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Live Nation Confirmed To Build $480 Million Gold Coast Venue

Mary Varvaris

If all goes to plan, Gold Coast Arena will open in 2030—two years before the Olympic Games.

Billie Eilish in Brisbane
Billie Eilish in Brisbane(Credit: Henry Wu)

Live Nation have been given the okay to build a $480 million venue in Australia, the Gold Coast Arena.

Over the course of a calendar year, the global tour promoter manages more than 40,000 concerts with over 4,000 artists, including Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Oasis, Metallica and Green Day – all of whom have recently visited Australia.

The promoters are set to build and operate the venue, with plans to be in use during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and then go on to become the Gold Coast’s buzziest arena venue.

Real Commercial and The Courier Mail report that the venue, located at Carey Park in Southport, will have a 12,000-seat indoor capacity.

The AmplifyGC consortium, which includes Live Nation, infrastructure company Plenary Group and construction company Built, will deliver the arena, confirmed Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Additionally, the venue is being designed by Cox Architecture in collaboration with the Danish studio 3XN.

With the project underway, the aim is to ensure artists such as Dua Lipa and Harry Styles no longer skip Queensland on their Australian tours.

According to reports, confirming the AmplifyGC consortium is only phase one of the project. Stage 2 is set to begin next month, with a request for proposal commencing. The final agreement to move forward with the venue is expected to arrive in early 2027, and from there, a three-year construction period is planned.

If all goes to plan, Gold Coast Arena will open in 2030—two years before the Olympic Games. Then, the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place in 2032, and once they’re over, the venue will host upwards of 100 events per year, “for decades.”

Live Nation Senior Vice President for Australia and New Zealand, Guy Ngata, commented on the project, “AmplifyGC’s vision is to shape the next chapter of live entertainment on the Gold Coast.”

“Beyond the Olympics, the arena will position the city as a destination for global touring – driving economic growth, strengthening the region’s cultural life, and giving international and local artists a world-class stage.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate added that the city being home to a “legacy project” is a “sign of the city’s status.”

“We are strategically growing our cultural capital,” Tate began. “Cities around the world increasingly view creative industries as strategic assets for attracting investment, supporting innovation ecosystems and strengthening economic competitiveness.

“The world’s eyes are on the Gold Coast, and the level of interest in this major public infrastructure legacy project is a sign of the city’s status.”

Plenary Group Head of Development Sergio Calcarao said the company will introduce the venue with “fast-tracked delivery” and “world-class operations” that will provide “value-for-money for the city.”