As Australia looks forward to hosting the 2032 Olympics, it is an opportune time to reflect on the hard edges of mega-event soft power in the land down under, especially in relation to Brisbane’s experience with Expo 88. This chapter provides a brief review of the history of Australian mega-events, including international exhibitions and the Olympic Games. It then applies a lens of Potemkinism to Brisbane, the Queensland state capital, and the surrounding region that will host the XXXV Olympiad. The golden glow associated with this event conceals a complex and contested history of neoliberal ambitions, demolition, and displacement. That Queensland is already a destination for domestic and international tourists and retirees, has not made hosting the 2032 Olympic Games any more palatable. Queensland’s history of mega-events demonstrates how the state uses unique funding opportunities and moments of regulatory power to address not only the event at hand but to execute larger priorities related to infrastructure, economic development, and land use.