Brisbane 2032 Adopts Milano Cortina's Dispersed Games Model: A Blueprint for a New Olympic Era
As the clock ticks down to just eight years until the Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032, organisers are keenly observing and learning from their predecessors. A pivotal influence emerging from this global knowledge exchange is the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The 2026 Games are setting a precedent, pioneering a "dispersed games model" that Brisbane 2032 is now poised to emulate, leveraging its innovative approach to sustainability and efficiency. This strategic adoption signifies a fundamental shift in Olympic planning, with the Milano Cortina impact on Brisbane expected to shape everything from venue selection to visitor experience and monumental infrastructure development.
The lessons gleaned from Milano Cortina are particularly critical for the Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC), the private entity entrusted with managing Brisbane Airport. With an anticipated influx of over 16,000 athletes and officials, alongside countless spectators, the smooth operation of Queensland's primary international gateway is paramount. Observing Milano Cortina's strategies for managing such a large-scale, multi-site event provides an invaluable starting curve for BAC, ensuring Brisbane 2032 is not just a sporting spectacle, but a masterclass in logistical excellence and hospitality.
Embracing the Dispersed Model: Milano Cortina's Blueprint for Brisbane 2032
The "dispersed games model" championed by Milano Cortina 2026 is a significant departure from the traditional centralized approach to hosting the Olympics. Instead of concentrating all events and infrastructure in one primary city, this model involves utilizing existing venues spread across a wider geographical region. For Milano Cortina, this means leveraging the diverse landscapes and pre-existing sporting facilities of the Lombardy and Veneto regions, minimizing the need for new, potentially underutilized construction.
The Milano Cortina impact on Brisbane's planning is profound. Brisbane 2032 chair Andrew Liveris acknowledged that the original $4.9 billion operating budget (set in 2021) "bears no resemblance to reality," underscoring the urgency for cost-effective and sustainable solutions. By adopting a similar dispersed model, Brisbane can:
- Reduce Construction Costs: Maximize the use of Queensland's existing sporting infrastructure, from coastal cities to regional hubs, preventing the creation of "white elephant" venues.
- Enhance Sustainability: Align with Brisbane's ambition to be the first climate-positive Games by minimizing new builds and their associated carbon footprint.
- Boost Regional Engagement: Spread the economic benefits, excitement, and legacy of the Games across a broader area of Queensland, fostering a stronger sense of statewide participation.
- Showcase Diverse Landscapes: Highlight the natural beauty and varied attractions of Queensland beyond just the capital city, offering a richer experience for athletes and visitors.
While offering numerous advantages, the dispersed model also presents unique logistical challenges. Coordinating transport, security, and consistent athlete and visitor experiences across multiple sites demands meticulous planning and advanced technological solutions. This is precisely where the learnings from Milano Cortina become critical, providing real-world data and insights into effective execution.
Brisbane Airport Corporation: A Masterclass in Proactive Preparation
For the Brisbane Airport Corporation, the task is immense yet exciting. As a privately run Queensland company, BAC is not just preparing for an event; it's transforming a vital piece of national infrastructure. The Milano Cortina impact on Brisbane's airport planning is evident in BAC's proactive investment and development strategy, aiming to create a world-class gateway capable of handling the demands of a modern dispersed Olympics.
BAC is already well underway with its ambitious "$5+ billion sight ala 'Future BNE'" investment program, spanning the next decade. This comprehensive plan is designed to future-proof the airport, ensuring it's not only ready for 2032 but also capable of serving Queensland's growth for decades to come. Key initiatives include:
- Domestic Terminal Enhancements: By 2025, expect upgraded security, quicker check-ins, an expansion of automatic bag drops, and 1,700 new parking bays. These improvements are crucial for efficiently processing high volumes of domestic travellers and connecting them to various event locations across the state.
- International Terminal Additions: Major upgrades are planned for completion by 2027, focusing on enhancing onboard comfort and amenity quality for international arrivals and departures, especially crucial for elite athletes and officials.
- Third Terminal (T3) Development: A planned third terminal in the 2030s underscores the long-term vision and anticipated growth beyond the Games.
- Technology Integration: Upgraded technology measures will be implemented across all operations to streamline processes, enhance security, and improve the overall passenger experience.
The success of Milano Cortina in managing the entry and departure of thousands will provide BAC with invaluable tips on optimising flow, security protocols, and passenger satisfaction. This direct observation will allow BAC to fine-tune its Brisbane Airport's $5B+ Future BNE: Readying for 2032 Games strategy, ensuring the airport becomes a welcoming and efficient hub for all participants. Such massive investment not only prepares the airport for the Games but also drums up significant employment, entrepreneurship, and investment opportunities for Queenslanders well in advance.
Beyond Logistics: Brisbane 2032's Climate-Positive Vision
Brisbane 2032 is not just about medals and records; it's about setting a new global standard for responsible event hosting. The Games target being the first "climate-positive Games," aiming to take away more carbon from the atmosphere than the event itself issues. This ambitious goal places sustainability at the very heart of all planning decisions, and the Milano Cortina impact on Brisbane's approach to sustainability cannot be overstated.
The dispersed model inherently supports this climate-positive ambition by minimizing the need for new, carbon-intensive construction. However, it also introduces challenges related to increased travel between venues. Brisbane's organisers will need to implement innovative solutions, such as:
- Optimised Green Transport: Prioritising electric vehicles, public transport, and potentially even hydrogen-powered fleets for inter-venue travel.
- Sustainable Sourcing: Ensuring all materials, from construction to catering, are sustainably sourced and have minimal environmental impact.
- Carbon Sequestration Projects: Investing in local and regional initiatives that actively remove carbon from the atmosphere, such as reforestation and advanced waste management.
Even BAC's ongoing operations contribute to this vision. Scheduled runway maintenance, such as the recent closures in February, are part of a larger strategy to maintain efficient, state-of-the-art infrastructure that reduces operational emissions over time. The "Future BNE" program integrates energy efficiency and sustainable practices into its design and construction, aligning with the broader climate-positive objective.
Strategic Learnings and Enduring Legacy
The strategic advantage Brisbane 2032 gains from observing Milano Cortina 2026 is immense. It provides a real-time "playbook" for navigating the complexities of a dispersed Games model, allowing Brisbane to refine its own strategies and avoid potential pitfalls. This isn't just about technical logistics; it's about fostering a spirit of collaboration, innovation, and responsibility.
Practical tips and insights gleaned from the Milano Cortina experience, and applicable to Brisbane, include:
- Early and Integrated Planning: Multi-stakeholder collaboration across government, transport, security, and local communities is crucial for a geographically spread-out event.
- Robust Digital Infrastructure: Seamless communication, ticketing, and information dissemination are vital for athletes and spectators moving between multiple venues.
- Community Engagement: Ensuring local communities in all host regions feel ownership and benefit from the Games is key to a lasting positive legacy.
- Flexibility and Adaptability: Global events are prone to unforeseen challenges; a flexible master plan that can adapt to changing circumstances is paramount.
Ultimately, the Milano Cortina impact on Brisbane is about more than just hosting an event; it's about forging an enduring legacy. The Games will not only showcase Australia's burgeoning sporting prowess, as evidenced by its recent five medals at the Winter Olympics, but will also transform Queensland's infrastructure, boost its economy, and elevate its global standing. Queenslanders are called upon to unite and support this monumental undertaking, destined to be a stage of global brilliance, built on smart learning and forward-thinking vision.