I was wondering what people's thoughts would be on a Brisbane Olympic bid for 2016 or 2020. Peter Beattie has suggested it on several occasions. I think it would be a great idea. Brisbane has the population base, great weather , great stadia and plenty of vacant land on which to further build the required infrastructure such an event would entail. Brisbane's only previous bid was for 1992 when it was a gallant third out of six candidates, being beaten by the heavyweight bids of Barcelona and Paris. It is a viable possibility in my opinion, and should be looked into.

Bad idea. Yopu can't have the Olympics twice in 16 years in the one country - it's not fair to other places in the world. And by the time it comes when its ok for us to host it again, it will be a very different place and, who knows, maybe Perth would be more suitable then?

I deffinately think that Perth will be an ideal place for the Olympics it is the fastest growing capital city in Australia and with the construction of the new sattelite city of St Andrews to the north of Perth will hold about 250,000 people and will be built by Japanese businessman and stae government it will be a highly skilled workforce and a high proportion i would imagine will come from overseas and this would make it an ideal time to host the commonwealth games apart from Basketball, Tennis, Boxing and various other venues all others would have to be upgraded or new stadiums constructed but Perth has an oversupply of land the main highway to the southern suburbs goes through, bush, farms, suburbia there is plenty of land to use north, south and east for Perth to sccomadate an Olympic Village, I think an Olympic Stadium of about 85-90,000 people could be built, as you will have a huge population in WA by that time. I predict Perth to hold the 2052 Olympic Games.

First of all, the USA hosted LA & Atlanta Summer Games only 12 years apart (1984 & 1986). Not to mention Winter games in Lake Placid (1980) & Salt Lake City (2002). FOUR games in 22 years is alot, so why can't Australia at least have the same opportunity SIXTEEN years after Sydney in a world where hosting the Olympics is becoming harder and harder economically for peripheral countries to even contemplate bidding for.
At the same time Perth would likely prove to be a more than capable host city (even though Brisbane and not Perth is the fastest growing capital city in the country- look up the ABS website). If a city is able to provide infrastructures required for an Olympics like both Brisbane and Perth would easily do, then both should be given the chance, regardless of the short time since Sydney 2000.

Any nation can host the Olympics as many times as it wants. But it isn't done because of certain constraints. Namely it is unfair and also it puts a huge economic strain on the host. The US could afford to have so many games because of its huge economy.

Jacques Rogge wants to scale down the Games and rightly so. It should only ocntain sports that truly value the Games and where the best athletes can compete (so in the future there will probably be no Soccer, no Baseball etc). This also makes it easier for smaller cities like Brisbane and Perth to host the Games.

Brisbane could try but it did lose the race in 1992 using the Commonwealth Games facilities as a backbone. IMO that city does not have the facilities to host the Games (ANZ and Chandler Pool are NOT up to scratch.)

Perth would need new stadia. You could probably use Challenge Pool. Barcelona had an outdoor pool. I don't know about an Athletics track holding 85-90,000. They traditionally haven't been that big. Sydney and Mlbourne were exceptions. Maybe 60,000 and a conversion into a Colonial type stadium afterwards. They also need a decent indoor venue and with all this PEC/Burswood drama, they haven't got it yet.

It is a good idea for the future. But unfotunately I believe IMO Melbourne will be the next Aussie city to host the Games. Too much political influence over Brisvegas and Perth and it is the Sports capital.

Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne. Has there ever been a more annoying word? You only just did better than Manchester & Belgrade and got nowhere near Atlanta, Athens & Toronto in the bid for 1996- so if that was all the competition you had then, just think of the great cities you could come up against in future- especially when you are already a former host . While Brisbane does have the problem of ageing sports venues (ANZ Stadium, everything at Chandler), past Olympics have proved that competition arenas can easily use temporary seating and as such do not have to be highly expensive (except that $1 billion unfinished disaster in Montreal ). Using the current ANZ as a basis, upgrading can be cheap (Los Angeles 1984 modernised its 1932 stadium & Barcelona's inexpensive 1992 stadium had been built as part of its bid for 1936!!!- so one originally built in 1982 should be fine if it is upgraded). As for Aquatic events- a pool with temporary grandstands would be easy to build at a number of possible locations throughout the inner-city of Brisbane while at the same time leaving a public facility for long-term use. At the same time Water Polo could be held at Chandler. The Convention Centre is more than adequate and new enough for lesser sports such as Fencing, Judo, Wrestling, Taekwondo, Table Tennis, Badminton, etc. Beach Volleyball & Triathlon at Surfers Paradise will be magic for the TV cameras and huge crowd pullers . Moreton Bay is large enough and has a multitude of yacht clubs which could serve as bases for Sailing. Rowing & Canoeing have a ready made venue on Lake Wivenhoe while Gymnastics, Handball & Volleyball could be easily accommodated at a revamped Entertainment Centre at Boondall. That only leaves a handful of sports that could require new venues and if the IOC has its way Baseball & Softball stadia will probably not be needed by the time Brisbane might host.
So, think again Melbourne . You might be good at poaching sports events from other states (well done, by the way), not to say that these are not brilliantly organised and executed- but, you are already a world renowned city. Its time to share the wealth with us other 'heathen' cities (ie. Brisbane & Perth). So, its OK Melbourne, the world will still love you the morning after a Brisbane Olympics.

You make a strong case for Brisvegas Mr Argee. But the same can be said about using Melbourne's 2006 venues as a basis for the games, and they would be newer facilities, possible cheaper for, or not in need of, renovation. But your arguments for Brisbane ar very sound.

I just think Melbourne has too much political clout to outmanouvre Brisbane for the next Australian bid.

I have no doubt that Melbourne would quite easily put on a great Olympics with its many world-class facilities. However, the IOC has traditionally shied away from reawarding the Games to past hosts in recent times. Athens 2004 is the contemporary exception, but that had more to do with the fact that its only real competition was from Rome & Stockholm, other former hosts. Otherwise, two-time host Paris lost bids for 1992 & 2008. Los Angeles was the only bidder for 1984 & had lost to Montreal & Moscow in bids for 1976 & 1980. Melbourne pulled out early in its bid for 1988 when it was apparent it would lose to Seoul & was badly beaten by three cities for 1996. Berlin also lost easily for 2000. So, if I was the Australian Olympic Committee, I would likely choose Brisbane (not a former host) as the Australian candidate, regardless of the 'political clout' of Melbourne- which has waned somewhat since the demise of the Kennett government . My money is on Brisbane which should make an attempt for 2020. By that time it will have an optimum population base (even exceeding Melbourne and nudging Sydney), expanded airport facilities, and relatively inexpensive but suitable sports venues. But in any case, may the best city win.

What year is the IOC up to in terms of announcing a host city?
Anyway, I don't think we will get the Olympic games for at least 25 years, and even longer if another aus city is host before then. We held them a little over 40 years ago, it will be a while yet before we get them again, but it will happen...
Personally, I think Brisbane should be the next host. Or maybe even Tassie

lol, wouldn't that be sensational!

"And 21,000 packed into York park for the opening ceremony"...

Oh we could dream!

Cam, the practice is to announce the host 7 years in advance. So, the next hosts they will announce are for the 2010 Winter and 2012 Summer Games.

Just drifting off the subject a little bit were do you guys think the next Commonwealth Games in Australia be held. After melbourne of course, I would think either Adelaide or Sydney would be the next hosts as they would want to host them more then any other city in Australia. Adelaide wou;d have to build many new stadiums and would cost heaps to get the Games there but it is the only main city in Australia along with Melbourne to have hosted a commonwealth games. Does anyone know who is bidding for the 2010 Commonwealth Games it will be decided next year.

For the 1964 Commonwealth Games according to my Grandfather they wanted to put the Commonwealth Pool in KingS Park!!! imagine the disastrous planning and implications on the park if that did happen. They ended up going north a bit to Beatty Park.

I think that Perth will be the next host of the Comm Games in Australia. There's something about Adelaide that I don't like when it comes to hosting large events, Im not quite sure what it is but I think it might be administration, oh anyway - out of my little world, I think that Perth has the stadia and experience to host an event the size of the CG. And the population. Sydneys already had its Olympics and Melbourne is having the CG in 2006, so it's either going to be Perth or possibly Brisbane as the next host....or Launceston

Egan, at this stage the only cities bidding for 2010 Commonwealth Games are New Delhi, India & Hamilton, Canada. Singapore pulled out just the other day.
I think if another Australian city should host the Commonwealth Games sometime after Melbourne 2006, it should be Adelaide. Adelaide were supposed to host in 1962, but for reasons I don't know, the games were transferred to Perth that year. Adelaide last bid for 1998, but lost to Kuala Lumpur in a decision that was based more on the need to spread awareness of the games to largely untapped regions (ie. Asia) than on a solid host. That's not to say that KL 1998 Comm Games were not extremely successful.
On the subject of the Olympics, I still stand by my assertion that Brisbane should get the next crack by an Aussie city. 2020 or 2024 are the best chance.

It is an unwritten rule where no same country (or city for that matter) host the Games again after a short period of time...except of course that country happens to be the USA. I read whereby the IOC prefer the games in the USA one in every 5. So going by that assumption, the IOC would prefer the Games be held somewhere in the US every 20 years. Its just big business for them to have the games there.