When the Gold Coast talks about the 2032 Olympics, there’s a certain kind of tension that makes people lean forward. It’s not the kind of tension that makes people nervous. Major theme parks in the region haven’t had a hard deadline, a captive global audience, or a reason to spend a lot of money in years. The Games give them all of those things.
In January 2026, Dreamworld made the first big move by announcing a formal partnership with the Australian Olympic Committee. It was a smart move for Australia’s biggest theme park—not just a way to boost its image, but also a sign that it wants to be a part of the Olympic experience, not just a background. It’s still not clear what that partnership means in terms of how it works, but the timing was planned. The Gold Coast is already in a battle with Brisbane over who gets to host swimming, hockey, and rowing events. Brisbane hasn’t been very open to the idea.
It was a mess in that fight. The public has criticized Brisbane City Council for not going along with Gold Coast plans. Acting Mayor Donna Gates called it “disappointing” and “unnecessary.” The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, which did a good job with swimming during the 2018 Commonwealth Games, has been suggested as a cheaper alternative to a temporary pool inside a new Brisbane arena. This is a plan that makes a lot of sense. Leisel Jones, a former Olympian, has said in public that she doesn’t see why something temporary needs to be built on the Glitter Strip when there is already world-class infrastructure there. Not much can be said against that.
This political tug-of-war is more important for the theme parks than it might seem. If major swimming or hockey events are held on the Gold Coast, the focus of visitors during the Games shifts much farther south. Families coming to Queensland for a week from Europe, Asia, and North America don’t just watch sports all the time. They fill in the gaps at theme parks, and parks that are close to the action usually get the most out of them. When put in this light, Dreamworld’s Olympic tie-in starts to make more sense.
Both Warner Bros. Movie World and Sea World, which are run by Village Roadshow, have been busy as well. Along the M1 corridor, infrastructure investment has continued in the background, and there’s a feeling in the industry that the parks are getting ready for a lot of international visitors they haven’t had to deal with before. As an example, the 2018 Commonwealth Games showed what that might be like. Since then, most people agree that the Gold Coast didn’t realize how many tourists would wander between events and attractions if they had the time.
The bigger picture of planning for the Olympics is still very complicated. Premier David Crisafulli of Queensland broke a campaign promise about building a stadium when he announced the Victoria Park development in Brisbane. At the same time, he reportedly sent sports like rowing and archery to regional cities, even though the relevant sporting bodies were against it. The Gold Coast’s plan for a 12,000-seat arena in Southport is moving forward. In March 2026, a shortlist of developers will be announced, but the cost will be covered by the city’s ratepayers. That’s a political touchy thing that Mayor Tom Tate has brought up.
It’s clear that the Gold Coast is being overlooked and underserved by Brisbane’s Olympic machinery, while at the same time making quiet investments in its own position. The theme parks understand that dynamic well. No matter if the venue decisions end up favoring the coast or not, the parks that have been preparing for the six years of extra attention will be the ones that benefit the most. There has always been competition. The Olympics are just setting a due date.
