-be-built venue to host the Olympic swimming and water polo near Roma Street Station.

Why not put it out at UQ St Lucia? Plenty of space for an Olympic Swimming Pool, Excellent PT, will be served by Ferry and Metro AND it can be used after the games as well.

Because the venue is not a pool, it's a live arena, similar to BEC, and is ultimately being constructed first and foremost as a replacement for BEC. The pool is temporary. It's got a much more important role going forward as a live music venue, and UQ is not a great place for that. Neither is Boondall, hence the need for change.

The UQ pool flooded again this year and was closed for 4 months after for repairs.

There is room around Woolloongabba to build a new Aquatic Centre as a venue similar to what they have at Olympic Park in Sydney.

Brisbane needs a new dedicated Aquatic Centre with a retractable roof that can double up as a community leisure centre. It needs the same facilities they have in other cities such as hydro pools, saunas, steam rooms, recovery spas, flow riders, and kids splash areas.

[#Metro]

They can't elevate it so that the flood goes underneath? If they thinking about elevating a stadium above a live and busy train station/yard, surely they can elevate one above the ground and put a car park underneath.

[timh]

Is Boondall Entertainment Centre really that bad that we have to build yet another stadium? What is the problem being solved here, exactly?

In the full article, they state that one of the other options being floated is to build it where the current police HQ is, and move the police HQ (which has also been talked about for some time). Much easier than building above an active rail line and still puts it in the Roma Street PDA Precinct.

Problems with BEC:
- Massive carpark, with limited entrances in and out. Traffic chaos ensues after every show.
- The building is aging (about 40 years old now) and ongoing maintenance costs are high.
- The outside is pretty ugly and dated and is expensive renovate
- There are some design issues with a few of the service corridors above the loading dock which make it hard to get around inside in some circumstances
- It's actually a relatively small venue as arenas go (13k punters), and larger shows are bringing in more and more equipment and as I understand it they are pushing the spec of what the building can hold. A show like Drake's tour in 2017 was a massive amount of gear to put in there (48 semi trailers approx.) due to its huge KineSys rig. Billie Eilish is coming in September and has to play 3 shows there to meet demand... etc. etc
- Punters are also not a huge fan as it's in the middle of nowhere. Nothing to do before/after the show as there is no nightlife in Boondall (except for some swamp birds maybe  ). No bars, no clubs, no restaurants etc.

To play devil's advocate, there are a number of benefits to Boondall over an inner city venue though.
1) Proximity to the Gateway makes it very accessible for touring trucks. Roma Street is obviously far more off the highway.
2) The loading dock is fairly large, and is a flat push. You can load about 8 trucks in one flat slab of concrete which makes things pretty quick. Brisbane often breaks records for quick load outs on Australian tours (when compared to other cities). Truck access and loading dock space is my biggest concern with any venue going in at Roma Street. Not being built over a rail line would certainly make this much easier!
3) Staff parking. Show crew (particularly load out crew) can't take public transport to Boondall. Yes there's a train line but the Shorncliffe line doesn't operate trains at 2am on a Wednesday when your load out call finishes! There is ample room for crew parking there which is great. Roma Street wouldn't have that so crewing companies would need to run a shuttle bus.

[Gazza]

Building new structures elevated above floodplains worsens impacts upstream.
It's better to not build in flood plains in the first place.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> New York, Melbourne's Fed Square inspire Brisbane arena model for cutting train noise

Melbourne's Federation Square and music venues in New York built over train lines are being studied by crews designing the $2.5 billion Brisbane Live Arena concert venue above the new Roma Street Station.

The 17,000-seat venue – over the top of Roma Street Station – will also be used during the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games for swimming and water polo with a drop-in pool. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1651598002627432454

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Cloud over CBD as landmark tower scrapped, Games plan unclear $

Olympic heavyweight John Coates' refusal to back the entertainment centre proposed for Roma Street, the same day a developer quietly scrapped plans for a landmark building nearby, has put a cloud over Brisbane's northern CBD.

After months of speculation, and amid an ongoing review, Coates was on Thursday reported saying it was time to abandon the divisive plan to rebuild the Gabba as an Olympic stadium and instead use existing venues.

Coates was also reluctant to support the Brisbane Arena being built at Roma Street and to be used temporarily for Olympic swimming.

Pointedly, he said the only Games-related investment in the project – a privately led proposal that predated Brisbane being announced the 2032 host – should be for a drop-in pool and back-of-house requirements.

Brisbane Arena was already in doubt due to the technical and logistical challenges involved with building over the city train lines. ...

[ozbob]

^  personally I hope this is scrapped. It was a developer lead proposal, without proper regard to the real challenges at Roma St. The whole notion of a temporary Olympic Pool is nuts!  If there is to be a  real legacy surely a proper swimming centre somewhere can be either built or an existing facility upgraded so that it is available long after the Games are over. 

[#Metro]

Now we just need Mr. Coates to comment bluntly on the transport arrangements. 

The Queensland Government has done its usual vision and plan mill routine - and John has just shut it down. 

[ozbob]

The Australian --> Brisbane Arena's $1bn Olympics fail $

Economic modelling of the planned Brisbane Arena Olympics project found the showpiece venue would cost nearly $1bn more than the income and benefits it generated, intensifying doubt over a second key 2032 Games build.

The analysis for the Queensland government showed the 17,000-seat auditorium did not even reach the halfway point of breaking even.

The full findings have been kept under wraps since 2018, when the capital cost was projected to be $1.286bn. This was about half what Anthony Albanese committed last year under a cost-sharing deal with the state to fund Games venues. ...

Well done the Oz Paper shining some light into the dark murky arena!

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament E-Petition

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=4169

Relocate Brisbane Arena to protect Roma Street Parkland