What Development Opportunities Will the Brisbane Olympics Bring — and How Quickly Will They Arise?

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games represent one of the most transformational opportunities in Queensland’s history. But for developers, investors, and commercial property owners, the question isn’t just what opportunities will emerge — it’s how fast they will arise, and where the smart moves need to be made early.

In 2025, the groundwork is already being laid. The next five years will see a huge acceleration in development approvals, land acquisitions, infrastructure delivery, and commercial repositioning.

Understanding the timeline — and acting early — will be the key to capitalising on the Brisbane Olympics property boom.

Why the Brisbane Olympics is a genuine development catalyst

Hosting the Olympics guarantees long-term structural changes in a city’s economy, population growth, infrastructure profile, and global image. For Brisbane, the Olympics are acting as an accelerant — bringing forward decades’ worth of projects and growth that would have otherwise taken a generation.

Key reasons why development opportunities are rapidly materialising:

• Locked-in infrastructure: Major projects like Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro, Gabba Stadium redevelopment, and road upgrades are funded and moving.

• Permanent urban upgrades: Unlike temporary event infrastructure, most Olympics-linked projects will leave lasting commercial and residential precincts.

• Government-backed timelines: Delivery targets are not flexible — projects must be operational well before the 2032 Games, creating urgency across all sectors.

• Investor confidence: National and international capital is already flowing into South East Queensland, driving commercial property demand across Brisbane and surrounding regions.

This isn’t speculative growth — it’s locked into policy, funding, and planning approvals happening right now.

Timeline: When Brisbane Olympics development opportunities will materialise

Understanding the stages of opportunity is critical to timing entry into Brisbane’s property market correctly.

Stage 1 (2024–2026): Early-stage land acquisition, design and approvals

• Major infrastructure and venue sites have been locked in, but land banking, early-stage design and DA approvals are ramping up rapidly.

• Developers targeting Woolloongabba, Albion, Roma Street, and Northshore Hamilton are already in pre-development stages.

• Industrial land near Logan, Ipswich, Redlands and Brisbane Airport is being secured for supply chain expansion and Games logistics.

• Early positioning is crucial now — sites acquired or designed during this window will be best placed for 2027–2030 construction peaks.

Stage 2 (2027–2030): Construction surge and commercial expansion

• Construction of venues, hotels, urban renewal projects, retail centres, and logistics facilities will peak during this phase.

• Commercial office, industrial warehousing, medical and education facilities will expand to support workforce and supply chain needs.

• Leasing demand will increase sharply for well-located logistics and commercial hubs near infrastructure nodes.

• Land values in emerging corridors will escalate rapidly as build-ready sites dry up.

Stage 3 (2030–2032): Pre-Games commercial readiness

• Final-stage leasing, tenant fitouts, and last-mile logistics will dominate market activity.

• Hospitality, tourism, entertainment, and service sectors will ramp up sharply across South East Queensland.

• Fringe commercial precincts around transport hubs and venues will achieve premium values.

Stage 4 (Post-2032): Legacy commercial and residential expansion

• After the Games, Brisbane will retain new transport links, revitalised urban precincts, and global visibility.

• Demand for premium commercial space, lifestyle mixed-use developments, and regional logistics hubs will continue.

• The focus will shift from event-driven growth to servicing a bigger, more connected city.

Key development opportunities linked to the Brisbane Olympics

The types of property developments that stand to benefit most from the Brisbane Olympics include:

Urban renewal precincts

• Woolloongabba, Albion, East Brisbane, South Brisbane, Roma Street and Northshore Hamilton will see major commercial, retail, residential and mixed-use projects.

• 3D visualisation and branding are essential to pre-sell or pre-lease in these future precincts before competition peaks.

Industrial land and logistics hubs

• Logan, Ipswich, Redlands, and areas around Brisbane Airport and the Port of Brisbane will be critical for construction supply, Games logistics, and post-Games freight demand.

• Developers securing industrial-zoned land now will be in a prime position for pre-2032 uplift.

Hotel and serviced accommodation projects

• Demand for quality hotel stock will rise sharply in 2028–2032, especially near venues, CBD, South Bank, and transport hubs.

• Mid-size hotels (100–300 rooms) catering to sports, corporate and leisure visitors will be highly sought after.

Commercial office repositioning

• Fringe CBD and inner-city office assets that can be refurbished into sustainable, flexible formats will be in demand to serve Olympics-linked businesses and government agencies.

• Suburban commercial hubs like Chermside, Carindale, and Upper Mount Gravatt will also benefit from overflow demand.

Retail and mixed-use centres

• Suburban retail centres anchored by convenience, health, childcare and lifestyle tenants will see major demand uplift as population expands outward.

• Mixed-use precincts blending retail, office, and medium-density residential will thrive around new transport nodes.

Where the earliest and strongest opportunities will be

The fastest opportunities for developers and investors are already appearing across several high-growth zones:

• Woolloongabba: Pre-leasing and development site sales are heating up around the Gabba Stadium upgrade and Cross River Rail station.

• Roma Street: Early commitments around Brisbane Live and the new transport hub are creating fringe CBD momentum.

• Northshore Hamilton: Early residential and commercial projects linked to the Athlete’s Village will generate significant growth.

• Logan and Ipswich: Industrial land sales are moving quickly as national logistics players position for construction and long-term freight demands.

• Brisbane Airport precinct: Expansion of commercial, industrial and freight assets near the airport will be essential to servicing Olympic logistics and post-Games trade growth.

How to position for Brisbane Olympics commercial property success

Winning in this market isn’t about chasing headlines in 2031 — it’s about preparing properly now. Key strategies include:

• Secure land or assets early: Before infrastructure completions and public hype drive prices up.

• Focus on transport connectivity: Proximity to rail, metro, airport or motorway access points will dictate success.

• Prepare for flexibility: Developments that can adapt to future tenant mixes (office, health, service, retail) will outperform single-use assets.

• Invest in strong marketing: High-quality 3D renders, strong project branding, and professional presentation will be critical in a competitive landscape.

• Think long-term: Plan for the post-Games legacy — not just the Olympic period — to ensure assets deliver strong performance into the 2040s.

How we help market development projects linked to the Brisbane Olympics

We specialise in bringing development sites, estates, and mixed-use projects to market with full-service creative and strategic support.

• Aerial and ground 3D renders showing projects in context of key Olympics infrastructure

• Precinct branding that aligns projects with Brisbane’s future vision

• Detailed digital brochures and agent tools that showcase growth drivers

• National and international marketing campaigns targeting investors and tenants

Let’s talk about marketing your Brisbane Olympics-linked development

If you’re launching or repositioning a commercial property project in Brisbane, now is the time to start. With the 2032 Olympics already reshaping the city, early movers will secure the best opportunities—and the best results.