Brisbane to build 63,000-seater stadium for 2032 Games
A new 63,000-seater stadium will be built in Brisbane as the centrepiece of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Queensland government has announced.
The multi-sport arena, to be built in the Victoria Park area of Brisbane, will host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics.
The plans will see the new stadium become Brisbane’s home for cricket, with the famous Gabba stadium to be demolished following the Games.
The decision, announced by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, comes following numerous pledges before the 2024 state elections that a new stadium would not be built.
The government had toyed with plans to redevelop the Gabba which was built in 1895 and has staged 67 men’s Test matches but those plans were scrapped following a 100-day review into planning for 2032.
Cricket, which is being held in Los Angeles in 2028 and is likely to be retained in 2032, could be played at the Gabba before the arena is torn down.
Queensland Cricket backed the plans, with chief executive Terry Svenson saying the arena had been a “wonderful venue” but its challenges were “well documented”.
A new 25,000-seater national aquatic centre will be built in Spring Hill near the main stadium, while a new 20,000-seater arena is planned near the main athletes’ village.
The rowing will be held in Queensland’s Fitzroy River, which is known to host saltwater crocodiles but the government says the waters are safe.
The Brisbane Queensland Tennis Centre will receive significant upgrades in order to host tennis events.- BBC
Lakers lose again as NBA play-off race intensifies
The Orlando Magic ended a six-game home losing streak by inflicting a third straight defeat on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Luka Doncic scored 32 points and LeBron James added 24 and eight assists for the Lakers, who led 60-58 at half-time.
However, Orlando outscored the visitors 34-18 in the third quarter and went on to wrap up a 118-106 victory.
Franz Wagner contributed 32 points and nine assists for the Magic, while Paolo Banchero added 30 points and seven rebounds.
The Lakers, who have lost seven of their past 10 games are fourth in the Western Conference with 11 games of the regular season remaining. The top eight qualify for the play-offs and they have eight more wins than the ninth-placed Sacramento Kings.
The Magic occupy eighth spot in the Eastern Conference and have 10 games left.
Elsewhere on Monday, in a match featuring two sides unlikely to make the play-offs, the Dallas Mavericks welcomed Anthony Davis back from injury in a 120-101 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Davis scored 12 points in 26 minutes as he returned from six weeks out with an abductor injury – suffered in his first game for Dallas after his trade from the Lakers in exchange for Doncic.—BBC
