260,000 seats, 9,853 whistles and one enormous opportunity for Queensland businesses

Brisbane 2032 might be six years away, but opportunities for Queensland small businesses are already knocking. And they’re coming from more directions than you might think.

When you think about the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, you probably picture packed stadiums, world-class athletes and Queensland on the global stage.

But what about the 600 washing machines? The 4,000 cars? Or the 180 kilometres of temporary fencing?

These were just some of the extraordinary numbers shared by Brisbane 2032 Director of Community Affairs Dominique Lamb at Food & Hospitality Queensland, held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Presenting Brisbane 2032: A Games for Queensland in partnership with the Queensland Hotels Association (QHA), Lamb offered hospitality operators a glimpse of what’s required to deliver the world’s biggest sporting event.

And if there was one message to take away, it was this: Brisbane 2032 isn’t one opportunity. It’s thousands.

The scale is staggering

Brisbane 2032 is preparing to welcome approximately 10,500 Olympic athletes from 205 nations, with an estimated 12.5 million tickets across the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Behind every sporting moment sits an extraordinary logistical operation, including:

• 180 kilometres of temporary fencing
• 260,000 temporary seats
• 600 washing machines
• 4,000 cars
• 5,084 medals
• 9,853 whistles
• Around 100,000 contractors

And that’s before the accommodation, food, transport, cleaning, security and entertainment required to bring it all together.

Even something as straightforward as a medal creates opportunities for designers, manufacturers, ribbon suppliers and accessibility specialists.

There’s more than one front door

One of Lamb’s most compelling insights was that the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee is just one entry point into an enormous ecosystem of opportunity.

While the committee will stage the Games, venues and infrastructure sit with government and other partners.

International sporting teams are already exploring Queensland facilities for pre-Games training camps, bringing demand for accommodation, nutrition, transport and local services.

International delegations will establish hospitality houses, sponsors will create activations and contractors will engage their own suppliers.

For Queensland businesses, the next Games-related opportunity might come through an existing customer, a new partnership, a government project or an international team.

Many won’t come with an official Brisbane 2032 contract attached.

Small business, big opportunity

For businesses wondering whether they’re big enough to participate, Lamb offered encouraging evidence.

At Paris 2024, approximately 83 per cent of suppliers were small and medium enterprises.

Brisbane 2032 is actively targeting small businesses, First Nations businesses, veteran-led businesses and social enterprises.

Its procurement approach allows businesses to express interest in supplying part of a requirement rather than an entire contract, opening the door to smaller operators and specialist suppliers.

The message? Don’t rule yourself out before exploring the possibilities.

The opportunity starts long before 2032

For Queensland’s hospitality and tourism industries, the Games represent far more than a few weeks of increased visitation.

With 16 co-host cities, including 14 in Queensland, the opportunity extends well beyond Brisbane.

Lamb highlighted international hospitality houses, where nations transform venues into temporary cultural and entertainment destinations.

Think restaurants, bars, live entertainment and national celebrations, all requiring local knowledge, services and suppliers.

Of course, capitalising on these opportunities requires preparation, from workforce availability and trading hours to licensing and supply chain capacity.

It’s where organisations like QHA have an important role to play, ensuring hospitality operators have a voice as Games planning progresses.

Brisbane 2032 has already commenced procurement engagement, with opportunities evolving as plans are confirmed.

The stadiums, ceremonies and sporting triumphs will capture the world’s attention in 2032. Behind them will be thousands of businesses bringing the Games to life.

And for Queensland businesses, there are already thousands of reasons to start paying attention.