Brisbane has been announced as host of the 2032 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the world's attention is turning towards an Australian city often not considered given the strong international brand of Sydney and Melbourne.

It’s been 125 years since the first modern Olympic Games in Greece. In that time, not only have the Games themselves evolved, but also the role the Games can play as a catalyst for development of host cities has changed. The opportunity for the South East Queensland region is immense.

Nurturing the development opportunities, both in a physical sense as well as for building careers, culture and lifestyle, is crucial in ensuring the Olympic legacy is one that enriches the host city, region and nation. We need to plan well in advance to manage a tight budget and avoid the expensive lessons of the past learnt by other Olympic cities.  With an expert panel, Grant Thornton explored the opportunities the Games can present in a webinar shortly after Brisbane 2032 was announced.

The message for businesses in the region looking to take advantage of this opportunity is to “Be Bold” and start getting ready now. Brisbane's rising soft power will bring with it a range of opportunities for many sectors, from the more obvious tourism, real estate, infrastructure and construction to manufacturing, retail, education, arts and culture, and digital technologies. Meeting the contractual commitment of delivering a ‘climate positive’ Games should itself drive innovation and flow on societal and commercial benefits. Thinking about preparing your business to be on the world stage needs to start now to capitalise on the rising consideration levels that hosting the Games will bring. Whether the opportunities arise from the expected rapid growth in investment and population for the region or from procurement opportunities for the Games themselves, businesses need to prepare well in advance.  

We are thrilled to be actively involved in shaping the region’s future through our Corporate Membership with the Committee for Brisbane, a not-for-profit organisation that is committed making greater Brisbane the world’s most liveable region and who has shown great leadership in developing the Legacy of the Games vision. This involves supporting Committee activities including research-led policy development as part of their strategic focus.