The Queensland Government Is Moving Ahead with Plans for a New Arena Above Roma Street Station

New York did it. Melbourne did too. And now Brisbane might be joining the fold. We're talking about taking the wasted space above ugly train lines and turning it into something much more exciting — a brand new entertainment precinct, for instance.

If developers AEG Ogden get their Brisbane Live project off the ground, that's exactly what will happen to the high-use transport corridor adjacent to Roma Street Station and the Roma Street Parklands. And, that outcome is now one step closer to becoming a reality, with the Queensland Government announcing that its has committed $5 million towards a business case for the proposed complex.

First announced in 2016 and forming part of the plans for the long-mooted Cross River Rail project — aka the new 10.2-kilometre rail line proposed to run from Dutton Park and Bowen Hills, complete with a 5.9-kilometre tunnel under the Brisbane River and CBD — Brisbane Live is the city's answer to Madison Square Garden and Federation Square. Or, if you like, our version of Los Angeles' LA Live precinct, which the government has also compared it to. If it goes ahead, the site will feature a 17,000-seat live performance arena, plus new hotels, apartment towers and cultural facilities. The existing train station will be torn down and replaced, and the current parklands will gain an extra 12 hectares of public space, including a water-based section.

It's the addition of a huge music inner-city venue — that could be used for concerts as well as sporting events — that's particularly exciting, as well as a much-needed addition to Brisbane. The new venue would put an end to the annoying trek out to Boondall to see high-profile gigs. Plus, it'll also boast a 4000-capacity club, multiplex cinemas, restaurants and bars, as well as a giant screen and amphitheatre catering for around 15,000 people.

And don't forget, convenient public transport options are all part of the package. That's the great thing about building this kind of development on top of a bus and railway station: part of the infrastructure already exists.

So if all goes to plan, we could be saying goodbye to the current unattractive eyesore most Brisbanites avoid if they can help it, and be welcoming the kind of place you just might spend a whole lot of time at in the future. Well, that's if the business case, which is expected to take six months to complete, determines that Brisbane Live should go ahead. The plans are currently under development, but you can get a sneak peak of just what could be in store courtesy of online flyovers available on the project website.