Interim Head of Games Venue Authority Announced

The interim chief executive for Queensland’s independent Games Venue and Legacy Delivery Authority has been announced.

Emma Thomas will lead the authority, which is tasked with delivering new and upgraded venues to be used during the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and to then provide significant community benefit right across Queensland.

Thomas will bring decades of experience to the role, according to Queensland Premier Steven Miles, who announced the appointment late on May 27, including senior positions at Boeing, the governments of South Australia, Queensland, and the ACT, and most recently as chief executive of the Sunshine Coast Council.

She has also served as a non-executive director for Aviation Australia and participated on the Minister’s Defence Advisory Council for Queensland.

Thomas had previously accepted a role as the new chief executive of Seqwater. Before taking up this role, she will first serve as the interim chief executive of the Games Venue and Legacy Delivery Authority until a permanent chief executive is appointed. Seqwater has an acting chief executive and interim arrangements in place.

She is due to take up the Games role on July 1.

Tenders for 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games venues opened on May 20.

As reported in The Urban Developer, the expressions-of-interest campaigns was launched for the Sunshine Coast Stadium and Chandler Indoor Sports Centre and precinct works on that date, while the Sunshine Coast Indoor Sports Centre is to go to market in August.

The Aquatic Centre at Chandler and the Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre will be launched next year, in a phased approach the Miles Government said was favoured by the industry.