That "high stakes" call is indicative of the simmering tension between Brisbane City Council and the Palaszczuk Government, sources suggest.

The Maroon CityGlider carries 1.2 million passengers a year, but the state-government transport body Translink refuses to pay for it, deputy mayor Cr Adrian Schrinner said.

Brisbane City Council's senior councillors are still seething at the Queensland Government's indifference to the Council having to close William Street for six years and pay the $10 million in costs for changes to 11 inner-city intersections and re-routing 50 bus services to allow the multi-billion new casino and hotel development to go ahead.

Cr Schrinner was asked on Tuesday night where Brisbane City Council might cover the $10 million in costs for the Queens Wharf Road roadworks, where William Street is closed for six years.

"I don't want to have to cut bus services, I don't want to have to cut ferry services and I don't want to have to cut bikeway projects," Cr Schrinner said.

"But ultimately this decision by the state government – or the lack of action – might push us into those kind of decisions," he said.

He said options to save ratepayers the $10 million included cancelling services funded exclusively by Brisbane City Council; the City Loop bus service, the Spring Hill Loop bus service or the Maroon City Glider.

Cr Schrinner said most bus services were subsidised "around 65 per cent" by the state government, with Brisbane City Council, funding the rest.

"In cases like the Maroon City Glider the service is 100-per-cent funded by council and that costs us over $5 million a year," he said.

Cr Schrinner said it was one of the "better performing routes right across the city" and carried 1.2 million passengers a year.

"We shouldn't have to consider cutting this service, we shouldn't have to consider making these service cuts," he said.

Cr Schrinner said Brisbane City Council was concerned at "$5.2 million in Translink underpayments", the call-in of the West Village development at West End after it had been approved by Brisbane City Council, and the state government's indifference shown to Council bearing the $10 million in costs.

"This is becoming a really concerning pattern and I am really worried that if the state does not meet its obligations council will have to make some very difficult and controversial decisions," he said.

State Development Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said Brisbane City Council must appreciate it would receive additional revenue for rates when the George and William Street properties were improved in 2022.

"As the site was previously under-utilised State land, the project will boost council revenue from rates and charges from about 1100 new residential units, around 900 hotel rooms and from around 50 new bars and restaurants," Dr Lynham said.

He said the immediate area would also receive additional "high-end commercial and retail outlets."

He said the successful consortium was already co-investing with Brisbane City Council's tourism arm, Brisbane Marketing, to "attract international events' to Brisbane.

"As well, the consortium will maintain and manage the public realm, footpaths and heritage buildings, which will no longer cost ratepayers or taxpayers."

Meanwhile a spokesperson for Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, replying on behalf of Translink, questioned claims for an additional $5.2 million for bus services running longer than the timetables suggested.

"The Brisbane City Council's contribution to running Brisbane's buses has fallen from 40 percent of the total cost in 2004-05 to only 22 percent last financial year," the spokeswoman said.

"That means, as a funding split, the State Government contributes $297.53 million towards buses or 78 percent of the total cost, compared to $81.9 million from council which only covers 22 percent of the funding amount."

There was no comment about bus services running up to 25 minutes over time.

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