“With our consortia partners,including Live Nation,the world’s leading live entertainment company,we have the expertise,the experience and,critically,the capital to transform this precinct in Brisbane into Australia’s premier entertainment destination with minimal public funding.”
Harvey Lister.
If Lister was concerned about the competition,he did not show it on Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m not at all surprised that people would be trying to jump on board,years down the track from when we conceived the original concept and delivered the solution to the state government,” he said.
“There’s always Johnny-come-latelies who try to jump on.
“We’ll just continue our co-operative interface with the Queensland state government,as we have been doing for many years.”
ASM’s venue portfolio includes Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium and Entertainment Centre,Sydney’s Accor and CommBank stadiums and Qudos Bank Arena,and the RAC Arena and Optus Stadium in Perth.
The Oak View Group has built or renovated several arenas and stadiums across the US in exchange for management rights.
Oak View Group co-founder Tim Leiweke overseeing construction of the UBS Arena in New York in 2020.Credit:Kathy Willens/AP
Just this week,it announced a$200 million renovation of the Baltimore Arena. In return,the city of Baltimore awarded Oak View Group a 30-year lease.
Its investors include Live Nation and private equity firm Silver Lake,which entered the Australian sporting market last year when itbought a 33 per cent stake in the A-Leagues for $140 million.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the Queensland government was investigating investment options for the arena.
“Further development of the design and project documentation is required before a final funding decision is made by the Queensland and Australian governments,” he said.
“A competitive tender process will be the best way to deliver value for money for Queenslanders and to finalise the design,project management and construction delivery phases of the arena’s development.”
Brisbane Live was originally slated to be built above the rail lines between Roma Street station and the CBD,however this mastheadrevealed in July the government was also considering Queensland Police headquarters as an alternative site.
Miles said that process was ongoing.