Work is about to start on a major redevelopment of the region’s premier sports facility.
Preliminary works for the $148 million Sunshine Coast Stadium upgrade are set to get underway within the next few months.
The expanded Bokarina venue will host football preliminaries during the 2032 Olympic Games.
The stadium will have improved facilities for players, match officials and spectators, with seating increased from 1046 to 10,680.
A new grandstand will replace the existing grandstand on the western side of the field and a new grandstand will be built on the field’s eastern edge, which is currently a grassy hill.
A Games Venue and Legacy Delivery Authority (GVLDA) spokesperson detailed the next steps.
“The appointment of the successful managing contractor, with integrated design team, is anticipated in the coming months, with early works due to commence late this year,” they said.
The expansion will be funded by the federal and state governments, while Sunshine Coast Council will contribute $17 million.
It is expected to be built within three years.
“During construction, the project is expected to support an annual average of 665 full-time equivalent construction jobs across three years of planning, design and construction,” the spokesperson said.
A detailed assessment undertaken during development of the Project Validation Report determined that it was more economical to replace, rather than extend, the existing west stand of the stadium.
The upgraded stadium, a new indoor sports centre, a new mountain bike centre, an athletes’ village and temporary stands at Alexandra Headland will be built on the Sunshine Coast for the Games.
Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli said the region would be well prepared to host events.
“We are absolutely on track,” she said.
“We were first out of the blocks with our infrastructure … due to be delivered by 2027.
“Those will be ready for our community to use, five years before the Games.”
The $142 million indoor sports centre will be built alongside the expanded stadium within the Kawana Sports Precinct.
The 6000-seat venue is earmarked to host basketball preliminaries in 2032.
Expressions of interests for the managing contractor (construction) and principal consultant (design) have officially been released to the market for the project.
The federal and state governments have allocated funding towards its construction, with the council also committing more than $25 million.
Construction should start in late 2025 and be completed by late 2027. The project is expected to create more than 480 jobs.
A new $14 million Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre will be developed at Parklands.
The GVLDA spokesperson said that project would include “a trail hub adjacent to Parklands Conservation Park”.
“It will incorporate an Olympic-standard mountain bike course, connecting into the existing trail network within Parklands, with supporting amenities such as a cafe, restrooms, bike hire and repair facilities,” they said.
The mountain bike course for the Games will be designed by the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee in association with the Union Cycliste Internationale and the council.
There should be space for 8000 standing spectators and temporary seating for 2000 spectators.
The project will be funded by the federal and state governments, while the council will oversee the project’s procurement.
The project will progress to tender phase next year, allowing design work and construction to commence later that year and finish in 2027.
The marathon, race walk, road cycling and kiteboarding will be held around Alexandra Headland.
The area will be prepared shortly before the Games.
It should have capacity for 5000 spectators, including temporary facilities and seating.
Meanwhile, an athletes’ village will be built in the emerging Maroochydore city centre for the Games, before it is turned into permanent housing.
A council spokesperson provided some detail about it.
“The Sunshine Coast Athlete Village will provide approximately 1400 beds for athletes and team officials from approximately 75 nations,” they said.
“The village will also include dining, medical and recreation facilities.
“Council, development manager SunCentral Pty Ltd and development partner Walker Corporation are working collaboratively to consider options for delivery of the village.
“After the Games, the village will be repurposed for permanent housing.”
It’s not yet known how many people the permanent housing could accommodate.
It’s also uncertain how spectators will be able to access the venues during the Games, but high-frequency bus connections are likely to be established around the region, including from Caloundra, where direct rail from Brisbane will run to.
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