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Venues of the 2000 Summer Olympics

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2000 Summer Olympics
Stadium Australia (pictured in 2009) hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies, athletics and the football final for the 2000 Summer Olympics

For the2000 Summer Olympics,a total of thirty sports venues were used. AfterMelbournehosted the1956 Summer Olympics,Australia made several bids for the Summer Olympics before finally winning the 2000 Summer Olympics by two votes overBeijing,China.Venue construction was set at theHomebush Bayarea ofSydneyin an effort to rehabilitate the land. Environmental studies of the area in the early 1990s forced remediation to be used for about a fifth of the site selected. Fifteen new venues were constructed for the Games. Many of the venues used for the 2000 Games continue to be in use as of 2020, although some of the pre-existing facilities have been demolished and replaced.

Venues

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Sydney Olympic Park

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Venue Sports Capacity Ref.
Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre Tennis Main Court - 10,000

Court 2 - 4,000 Court 3 - 2,000 Courts 4-10 - 7x 200

[1]
Stadium Australia Ceremonies (opening/closing)
Athletics
Football/Soccer(final)		 115,600 [2]
Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre Field hockey 15,000 [3]
State Sports Centre Table tennis
Taekwondo		 5,000 [4]
Sydney Baseball Stadium Baseball(final)
Modern pentathlon(riding, running)		 14,000 [5]
Sydney International Archery Park Archery 17,500 [6]
Sydney International Aquatic Centre Diving
Modern pentathlon (swimming)
Swimming
Synchronized swimming
Water polo(men's final)		 10,000 [7]
Sydney SuperDome Basketball(final)
Gymnastics(artistic/ trampoline)		 18,200 [8]
The Dome & Exhibition Complex Badminton
Basketball
Gymnastics (rhythmic)
Handball
Modern pentathlon (fencing, shooting)
Volleyball(indoor)		 10,000 [9]

Sydney

[edit]
Venue Sports Capacity Ref.
Blacktown Olympic Park Baseball
Softball		 8,000 (softball)

4,000 (baseball)

[10]
Bondi Beach Volleyball (beach) 10,000 [11]
Centennial Parklands Cycling(road) Not listed. [12]
Dunc Gray Velodrome Cycling (track) 6,000 [13]
Marathon course Athletics (marathon) Not listed. [14]
North Sydney Athletics (marathon start) Not listed. [14]
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Sailing 10,000 [15]
Penrith Whitewater Stadium Canoeing(slalom) 12,500 [16]
Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Water polo 3,900 [17]
Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre Boxing
Fencing
Judo
Weightlifting
Wrestling		 7,500 (weightlifting),
9,000 (judo & wrestling),
10,000 (boxing & fencing) 		[18]
Sydney Entertainment Centre Volleyball 11,000 [19]
Sydney Football Stadium Football/Soccer (women's final) 42,500 [20]
Sydney International Equestrian Centre Equestrian 50,000 [21]
Sydney International Regatta Centre Canoeing (sprint)
Rowing		 20,000 [22]
Sydney International Shooting Centre Shooting 7,000 [23]
Sydney Opera House Triathlon Not listed. [24]
Western Sydney Parklands Cycling (mountain biking) 20,000 [25]

Outside Sydney

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Venue Location Sports Capacity Ref.
The Gabba Brisbane Football/Soccer 37,000 [26]
Bruce Stadium Canberra 25,011 [26]
Hindmarsh Stadium Adelaide 20,000 [27]
Melbourne Cricket Ground Melbourne 98,000 [27]

Before the Olympics

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The Dunc Gray Velodrome (pictured in 2008) hosted the track cycling events for the 2000 Summer Olympics

Australiafirst hosted theSummer Olympicsin1956atMelbourne.The main venue used was theMelbourne Cricket Groundwhich hosted the ceremonies (opening/closing),athleticevents, and the finals for bothfield hockeyandfootball.[28]

Sydneyfirst made preliminary plans for the1972and1988 Summer Olympics,but they were not followed through. Melbourne ended the final process and made a bid for the 1988 Summer Games, but withdrew in February 1981.Brisbanemade a bid for the1992 Summer Olympics,losing out toBarcelona,while Melbourne finished fourth in the bidding for the1996 Summer Olympicswon byAtlanta.The first serious review for Sydney as an Olympic city took place in 1973 on rehabilitating theHomebush Bayarea as an Olympic site, though those plans were not taken seriously until seven years later, when Sydney was making a preliminary bid for the 1988 Summer Games.Nick Greiner,who served asPremier of New South Walesfrom 1988 to 1992, led the effort to use the Olympics as a catalyst for rehabilitating Homebush Bay, forming a review committee on this in 1989. TheAustralian Olympic Committeeendorsed this idea provisionally in December 1990 and officially three months later.[29]

In the bid package submitted to theInternational Olympic Committeefor Sydney, all of the venues would be located within 30 minutes of the Homebush Bay Area, where theSydney Olympic Parkwould be constructed.[30]Sydney was selected 45–43 overBeijingin the fourth round ofexhaustive votingto host the 2000 Games at the IOC Meeting inMonte Carloon 23 September 1993.[31]

For site selection, 760 ha (1,900 acres) of Homebush Bay was selected for use though the area was not planned upon completion until 2010's. Sydney's selection to host the 2000 Summer Olympics changed this. The State Sports Centre opened in 1984, andBicentennial Parkopened four years later. The Sydney International Aquatic Centre and Sydney International Athletic Centre were completed in 1994, but by 1995, it was determined by the Sydney Olympic Organising Committee and the International Olympic Committee that venue works needed to be accelerated.[32]In 1995,Bob Carrwas elected as New South Wales Premier, with one of his first task was to develop a masterplan for venue construction. A plan was approved in February 1996, along with lessons learned from 1996 Summer Olympics, leading to modification of the plan in February 1997. Environmental consideration was taken during site selection and construction, including the planting of 16,000 trees around completed venues once construction was completed.[33]Soil and water testing at Homebush Bay in the early 1990s determined that 9,000,000 m3(320,000,000 cu ft) of domestic, commercial and industrial waste was located on 160 ha (400 acres) of the land, resulting inremediation.[34]Other items involved at the venues were the removal of electrical transmission lines, the development of rail lines near the venues, the construction of a new ferrywharf,and construction of vehicular parking sites.[35]

Fifteen new venues were under construction by 1995, with all of them being completed in 1999. Temporary venues were added for beach volleyball in Bondi Beach and women's water polo pool in 2000,months prior to the Olympics. 40,000 people were involved in venue construction for the Games.[36]

The Stadium Australia was constructed on the site of acattlestockyard before they were sent to theslaughterhouse.Construction was delayed twice before commencing in earnest in September 1996. The stadium was completed in March 1999, and officially opened to the public three months later.[37]The newSydney Showgroundwas built to replace the oldSydney Showground at Moore Park.The old Sydney Showground was first used in 1882 as part of theSydney Royal Easter Show,but was starting to show its age by the 1970s. Construction of the new Showground at Homebush Bay began in October 1997, and was completed for the 1998 Royal Easter Show.[38]The NSW Tennis Centre was constructed on a former home of theAustralian Jockey Clubfrom 1841 to 1869.[39]The Sydney International Regatta Centre was constructed near aquarryinPenrith,a suburb of Sydney. It opened in July 1995, with competition starting eight months later.[40]Penrith Whitewater Stadium was constructed following pleas to the IOC from theInternational Canoe Federationand French PresidentJacques Chiracafter the sport was nearly excluded from the games. Pumps totalling 14,000 L (3,700 US gal) per second delivered the amount of whitewater needed for the slalom canoeing events at Penrith.[41]Holsworthy Barrackswas the original site for the Sydney International Shooting Centre, but that was changed due to the site not being available. This resulted in the organisers renovating an existing shooting range to meetInternational Shooting Sport Federationstandards, a renovation that took eighteen months to complete.[42]Bondi Beach was constructed as a temporary venue between March and November 2000, and took up less than twenty percent of the beach area used.[43]

Test events at the venues ran from September 1998 to August 2000.[44]

During the Olympics

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The Sydney Opera House (pictured in 2005) hosted the triathlon events for the 2000 Summer Olympics

Before the start of thewomen's marathon,street personnel in Sydney had to tow 137 cars that were parked along the course.Japan'sNaoko Takahashiwon the event.[45]

On the last day of the canoeing speed competitions, the last races had to be delayed for a day,by up to 50 mph (80 km/h) wind gusts. The Regatta Center also had lane markers that were damaged and an official's aluminum dinghy sinking.[46]Eight days earlier in the men's rowing coxless four final,Great Britain'sSteve Redgravewon the gold medal in his fifth straight Olympics.[47]

Considered the most difficult route ever in the history of the Olympic Games,the equestrian endurance course event was marked by two serious accidents who led to the hospitalization of two riders and four horses being injured, including one that was subsequently put to sleep.[48]Meanwhile, the individual jumping finals were held in the midst of high winds that forced volunteers to hold down some of the top rails until a rider approached.[49]

After the Olympics

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The Olympic Stadium, nowStadium Australia,continues to be used as of 2024,various capacities that may vary according to the demand of the event. The stadium was reconfigured after the games, making it suitable for rectangular pitch and oval ground sports with the removal of the athletics track and the use of retractable seating.The venue was the main venue of the2023 FIFA Women's World Cuphosting five games and is expected to host some football games at the2032 Summer Olympicswhen the games will be held inBrisbane.Along with soccer, the stadium is used for regular seasonNational Rugby League(NRL) games and theNRL Grand Final.It also hostsState of Originhome games for theNSW Blues,andrugby uniontest matches involving theWallabies.In a deal that ran from 2009 until 2015, the stadium was also host to all home finals for theNSW Waratahsin theSuper Rugbycompetition (the Waratahs normally play at the Sydney Football Stadium). It was also used for theBig Bash LeagueTwenty20cricket games, as well as some games for theSydney SwansandGreater Western Sydney Giantsof theAustralian Football League(AFL) until 2015. Stadium Australia also plays host to various concerts.[50]

The Super Dome, now known asQudos Bank Arena,continues to play host to numerous concerts, award nights and sporting events as of 2017. It currently hostsSydney KingsNational Basketball Leaguegames, having previously done so from 1999 to 2002. It is also the alternate home of theNew South Wales Swifts,who play in theSuncorp Super Netballcompetition, as well as hosting international netball games involving theAustralia Netball Diamonds.The venue hosted the2015 Netball World Cup,with the final attracting a world netball record attendance of 16,752. In 2001, the arena played host to theTennis Masters Cup.The arena also plays host to world championshipboxingandmixed martial arts(used as a venue by theUFC), and is the Sydney venue used on tours of Australia byWorld Wrestling Entertainment(WWE).[51]

Blacktown Olympic Park plays host to competitions forcricket,Australian Rules football,soccer, softball, and baseball.Australian Baseball Leagueteam theSydney Blue Soxplay their home games at theBlacktown Baseball Stadiumlocated at the complex.[52]

Penrith Whitewater Stadium hosted theICF Canoe Slalom World Championshipsin2005.[53]

The Sydney Entertainment Centre, which opened in 1983, continued to be in use until it was closed in December 2015, hosting numerous concerts, sporting events and conventions. It was the home arena for the Sydney Kings, and occasionally played host to both national senior basketball teams, theBoomers(men) and theOpals(women). The venue hosted the1991 World Netball Championshipsand the1994 FIBA Women's World Basketball Championship.The Entertainment Centre was demolished in 2016.

The Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre remained in use until it closed in December 2013, and was demolished in 2014 to make way for the new Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct at Darling Harbour, which was due for completion by the end of 2016.[54]

Sydney Football Stadium, an existing stadium that opened in 1988, continues to be in use as of 2017 by the NRL (including finals),A-League(including finals), andSuper Rugby.The SFS also hosts various concerts, as well as other sporting events such asboxingandRugby sevens.In 2012, it was increased in capacity from 42,000 to 45,500, and after a 2016 proposal to demolish the stadium and replace it with a 55,000 seat venue was defeated in parliament, plans were announced to refurbish the almost 30-year-old stadium.

TheHomebush Street Circuitfor theV8 Supercarswas used at the Olympic precinct from 2009 to 2016. The circuit was designed by former multipleAustralian Touring Car,CAMS Gold StarandBathurst 1000winnerMark Skaife.In 2015, V8 Supercars proposed to shorten the circuit to reduce the event's costs.[55]This proposal failed, and in March 2016, it was announced that the ongoing costs of running the event would result in 2016 being the final running of theSydney 500.[56]

For the venues located outside of Sydney as of 2017, theBrisbane Cricket Ground,more commonly known as the Gabba, continues to play host to international and domesticcricket,and is also the home ground of the AFL'sBrisbane Lions.It is also expected to be the main stadium of the2032 Summer Olympics.Bruce Stadium,now known as Canberra Stadium, is the home venue of the NRL'sCanberra Raidersand Super Rugby'sBrumbies,and hosts occasional international rugby league, rugby union and soccer games.Hindmarsh Stadium(now Coopers Stadium) inAdelaideis the main home venue of the A-League'sAdelaide United FC.Temporary seating used during the Olympics was removed after the games, and the stadium's capacity is now 17,000. TheMelbourne Cricket Ground(MCG) underwent extensive renovations before hosting the2006 Commonwealth Games.Now with a capacity of 100,024, it remains the home of the AFL, as well as international and domestic cricket in Melbourne.

References

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