A leading Australian development company has pitched a bold plan to build a 7000-seat arena, athlete village and five-star hotel on the Sunshine Coast.
Walker Corporation’s Horizon Centre proposal is aimed at transforming the Maroochydore city centre and making the Coast a premier destination for the Brisbane 2032 Games.
The state-of-the-art centre would have the capacity to host Olympic action and provide accommodation for 1400 athletes and guests, delivering a major legacy for the region.
Plans for the centre have been submitted in a detailed submission to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority’s 100-Day Review.
A media release from Walker said the 1400 athlete beds would transform into much-needed accommodation for the Coast, while the 7000-seat multi-format arena would evolve into a world-class arts, music, convention, entertainment and exhibition centre, with the potential to host the biggest global concerts and events.
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Walker managing director and CEO David Gallant said this was a game-changing opportunity to enhance Queensland’s Olympic legacy.
“This will be an iconic destination that delivers major events for sports, entertainment, the arts, conventions, exhibitions and other community uses, enabling Queensland to reap the benefits for decades to come, after putting on the best Olympic Games ever,” he said.
“The Horizon Centre has always been central to the Maroochydore city centre vision to create a landmark economic and social hub which drives growth and unlocks opportunity for the Sunshine Coast, so we are excited to accelerate the delivery of this asset, to create a powerful Brisbane 2032 legacy.”
The project would be delivered as a public private partnership (PPP) between Walker Corporation, which is Australia’s largest diversified private property company, alongside Australia’s top private construction company Built and global leading architects Woods Bagot.
Walker group executive of development Peter Saba said the PPP would enable the private sector to provide the necessary funding needed to begin the $1 billion Horizon Centre sooner.
“By uniting the combined strengths of the public and private sectors through the PPP model, a balanced approach to risk sharing will enable innovative, legacy-driven outcomes to be realised on time and on budget,” Mr Saba said.
“The PPP model provides the certainty needed to deliver the Sunshine Coast the multi-use arts, music, convention, entertainment and exhibition centre the region has been in desperate need of for decades, while ultimately giving the Coast a world-class venue to host more Olympic competition or heats action.”
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The media release said the centre would have dedicated car parking and capitalise on the city centre’s 10-minute connection to the Sunshine Coast Airport and major transport routes.
The 6-star Green Star development would integrate with a multi-modal transport system to maximise usability of public and active transport. It would also deliver large areas of open space.
Built executive chairman Marco Rossi said it was ready to deliver the project to enhance the Brisbane 2032 legacy.
“We are excited to leverage our global experience to create this architectural landmark for Maroochydore that will be a sustainable, world-class events space, while also providing critical social and employment outcomes,” he said.
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Woods Bagot chief executive officer Sarah Kay said the centre would leverage her company’s global experience in civic assets to create a multipurpose, future-proof facility for all of South-East Queensland.
“The Horizon Centre will be a premium architectural icon for the Sunshine Coast, seamlessly integrating the arena with a multi-modal transport network, providing a secure athletes’ village and carefully blending open space, landscaping and community into a cohesive outdoor environment,” she said.
Walker has more than 50 years’ experience delivering urban transformations, previously partnering with Built to complete over $3 billion of projects together across Australia, as well as others with Woods Bagot. It is also behind the SOL by Walker development, which has just been approved for the Maroochydore city centre.
Built and Woods Bagot are currently delivering the $450m Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre together in Victoria.
The Horizon Centre proposal is currently under review with Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority, which is set to present its recommendation from the 100-Day Review to the Queensland Government in March 2025.
