Gold Coast Arena funding talks turn to council land deals

Land leases and residential development are being explored as ways to bridge a reported $400 million funding gap for the proposed Gold Coast Arena at Southport.

The latest options could help revive the Carey Park project, which is intended to give the city a major indoor venue for concerts, basketball and other sporting events ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, properties under consideration include the Athol Paterson and Mal Burke car parks in Southport, with housing development and commercial property arrangements potentially helping finance the arena.

The proposals remain under discussion, with no final funding agreement or construction commitment confirmed.

Mayor Tom Tate is reportedly preparing to meet Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie in mid-November, with additional land transfers and residential towers around the precinct among the options being considered.

The discussions follow a pause in planning earlier this year while council examined how to address the project’s affordability.

The proposed Gold Coast Arena is planned for a 4.5-hectare site at Carey Park, overlooking the Broadwater and close to Southport’s public transport, accommodation and hospitality precincts.

Recent reporting describes an approximately 14,000-seat venue, while Invest Gold Coast’s published project brief specifies a minimum capacity of 12,000. The final configuration remains part of the design and commercial process.

The arena is being pursued through a public-private partnership, with the private partner expected to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the facility under a long-term arrangement.

AmplifyGC remains the shortlisted consortium progressing through the request-for-proposal stage. Its members include infrastructure investor Plenary Group, entertainment promoter Live Nation and construction company Built, supported by architects Cox Architecture and 3XN.

Austadiums reported the consortium’s selection in March, when the parties began refining the investment structure, design and delivery model.

The latest funding proposals could broaden the development beyond the arena itself, raising questions about the use of surrounding public land.

Southport councillor Brooke Patterson has called for further consultation if residential towers are included, arguing that such development would represent a substantial change from the concept originally presented to residents.

The Queensland Government has maintained that construction funding is council’s responsibility, while supporting the provision of land for the project.

Beyond its potential Games role, the arena is intended to address a gap in the Gold Coast’s entertainment infrastructure. Invest Gold Coast envisages a calendar covering major concert tours, comedy, family shows, indoor sport and other events, with an ambition to attract more than 100 ticketed events annually.

It could also strengthen the city’s prospects of securing an NBL expansion team, with access to a suitable arena central to those ambitions.

As covered in Austadiums’ recent examination of Australia’s proposed basketball arenas, the Gold Coast’s venue plans remain closely tied to its basketball aspirations.

For now, the next significant milestone is an agreed funding and commercial structure that allows the arena to move towards a final project agreement and construction.