Games Village to transform into innovation hub
Plans are underway to turn the Gold Coast into a global hub for innovation as the Commonwealth Games come to an end.
Work will shortly begin on transforming the Health and Knowledge Precinct into one of the most advanced health and knowledge innovation hubs in the Asia–Pacific.
Thanks to the $550 million Health and Knowledge legacy project, the precinct will support thousands of jobs for Queenslanders and generate $2.9 billion for the economy in the next decade.
Minister for Innovation and the Commonwealth Games Kate Jones said investor interest was strong with four sites already earmarked for $200 million in commercial development after the Games.
“Perhaps the greatest legacy of the Commonwealth Games is what we’re doing to make the Gold Coast one of the world’s leading hubs for innovation in the health and knowledge sector,” she said.
“We know that the innovation, technology and health sectors are where the jobs will be in the next 10-–20 years. That’s why we’ve used billions of dollars in Commonwealth Games legacy funding to create the jobs of the future right here on the Gold Coast.”
The new precinct in what is now the Athletes’ Village is located with the Gold Coast University Hospital, the new Gold Coast Private Hospital and Griffith University, forming a unique 200-hectare high-tech hub.
Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the precinct had the potential to become a world-class biomedical and health technology advancement and research centre.
“The precinct is one of the biggest and most exciting legacy investments for the Games, and is expected to support 26,000 full-time jobs once fully developed and occupied,” he said.
“This precinct will house some of Australia’s leading scientists, research institutes and facilities and will act as a drawcard to attract highly skilled workers to Queensland and build job opportunities.”
Dick said work was underway between his Department and Precinct partners to facilitate development agreements with both global and local health and knowledge businesses which complemented the specialised health, research and innovation activities of surrounding facilities.
“We expect the precinct will feature a range of large and small health and knowledge businesses which will seek to either build and own their own facilities or to co-locate,” he said.
GC2018 legacy achievements which will occur post-Games include:
- The Village will be converted by the private sector owner to provide 1252 residential apartments and townhouses and associated retail.
- Seven hectares of parkland adjacent to the Village will be handed over to Gold Coast City Council to manage and be opened to the public.
- 15 individual development sites, yielding up to 200,000 m2 of usable internal space, will be market-ready.
One of the many organisations to move into the precinct will be Griffith University’s Advanced Design and Prototype Technologies Institute (ADaPT) — an $80 million project that will see one of the world’s most high-tech three-dimensional printers installed on-site.
“This 3D printer will be used to print specialist medical instruments and the technology will advance to print body parts like bones and organs for patients down the track,” said Jones.
“And it’s not just the health sector that will benefit from this new technology — Griffith Industrial Design Program Lead Dr Sam Canning designed the world’s first full-length, 3D-printed dress.”
Griffith University Vice Chancellor and President Professor Ian O’Connor AC said the new health and knowledge hub inside what is now the Commonwealth Games Village would be an important part of the precinct in years to come.
“Our new industry-focused Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADaPT) will lead the way in new materials development, 3D modelling and advanced technologies that will transform design, manufacturing and medicine,” he said.
“The legacy of the Games provides a unique opportunity to attract commercial investment into the Gold Coast, attract even more global talent and strongly position Queensland as a key driver of research and innovation in the Asia–Pacific.”
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