INVESTMENT SECURED TO MODERNISE SPORT AND EVENT ACCESSIBILITY IN QUEENSLAND’S SPORTING HEARTLAND
A national-standard sport and entertainment precinct anchored around a boutique rectangular stadium will revolutionise access to sporting and entertainment content in Queensland’s sporting heartland. The North Ipswich Sport and Entertainment Precinct will be an economic and lifestyle asset for Ipswich’s future half a million residents and address an acute social infrastructure shortfall.
This project will increase Ipswich’s ability to host 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games events and could also feature as a training ground for athletes in 2032, delivering legacy benefits to the region for decades to come.
North Ipswich Sport and Entertainment Precinct Factsheet (PDF, 295.9 KB)
COMMITMENT SECURED
The Federal Government’s $20 million investment has been further supported with an additional $10 million secured from the State Government. The state’s investment was the final step needed to unlock $10 million of funding from Ipswich City Council. This $40 million investment will deliver the modernisation and upgrades to the North Ipswich Sport and Entertainment Precinct.
About the North Ipswich Sport and Entertainment Precinct
Why is this project important?
Benefits to Ipswich:
- Access to elite sport and entertainment experiences
- Improved inbound investment and event spend
- Vibrant and dynamic local economy
- Facilitates night-time economy
- Diversified employment opportunities.
Benefits to South East Queensland:
- Diversified venues for events
- Pathways for local event businesses
- Support economic productivity
- Provide venue for Olympic training
- Support sports-related tourism
- Leverage $300 million investment in Ipswich Central
- Support Ipswich as an Olympic host city.
If we do nothing:
- Continued economic leakage as events are accessed elsewhere
- Limited employment opportunities
- Low brand recognition and civic pride
- Continued lack of high quality community assets.
Success to date
Council delivered the Strategic Business Case for this project in 2019 with the support of the Queensland Government. In 2020, council solely delivered the Options Analysis for this project which identified two options for development, including a 12,000 capacity stadium and a 20,000 capacity stadium.
The Options Analysis as part of Stage 2 Business Case led to a $20 million investment from the Federal Government. This was supplemented with the State Government’s investment of $10 million, which was the final step needed to unlock $10 million of funding from council.
What's next
This project achieved the following milestones:
- North Ipswich Open Space Masterplan (2018)
- North Ipswich Stadium Feasibility and Project Definition Report (2019)
- Strategic Business Case/Stage 1 Business Case (2019)
- Options Analysis/Stage 2 Business Case (2020)
- Federal Government funding secured - $20 million (2022)
- State Government funding secured - $10 million (2024).
Current steps are:
- Ipswich City Council contribution of $10 million (2024).
Future milestones are:
- Engage architect (2024) to deliver:
- Project Masterplan
- Stage 1 Project Design.
- Deliver a Project Business Case
- Construction (2025)
- Operation (2026).