Brisbane On Countdown to Goodwill Games
Brisbane is now in countdown mode with just one year to go until the most elite invitation-only sporting event in the world – the 2001 Goodwill Games.
From August 29 to September 9 next year, the world’s best athletes will be in Brisbane to compete in 14 high profile sports including athletics, swimming, figure skating and gymnastics. Meanwhile, Surf Lifesaving will make its Goodwill Games debut as a medalled sport at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast.
The top athletes and teams in each sport will be invited to compete in the 2001 Goodwill Games Brisbane based on their performances at events such as the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and the relevant sports’ World Championships.
The 2001 Brisbane Goodwill Games will bring an explosion of activity to the city, with Brisbane’s major hotels preparing for the influx of athletes, officials, media and other Games’ associated traffic.
As many as 13,000 people will be accredited for the 2001 Goodwill Games including athletes, officials, the media and volunteers.
A total of $4.75 million will be spent to upgrade Brisbane’s major sporting venues including ANZ Stadium and the Chandler Velodrome in preparation for the world class competition during the Games.
The Chandler swimming pool has already received a face-lift with new bucket seating and new tiles on the pool deck.
The 2001 Goodwill Games will be broadcast in the U.S. on TNT (Turner Network Television and internationally syndicated worldwide to a potential television audience of 450 million households through Turner Broadcasting Systems (TBS), while the Nine Network will broadcast the Goodwill Games to Australian viewers.
South Bank will become the Goodwill Games hub, with the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre housing six sports including basketball, boxing and gymnastics. The South Bank Piazza will be converted into a world class beach volleyball arena and the parklands will come alive with live entertainment and public celebrations.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie says the state has a proven track record of hosting world class events, with the 2001 Goodwill Games Brisbane the jewel in the crown for the new millennium.
‘The event will have a terrific impact on the city of Brisbane come Games-time. Meanwhile, the Gold and Sunshine Coasts will be ideal destinations for people wanting to combine a beach holiday with the sporting experience of a life-time,’ said Mr Beattie.
‘It’s a mammoth task to bring a sporting event of this magnitude together, but the end result will enrich Queensland’s reputation both here and overseas.
‘The 2001 Goodwill Games will leave a legacy of improved sporting facilities, an increased international profile for tourism and business and I am sure, many cherished memories for those who will see their sporting heroes competing in their own backyard,’ he said.
2001 Goodwill Games Brisbane
SPORT VENUE
Athletics ANZ Stadium
Basketball Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC)
Beach Volleyball South Bank Piazza
Boxing BCEC
Diving Chandler Aquatic Centre
Figure Skating Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall
Artistic Gymnastics BCEC
Rhythmic Gymnastics BCEC
Surf Lifesaving Kurrawa Beach – Gold Coast
Swimming Chandler Aquatic Centre
Trampoline BCEC
Track Cycling Chandler Velodrome
Triathlon TBC
Weightlifting BCEC
Source: Goodwill Games