A new $2 billion ultra-entertainment precinct will come up on the site of the Brisbane Transit Centre after it is demolished in 2020. The Brisbane Transit Centre is considered one of the ugliest building clusters in the city and well past its prime. The demolition will make way for Cross River Rail’s new underground Roma Street Station and Brisbane Live.
Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad announced that the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project would transform the western gateway to the city and deliver the proposed Brisbane Live development. The Roma Street Station is a key link between the city centre, Roma Street Parklands, Spring Hill’s schools, Caxton Street, the Petrie Barracks, Suncorp Stadium, and the cultural precinct at South Bank. The new station will be used by more than 230,000 commuters every week.
Preliminary works on the site will begin in 2019 and the demolition will take place in late 2020.
The Brisbane Live arena is being developed by AEG Worldwide and consultancy firm Deloitte has been appointed to the urban renewal project with sport and architecture firm Populous engaged to design the arena. The architecture firm has previously designed the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and London’s O2 Arena.
Brisbane Live is being planned as an 18,000-seat world-class arena in the Roma Street precinct, which is expected to become Queensland’s premier entertainment venue hosting major live concerts and sporting events.