A milestone has been reached towards building a $142 million facility for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Expressions of interests for the managing contractor (construction) and principal consultant (design) have officially been released to the market for the Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre project.
The 6000-seat venue is earmarked to host basketball preliminaries during the Brisbane Games.
Located within the Kawana Sports Precinct, it will have 11 multi-sport courts and areas that can be used for a range of sports including basketball, netball, volleyball, pickleball, futsal and badminton, before and after the event.
The centre is expected to create more than 480 full-time equivalent jobs across planning, design and construction.
The federal and state governments have allocated funding from the Minor Venues Program towards its construction, with Sunshine Coast Council also committing more than $25 million to fund air-conditioning and permanent retractable seats in the main hall, broadcast lighting, cafe and gym floor area.
The federal and state governments have committed to sourcing at least 30 per cent of procurement from Queensland small- and medium-sized enterprises for the Minor Venues Program, as well as targets for 10 to 15 per cent of all the hours on the projects to be undertaken by apprentices or trainees.
With the EOIs for the new managing contractor (which manages project construction) and principal consultant (which oversees design) now released to market, the procurement process will see shortlisting and invitations to tender later this year with works expected to start late next year.
This follows the EOIs released earlier this year for the $148 million Sunshine Coast Stadium upgrade. That venue, also located within the sports precinct, is set to host football preliminaries and quarter-final matches during the Games.
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Premier Steven Miles said the Sunshine Coast was set to get the most from the Games.
“I want Queensland’s regions to benefit from the opportunity and legacy that comes with being an Olympic and Paralympic Games host,” he said.
“On the Sunshine Coast, that means better transport connectivity through a new direct rail link and upgraded local sporting venues.
“Now, we take the next step to deliver the new $142 million Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre as EOIs go to market.
“We’ve seen how transformation (with) similar infrastructure has been on the Gold Coast, and now the Sunshine Coast will get a turn.”
Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said the venue would provide long-term benefits.
“The new centre will provide the growing community with the space and facilities to participate in some of the fastest growing sports in the country,” she said.
“The Australian government is working closely with the Queensland government to deliver venues that reflect the needs of staging a global event like the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games while providing the best outcomes for our communities now and in the future.
“We’re proud to be supporting a boost to Queensland sports stadiums and community sporting facilities, that will leave a lasting legacy for the Coast and the nation.”
Minister for State Development and Infrastructure Grace Grace said the EOIs were an “exciting milestone for the Sunshine Coast community”.
“Indoor sports currently account for 12 of 28 Olympic sports and 11 of the 22 Paralympic sports in the Games, so it’s important we allow our aspiring athletes the best opportunity to train in high-performance facilities and develop their dreams in their own backyard,” she said.
“The new venue, along with the adjacent Sunshine Coast Stadium, will not only support the Games, but create a regional and national sporting and entertainment venue to provide long-lasting legacy benefits for the community.
“It’s just eight years to go to the 2032 Games and we’re already getting ready to deliver sports facilities that will be in community use well before then.”
Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli was delighted that action was being taken.
“I am thrilled that our Sunshine Coast venues are first out of the blocks for Olympic infrastructure,” she said.
“These venues are set to be ready by 2027, well ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“These are first and foremost community facilities that will provide high-quality spaces for local athletes and para-athletes to train and compete, as well as host major sporting events, boosting tourism and benefiting local businesses.
“I’d also like to acknowledge and thank our current tenants, particularly the Kawana Dolphins and Sunshine Coast Falcons, for their understanding and commitment to working together to ensure their needs are met now, and into the future.
“With eight years to go to Brisbane 2032, I am so pleased that we are already seeing amazing outcomes for our community, and we will continue to work very hard to maximise every opportunity afforded to the Sunshine Coast as a result of the games.”
Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee president Andrew Liveris said the EOIs were “another significant step forward in the delivery of tangible legacy for the Sunshine Coast, well ahead of the Games in 2032.”
“The centre will be used throughout the Games, but importantly, it will be used by local communities right across the coast and further afield, providing increased opportunities for athletes of all ages and abilities to participate in sport.
Expressions of interest to tender for the managing contractor and principal consultant are available on the QTenders website.
Sunshine Coast Olympic venues
- New Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre: expressions of interest out to market
- Sunshine Coast Stadium: invitations to tender issued to shortlisted respondents
- Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre: contract to market in 2025
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