Venues of the 2000 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
For the 2000 Summer Olympics
, a total of thirty sports venues were used. After Melbourne
hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics
, Australia made several bids for the Summer Olympics before finally winning the 2000 Summer Olympics by two votes over Beijing
, China
. Venue construction were set at the Homebush Bay area of Sydney
in 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. During the games, 137 cars were removed from the streets of Sydney before the start of the women's marathon while the last day of the canoe sprint finals were delayed six hours to heavy winds at the Regatta Centre. Many of the venues used for the 2000 Games continue to be in use as of 2010.
Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney
first hosted the Summer Olympics in 1956
at Melbourne
. The main venue used was the Melbourne Cricket Ground
which hosted the ceremonies (opening/closing), athletic
events, and the finals for both field hockey
and football
.
Sydney
first made preliminary plans for the 1972
and 1988 Summer Olympics
, but they were not followed through. Melbourne made a bid for the 1988 Summer Games, but withdrew in February 1981. Brisbane
made a bid for the 1992 Summer Olympics
, losing out to Barcelona
while Melbourne finished fourth in the bidding for the 1996 Summer Olympics
won by Atlanta. The first serious review for Sydney as a Olympic city took place in 1973 on rehabilitating the Homebush Bay area 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 as Premier of New South Wales from 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. The Australian Olympic Committee
endorsed this idea provisionally in December 1990 and officially thre months later.
In the bid package submitted to the International Olympic Committee
for Sydney, all of the venues would be located within 30 minutes of the Homebush Bay Area where the Sydney Olympic Park
would be constructed. Sydney was selected 45-43 over Beijing
in the fourth round of exhaustive voting to host the 2000 Games at the 23 September 1993 IOC Meeting in Monte Carlo
.
For site selection, 760 ha (1,878 acre) of Homebush Bay was selected for use though the area was not planned upon completion until 2010. Sydney's selection to host the 2000 Summer Olympics changed this. The States Sports Centre opened in 1984 and Bicentennial Park
opened 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 Organizing Committee that venue construction needed to be accelerated. In 1995, Bob Carr
was 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 led to modification of the plan in February 1997. Environmental consideration was taken during site selection and construction, including the planting of 16,000 around completed venues once construction was completed. Soil and water testing at Homebush Bay in the early 1990s determined that 9000000 m³ (317,831,995.9 cu ft) of domestic, commercial, and industrial waste was located on 160 ha (395.4 acre) of the land, resulting in remediation. 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 ferry wharf
, and construction of vehicular parking sites.
Fifteen new venues were under construction by 1995 with all of them being completed in 1999. Temporary venues were added for beach volleyball and women's water polo in 2000 prior to the Olympics. 40,000 people were involved in venue construction for the Games.
Olympic Stadium was constructed on the site of a cattle
stockyard before they were sent to the slaughterhouse
. Construction was delayed twice before commencing in earnest in September 1996. The stadium was completed in March 1999 and official opened to the public three months later. The Sydney Showground was first used in 1882 as part of the Sydney Royal Easter Show
, but was starting to show its age by the 1970s. Renovation of the Showground began in October 1997 and were completed for the 1998 Royal Easter Show. The NSW Tennis Centre was constructed on a former home of the Australian Jockey Club
from 1841 to 1869. The Sydney Internaional Regatta Centre was constructed near a quarry
in the Penrith
suburb of Sydney, opening in July 1995 with competition starting eight months later. Penrith Whitewater Stadium was constructed following pleas to the IOC from the International Canoe Federation
and French President Jacques Chirac
after the sport was nearly excluded from the games. Pumps totalling 14000 litre per second delivered the amount of whitewater needed for the slalom canoeing events at Penrith. Holsworthy Barracks
was the original site for the Sydney International Shooting Centre, but that was changed to the site not being available. This resulted in the organizers renovating an existing shooting range to meet International Shooting Sport Federation
standards, a renovation that took eighteen months to complete. 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.
Test events at the venues ran from September 1998 to August 2000.
Before the start of the women's marathon, street personnel in Sydney had to tow 137 cars that were parked along the course. Japan
's Naoko Takahashi
won the event.
Canoe sprint events on the last day of the Games at the Regatta Centre were delayed for six hours up to 50 mph (80.5 km/h) wind gusts. The Regatta Center also had lane markers that were damaged and an official's aluminum dinghy sinking. Eight days earlier, they were witness in the rowing men's coxless fours final about Great Britain's Steve Redgrave
winning a gold medal in his fifth straight Olympics.
The endurance course of the equestrian eventing competition led to the hospitalization of two riders and four horses being jured, including one that was subsequently put to death. Meanwhile, the individual jumping final was held in the midst of high winds that forced volunteers to hold down some of the top rails until a rider approached.
that year. The SuperDome, now known as Acer Arena
, continues to plays host to numerous concerts and sporting events as of 2010. Blacktown Olympic Park plays host to competitions for cricket
, Australian Football League
, football, softball, and baseball. Penrith Whitewater Stadium hosted the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
in 2005
. Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre continues to be of use as of 2010. Sydney Football Stadium was first completed in 1988 and continues to be in use as of 2010.
The Homebush Street Circuit
has used the former Olympic precinct since 2009.
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, a total of thirty sports venues were used. After Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
, Australia made several bids for the Summer Olympics before finally winning the 2000 Summer Olympics by two votes over Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Venue construction were set at the Homebush Bay area of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 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. During the games, 137 cars were removed from the streets of Sydney before the start of the women's marathon while the last day of the canoe sprint finals were delayed six hours to heavy winds at the Regatta Centre. Many of the venues used for the 2000 Games continue to be in use as of 2010.
Sydney Olympic ParkSydney Olympic ParkSydney Olympic Park is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney Olympic Park is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW Tennis Centre NSW Tennis Centre NSW Tennis Centre is a tennis venue in Sydney, Australia. It hosted the tennis events for the 2000 Summer Olympics, and each year it hosts the Sydney International in January, before the Australian Open... |
Tennis Tennis at the 2000 Summer Olympics The tennis competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia consisted of singles and doubles events for both men and women.-Medal table:-Events:-References:*... |
10,000 | |
| Olympic Stadium | Ceremonies (opening/closing), Athletics Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, 46 events in athletics were contested, 24 for men and 22 for women. There were a total number of 2134 participating athletes from 193 countries.-Men's events:... , Football Football at the 2000 Summer Olympics The football tournament at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the 20th official Olympic football tournament. A women's tournament was held for the second time.-Medal winners:-Venues:*Olympic Stadium, Sydney*Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney*Bruce Stadium, Canberra... (final) |
110,000 | |
| State Hockey Centre | Field hockey Field hockey at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Men's Tournament:* See also: Men's Hockey at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Group A:-Group B:September 16, 2000September 17, 2000September 17, 2000September 19, 2000September 19, 2000September 19, 2000September 21, 2000... |
15,000 | |
| State Sports Centre State Sports Centre The State Sports Centre is a multi-use indoor arena in Sydney, Australia. It hosted the table tennis and taekwondo events for the 2000 Summer Olympics.... |
Table tennis Table tennis at the 2000 Summer Olympics The table tennis competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics consisted of four events.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:*... , Taekwondo Taekwondo at the 2000 Summer Olympics Taekwondo was contested as an official sport at the Olympic Games for the first time at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. It had previously been a demonstration sport in 1988 and 1992. Medals were awarded in four weight classes each for men and women... |
5,006 | |
| Sydney Baseball Stadium Sydney Showground (Homebush Bay) The Sydney Showground is a purpose built venue used each year for the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Located at Sydney Olympic Park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, it was opened in 1998, as a venue for the 2000 Summer Olympics and to replace the ageing old Sydney Showground at Moore Park... |
Baseball Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the third time an Olympic baseball tournament had been held as a full medal sport, and the ninth time it had been part of the Summer Olympic Games in any capacity. It was held in Sydney, Australia from 17 September through to the bronze and gold medal games... (final), Modern pentahlon Modern pentathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics Final results for the modern pentathlon at the 2000 Summer OlympicsThe women's individual match was newly introduced.Men's held September 30. Women's held on October 1.Shooting, held on 6:45 at the Pavilion 2 Fencing, held on 8:00 at the Pavilion 2... (riding, running) |
21,000 | |
| Sydney International Archery Park Sydney International Archery Park The Sydney International Archery Park was specially designed for archery during the 2000 Summer Olympics. The stadium is located in Sydney Olympic Park.-References:* Volume 1. p. 387.... |
Archery Archery at the 2000 Summer Olympics Archery at the 2000 Summer Olympics was held at Sydney International Archery Park in Sydney, Australia with ranking rounds on 16 September and regular competition held from 17 September to 20 September... |
17,500 | |
| Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney International Aquatic Centre The Sydney International Aquatic Centre is a swimming venue in Sydney, Australia. For the 2000 Summer Olympics, it hosted the swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, the medal events for water polo, and the swimming portion of the modern pentathlon competitions... |
Diving Diving at the 2000 Summer Olympics At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, eight diving events were contested for the first time due to the inclusion of synchronized variants for each of the traditional events... , Modern pentathlon (swimming), Swimming Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, 32 swimming events were contested, between September 15–23, 2000. There was a total of 954 participants from 150 countries competing.-Medal table:-Men:... , Synchronized swimming Synchronized swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics Synchronized swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics was held in the Olympic Aquatic Centre where 104 competitors challenged for 2 gold medals in the duet and team events. Each event was made up of a technical and free routine with the points added together to determine the medalists.-Medal... , Water polo Water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics The water polo competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia saw Hungary’s return to the gold medal platform and the introduction of the women’s tournament... (men's final) |
10,000 | |
| Sydney SuperDome Acer Arena The Allphones Arena is a large entertainment and sporting complex located in Sydney, Australia. It is situated in Sydney Olympic Park, and was completed in 1999 as part of the facilities for the 2000 Summer Olympics.... |
Basketball Basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification matches:-Preliminary round:The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.-Group A:-Group B:-Championship bracket:... (final), Gymnastics Gymnastics at the 2000 Summer Olympics At the 2000 Summer Olympics, three different gymnastics disciplines were contested: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, and trampoline. The artistic gymnastics and trampoline events were held at the Sydney SuperDome on September 16–25 and September 22–23, respectively... (artistic/ trampoline) |
21,000 | |
| The Dome and Exhibition Complex | Badminton Badminton at the 2000 Summer Olympics Badminton was held at The Dome and Exhibition Complex at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney from September 17–23, 2000. The competition included five events .... , Basketball, Gymnastics (rhythmic), Handball Handball at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Medal summary:-References:*... , Modern pentathlon (fencing, shooting), Volleyball Volleyball at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Medal table:-Medal summary:-External links:*... (indoor) |
10,000 |
SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacktown Olympic Park Blacktown Olympic Park Blacktown International Sportspark is a multi-sports venue in Doonside, a suburb in western Sydney, Australia. It includes three baseball diamonds, four softball diamonds, an athletics track and a Australian Rules Football/Cricket ground.... |
Baseball, Softball Softball at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Medals:-Schedule:Starting September 17, there will be four preliminary games each day until September 23 for a total of 28 games.Two semi-final games played September 25, with the game for third place same day. The final game for the gold medal played on September 26 at 7:30pm local... |
8,000 | |
| Bondi Beach Bondi Beach, New South Wales Bondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, Australia. Bondi Beach is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Eastern Suburbs... |
Volleyball (beach) | 10,000 | |
| Centennial Parklands Centennial Parklands Centennial Parklands is the name given to a group of three parklands in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Comprising approximately 360 hectares, the lands encompass Centennial Park, Moore Park and Queens Park and is managed by the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, acting as trustee for... |
Cycling Cycling at the 2000 Summer Olympics At the 2000 Summer Olympics, 3 different Bicycle racing disciplines were contested: Road cycling, Track cycling, and Mountain biking.-Medal table:-Road cycling:-Track cycling:MenWomen-Mountain biking:-References:*... (road) |
Not listed. | |
| Dunc Gray Velodrome Dunc Gray Velodrome The Dunc Gray Velodrome is located at Bass Hill approximately 5 kilometres north west of the Sydney suburb of Bankstown. The Dunc Gray Velodrome was opened on 28 November 1999 and is named after Edgar "Dunc" Gray, the first Australian to win a cycling Gold Medal at the Olympic Games... |
Cycling (track) | 3,150 | |
| Fairfield City Farm Abbotsbury, New South Wales Abbotsbury is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Abbotsbury is located 39 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Fairfield. Abbotsbury is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.... |
Cycling (mountain biking) | 20,000 | |
| Marathon course | Athletics (marathon) | Not listed. | |
| North Sydney North Sydney, New South Wales North Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Sydney is located 3 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney... |
Athletics (marathon start) | Not listed. | |
| Olympic Sailing Shore Base Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales Rushcutters Bay is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rushcutters Bay is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney.... |
Sailing Sailing at the 2000 Summer Olympics Sailing/Yachting is a Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad . With the exception of 1904 and possible 1916 sailing was always a part of the Olympic program.... |
10,000 | |
| Penrith Whitewater Stadium Penrith Whitewater Stadium The Penrith Whitewater Stadium is located near Sydney, Australia. It is an artificial whitewater sporting facility which hosted the canoe/kayak slalom events at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. The facility is part of the Penrith Lakes Scheme, which is converting open-pit sand and gravel mines... |
Canoeing Canoeing at the 2000 Summer Olympics Canoeing at the 2000 Summer Olympics was held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre for the sprint events and the Whitewater Stadium in Penrith for the canoe and kayak slalom disciplines. The repechage rounds that ran from the 1960 to the 1996 Games were eliminated in the sprint events while... (slalom) |
12,500 | |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre The Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre was an aquatics venue located in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia. The original venue was demolished in November 1998 with rebuilding commencing in April 1999. Rebuilding was completed in April 2000 with opening in May 2000. During the 2000 Summer Olympics, it hosted... |
Water polo (women's final) | 3,900 | |
| Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre The Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, is located in Sydney's Darling Harbour near the Central Business District. The building is adjacent to Cockle Bay, Tumbalong Park and the Harbourside shopping centre.... |
Boxing Boxing at the 2000 Summer Olympics The boxing competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney was held over a period of sixteen days at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour... , Fencing Fencing at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Men's events:-Women's events:-References:*... , Judo Judo at the 2000 Summer Olympics -Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-References:**... , Weightlifting Weightlifting at the 2000 Summer Olympics The Weightlifting Competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia saw the introduction of women's weightlifting.-Men's Competition:-Women's Competition:-Participating nations:... , Wrestling Wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics Wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place in the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and was split into two disciplines, Freestyle and Greco-Roman which are further divided into different weight categories. The freestyle competitions were held from September 28 to October 1, and the... |
7,500 (weightlifting), 9,000 (judo & wrestling), 10,000 (boxing & fencing) |
|
| Sydney Entertainment Centre Sydney Entertainment Centre The Sydney Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose venue, located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May 1983, to replace Sydney Stadium, which had been demolished to make way for a new railway. The centre is currently owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, which administers... |
Volleyball (indoor final) | 11,000 | |
| Sydney Football Stadium | Football (women's final) | 42,000 | |
| Sydney International Equestrian Centre Sydney International Equestrian Centre The Sydney International Equestrian Centre is the facility which was used to host equestrian events during the 2000 Summer Olympics.The centre is located 45 kilometres from Sydney's business district and the harbour.... |
Equestrian Equestrian at the 2000 Summer Olympics The Equestrian Events at the 2000 Sydney Olympics included Dressage, Eventing, and Show Jumping. All three disciplines had both individual and team competitions.-Medals:-Event Summary:-Riders:*Imtiaz Anees*David O'Connor *Andrew Hoy*Mark Todd... |
50,000 | |
| Sydney International Regatta Centre Sydney International Regatta Centre 400px|thumb|Sydney International Regatta Centre BridgeThe Sydney International Regatta Centre, located in Penrith, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is a rowing and canoe sprint venue built for the 2000 Summer Olympics... |
Canoeing (sprint), Rowing Rowing at the 2000 Summer Olympics Final results for the Rowing events at the 2000 Summer Olympics:The event is probably most noted for Steve Redgrave's winning his fifth Olympic gold medal in as many games in the British men's coxless four. However, there were a number of other dramatic races. Both the men's and women's single... |
20,000 | |
| Sydney International Shooting Centre Sydney International Shooting Centre The Sydney International Shooting Centre in Cecil Park, New South Wales, Australia was built for the shooting events at the 2000 Summer Olympics. It has also been used for four ISSF World Cup events:* 2000 , all events... |
Shooting Shooting at the 2000 Summer Olympics The shooting competitions at the 2000 Summer Olympics were carried out at the Sydney International Shooting Centre in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia during the first week of the Games, from Saturday 16 September 2000 to Saturday 23 September 2000.... |
7,000 | |
| Sydney Opera House Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957... |
Triathlon Triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics Triathlon made its Olympic Games debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The sport consists of three different disciplines, competed consecutively with no rest between them.The Olympic distances for the three disciplines are:... |
Not listed. |
Outside Sydney
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane Cricket Ground | Football | 37,000 | |
| Bruce Stadium Canberra Stadium Canberra Stadium is a facility primarily used for rugby league and rugby union games, located adjacent to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, the capital of Australia... |
Football | 40,000 | |
| Hindmarsh Stadium Hindmarsh Stadium Hindmarsh Stadium is a rectangular stadium located in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the home of the Australian A-League team, Adelaide United.... |
Football | 20,000 | |
| Melbourne Cricket Ground Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light... |
Football | 98,000 |
Before the Olympics
AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
first hosted the Summer Olympics in 1956
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. The main venue used was the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
which hosted the ceremonies (opening/closing), athletic
Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics
At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, 33 athletics events were contested, 24 for men and 9 for women. There were a total number of 720 participating athletes from 61 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-References:**...
events, and the finals for both field hockey
Field hockey at the 1956 Summer Olympics
The field hockey tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics was contested from November 23 to December 6, with twelve participating teams. Only men competed in field hockey at these Games. India won the gold medal for the sixth successive Games, not allowing a single goal against in the entire...
and football
Football at the 1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Olympic Games football tournament with just 11 competing nations suffered from cancellations. It was an undistinguished tournament that featured mis-matches and walkovers.-Background:...
.
Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
first made preliminary plans for the 1972
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
and 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, but they were not followed through. Melbourne made a bid for the 1988 Summer Games, but withdrew in February 1981. Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
made a bid for the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, losing out to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
while Melbourne finished fourth in the bidding for the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
won by Atlanta. The first serious review for Sydney as a Olympic city took place in 1973 on rehabilitating the Homebush Bay area 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
Nick Greiner
Nicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...
, who served as Premier of New South Wales from 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. The Australian Olympic Committee
Australian Olympic Committee
The Australian Olympic Committee is the National Olympic Committee in Australia for the Olympic Games movement. It is a non-profit organisation that selects teams, and raises funds to send Australian competitors to Olympic events organised by the International Olympic Committee .-Background:The...
endorsed this idea provisionally in December 1990 and officially thre months later.
In the bid package submitted to the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
for Sydney, all of the venues would be located within 30 minutes of the Homebush Bay Area where the Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney Olympic Park is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
would be constructed. Sydney was selected 45-43 over Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in the fourth round of exhaustive voting to host the 2000 Games at the 23 September 1993 IOC Meeting in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
.
For site selection, 760 ha (1,878 acre) of Homebush Bay was selected for use though the area was not planned upon completion until 2010. Sydney's selection to host the 2000 Summer Olympics changed this. The States Sports Centre opened in 1984 and Bicentennial Park
Bicentennial Park, Homebush Bay
Bicentennial Park is a large area of parkland located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Auburn Council. Bicentennial Park is situated on the shores Homebush Bay and is a part of Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales.Bicentennial Park is a 40...
opened 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 Organizing Committee that venue construction needed to be accelerated. In 1995, Bob Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
was 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 led to modification of the plan in February 1997. Environmental consideration was taken during site selection and construction, including the planting of 16,000 around completed venues once construction was completed. Soil and water testing at Homebush Bay in the early 1990s determined that 9000000 m³ (317,831,995.9 cu ft) of domestic, commercial, and industrial waste was located on 160 ha (395.4 acre) of the land, resulting in remediation. 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 ferry wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
, and construction of vehicular parking sites.
Fifteen new venues were under construction by 1995 with all of them being completed in 1999. Temporary venues were added for beach volleyball and women's water polo in 2000 prior to the Olympics. 40,000 people were involved in venue construction for the Games.
Olympic Stadium was constructed on the site of a cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
stockyard before they were sent to the slaughterhouse
Slaughterhouse
A slaughterhouse or abattoir is a facility where animals are killed for consumption as food products.Approximately 45-50% of the animal can be turned into edible products...
. Construction was delayed twice before commencing in earnest in September 1996. The stadium was completed in March 1999 and official opened to the public three months later. The Sydney Showground was first used in 1882 as part of the Sydney Royal Easter Show
Sydney Royal Easter Show
The Sydney Royal Easter Show, also known as the Royal Easter Show or simply The Show, is an annual show held in Sydney, Australia over two weeks around Easter.It is run by the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales and was first held in 1823...
, but was starting to show its age by the 1970s. Renovation of the Showground began in October 1997 and were completed for the 1998 Royal Easter Show. The NSW Tennis Centre was constructed on a former home of the Australian Jockey Club
Australian Jockey Club
The Australian Jockey Club was founded in January 1842. It morphed from the former Australian Racing Committee set up in May 1840 to set the standards for racing in the colony...
from 1841 to 1869. The Sydney Internaional Regatta Centre was constructed near a quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
in the Penrith
Penrith, New South Wales
Penrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
suburb of Sydney, opening in July 1995 with competition starting eight months later. Penrith Whitewater Stadium was constructed following pleas to the IOC from the International Canoe Federation
International Canoe Federation
The International Canoe Federation is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide. It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and administers all aspects of canoe sport worldwide...
and French President Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
after the sport was nearly excluded from the games. Pumps totalling 14000 litre per second delivered the amount of whitewater needed for the slalom canoeing events at Penrith. Holsworthy Barracks
Holsworthy Barracks
Holsworthy Barracks is located in the outer south-western Sydney suburb of Holsworthy. It is part of the Holsworthy military reserve, which has been a training area and artillery range for the Australian Army since World War I. Following World War II it became a major base for the permanent...
was the original site for the Sydney International Shooting Centre, but that was changed to the site not being available. This resulted in the organizers renovating an existing shooting range to meet International Shooting Sport Federation
International Shooting Sport Federation
The International Shooting Sport Federation is an organization that governs international shooting sports. While far from the only such organization, it is the one that is a member of the International Olympic Committee and so it is in charge of the Olympic shooting events. Not all ISSF shooting...
standards, a renovation that took eighteen months to complete. 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.
Test events at the venues ran from September 1998 to August 2000.
During the Olympics
Japan at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Gold:*Naoko Takahashi — Athletics, Women's Marathon*Tadahiro Nomura — Judo, Men's Extra Lightweight *Makoto Takimoto — Judo, Men's Half Middleweight *Kosei Inoue — Judo, Men's Half-Heavyweight...
's Naoko Takahashi
Naoko Takahashi
is a Japanese long-distance runner competing mainly in the marathon. She is widely known for her victory in the women's marathon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, a performance that stands as the current Olympic record. At the 2001 Berlin Marathon, Takahashi became the first woman to break the 2...
won the event.
Canoe sprint events on the last day of the Games at the Regatta Centre were delayed for six hours up to 50 mph (80.5 km/h) wind gusts. The Regatta Center also had lane markers that were damaged and an official's aluminum dinghy sinking. Eight days earlier, they were witness in the rowing men's coxless fours final about Great Britain's Steve Redgrave
Steve Redgrave
Sir Steven Geoffrey Redgrave CBE is an English rower who won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000. He has also won three Commonwealth Games gold medals and nine World Rowing Championships gold medals...
winning a gold medal in his fifth straight Olympics.
The endurance course of the equestrian eventing competition led to the hospitalization of two riders and four horses being jured, including one that was subsequently put to death. Meanwhile, the individual jumping final was held in the midst of high winds that forced volunteers to hold down some of the top rails until a rider approached.
After the Olympics
Olympic Stadium, now known as ANZ Stadium, continues to be of use as of 2010, hosting 213,045 for three nights of AC/DCAC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
that year. The SuperDome, now known as Acer Arena
Acer Arena
The Allphones Arena is a large entertainment and sporting complex located in Sydney, Australia. It is situated in Sydney Olympic Park, and was completed in 1999 as part of the facilities for the 2000 Summer Olympics....
, continues to plays host to numerous concerts and sporting events as of 2010. Blacktown Olympic Park plays host to competitions for cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, football, softball, and baseball. Penrith Whitewater Stadium hosted the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
The ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships are an international event in canoeing organized by the International Canoe Federation. The World Championships have taken place every year in non-Summer Olympic years since 2002. From 1949 to 1999, they had taken place in odd-numbered years...
in 2005
2005 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
The 2005 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium under the auspices of International Canoe Federation...
. Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre continues to be of use as of 2010. Sydney Football Stadium was first completed in 1988 and continues to be in use as of 2010.
The Homebush Street Circuit
Homebush Street Circuit
The Homebush Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit around the former Olympic precinct at Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales. The track was used for the first time at the final round of the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series, the inaugural Sydney 500.-The circuit:The circuit was...
has used the former Olympic precinct since 2009.