IPSWICH stands to benefit with infrastructure and facilities long term if a 2028 Olympic Games bid for south-east Queensland gets up insists Mayor Paul Pisasale.
After releasing the results of a pre-feasibility study last week the South East Queensland Council of Mayors will now undertake a feasibility study to assess the costs and benefits of bidding for the 2028 Olympics.
The mayors believe such a process will deliver information about what is needed in the region, regardless of an Olympic bid proceeding. The mayors have outlined in an information kit that while yet to decide whether a bid would proceed “the entire region would benefit from an SEQ Olympic Games model”.
“It is anticipated an Olympic Games, if delivered in a flexible and cost effective way, would deliver better infrastructure and public transport to the region sooner, create jobs and stimulate our economy, produce competition/training venues and drive tourism and investment to SEQ,” the document said.
“Regardless of venue locations, the hosting of such an event will undoubtedly bring much-needed economic growth to the region through the employment of local labour and the local supply contracts of materials, foods and services.”
Cr Pisasale said Ipswich and environs stood to benefit from an Olympic bid with international teams using the city as a base
“The facilities that are created for the Olympics can benefit the community long term,” he said.
“What the pre-feasibility study did was say ‘let’s do a full feasibility study and identify assets that could suit each different region’ and identify those.
“We could have the hockey.
“We are a leader in hockey and we have already had the two top female teams in the world competing here.
“This is 2028 so it could give us the opportunity to put in place a suitable track and field facility.
“The athletes villages could be in separate locations.
“The thing we have going for us is that we are one of the safest cities in the world in the safest country.”
Cr Pisasale reiterated that the public transport in the region needed to be updated to make an Olympic bid a reality.
“That should have been done years ago and I am hoping this study will give us a focus on what we need to do,” he said.
Original article published at www.qt.com.au by Joel Gould 02/8/16