Construction on the new $101 million Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre by BVN Architects has commenced, the first and biggest of four projects to be delivered as part of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Carrara Sports Precinct over the next two years.

The multi-purpose facility, comprising two mixed-use halls alongside elite sports fields, will host the Badminton and Wrestling competitions for the Games. The first indoor hall has 5,000 permanent seats, while the second has about 350 permanent seats with provision for expansion to 5,000 with the addition of temporary seating.

Change rooms, meeting and function areas, and a public plaza with pedestrian access to Carrara Indoor Stadium are also featured in the 8.97 hectare Sports and Leisure Centre, whose roofs will span 92 metres by 67 metres for each hall.

Approximately 1,000 tonnes of structural steel will be used during construction, alongside 5,000 cubic metres of steel reinforced concrete, 15,000 metres square of steel roof sheeting, and 12,000 metres square of timber sports floors.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the commencement of works at Carrara heralded a major ramp up of preparations for the Commonwealth Games.

“The Carrara Sports Precinct will be the centrepiece for the Commonwealth Games and is the most significant venue infrastructure project,” he said.

“While Carrara has undergone a series of redevelopments over the years, this project will transform the area around the stadium into a truly world class sports precinct.”

Hansen Yuncken is the managing contractor of the project, which joins the Carrara Indoor Stadium upgrade of better seatings, new claddings and roof, the $7 million Carrara Stadium upgrade, and the $6 million Southern Sports Fields.