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Hockey Queensland and Hockey Australia have reinforced the call made by the sport in both its initial and supplementary submissions to the Brisbane Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) that the Gold Coast Hockey Centre, the venue for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, is the optimal venue choice for the 2032 Olympic Games.

Speaking in Brisbane this morning, Hockey Queensland Chief Executive Alison Lyons and Olympian and Olympic Coach Lee Bodimeade urged the Queensland Government to formalise the Gold Coast as the venue for Olympic and Paralympic hockey in 2032.

With Queensland Premier Queensland Premier David Crisafulli set to unveil his 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues and infrastructure plan tomorrow, Lyons stated "Hockey Australia believes that the best location for 2032 is the Gold Coast.

“Now initially when the decision made for Ballymore, Hockey Queensland, in partnership with Hockey Australia, undertook a major infrastructure feasibility study which outlined the need for seven additional synthetic turfs here in Brisbane.

“We have made a proposal to Government numerous times, that a new hockey centre needs to be built here in Brisbane, however after the 100-day Review Terms of Reference were released, hockey followed the guidelines for the Terms of Reference and have provided sensible decision to host the Olympic games at the Gold Coast.”

Lyons added “Hockey’s diligent, evidence-based analysis that has prioritised cost-effective, infrastructure-driven solutions - ensuring all facility investments made for the Games leave a meaningful legacy for Queensland.

“Any decision in favour of Ballymore, a site that is fundamentally unsuitable for hockey, would represent an unjustifiable waste of taxpayer dollars.”

Gold Coast Hockey Centre ‘the only venue that fits these criteria’
Hockey Queensland and Hockey Australia highlight that the Gold Coast Hockey Centre successfully hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games and requires only minor upgrades to be Olympic-ready.

They note “it will deliver a lasting legacy, serving as a high-performance and community venue for decades to come.

“It is a fiscally responsible choice that avoids unnecessary spending on temporary infrastructure. This is what Olympic venue planning should look like, every dollar spent contributing to both a successful Games and the long-term development of sport in Queensland.”

The bodies highlight that “any decision made to shift hosting hockey at Ballymore would be irresponsible”, point to:

• The Ballymore precinct was underwater just two weeks ago, raising serious concerns about its viability as a playing venue;
• It lacks the necessary transport infrastructure and accessibility standards required for an Olympic hockey venue;
• Unlike the Gold Coast venue, Ballymore fails to meet International Hockey Federation (FIH) venue requirements - meaning additional, costly modifications would be required; and
• The cost of ‘drop in rip out’ hockey pitches at Ballymore will be in excess of $30 million and is a straight-out waste for a temporary facility that will only be used for 14 days and provides no legacy for Hockey at all.

Lyons added “if Ballymore were a genuine and sensible option, then investors would have supported its redevelopment decades ago. But they haven’t. No-one wants to invest in a mud pit with atrocious transport connectivity where even local sporting clubs cannot get insurance due to the flood risk.

“This isn’t about sport versus sport - it’s simply about smart decision-making.

“Hockey has engaged with this process professionally and pragmatically. We’ve put forward a cost-effective solution that delivers both a successful Olympics and a lasting legacy.

“We urge the GIICA and the Queensland Government not to invest in a $30 million (plus) mud pit that will only be used for 14 days and instead make sensible use of a re-purposed existing asset for a fraction of that cost.”

Hockey Australia Chief Executive, David Pryles added “we’ve been upfront from day one: Queensland needs more synthetic hockey fields. If there’s no permanent legacy venue for hockey out of Brisbane 2032, then there must be investment in long-term facilities elsewhere.”

Premier Crisafulli will unveil his 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues and infrastructure plan tomorrow.

Images: The Gold Coast Hockey Centre during its 2017 opening (top) and the facility during the 2018 Commonwealth Games (below, credit: Gold Coast Hockey Centre).

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