A proposal to build a new 17,000-seat entertainment precinct over Brisbane's Roma Street train station will be evaluated over six months.
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The project has not been approved, but the Queensland Government has agreed on Sunday to contribute $5 million to develop the business case.
The proposal – first released in May 2016 - comes from the operator of the Brisbane Entertainment Centre at Boondall, Harvey Lister from AEG Ogden.
This entertainment precinct project is backed by both major parties in Queensland.
The project proposal over Roma Street station will now be linked to the development of Brisbane’s $5.4 billion underground rail project, Cross River Rail.
The Cross River Rail will build a new underground rail station at Roma Street Parklands as part of an underground link from Annerley to the RNA Exhibition Grounds at Bowen Hills.
The Queensland Government has now agreed to link the two projects in the planning phase.
Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said the entertainment precinct project – called Brisbane Live – demonstrated the underground Cross River Rail project could transform Brisbane.
“Brisbane Live is a proposal for a 17,000 seat world class entertainment arena, similar to the LA Live complex, which would become Queensland’s premier entertainment venue hosting international live entertainment and world-class events,” Ms Trad said.
“It is a very exciting proposal that will deliver decades of economic and employment opportunities in what is an underused part of the city.”
AEG Ogden’s Harvey Lister welcomed the decision by the Queensland Government to begin a business case.
“Having a centrepiece world-class arena means we are better placed to attract world-class acts,” Mr Lister said.
He said his experience as operator of the Brisbane Entertainment Centre was an advantage in developing the new proposal.
The business case will be prepared by the Queensland Government’s infrastructure priority body, Building Queensland with the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority.
The Cross River Rail Delivery Authority was established by state cabinet to develop the plan for the Cross River Rail Authority.
