AusLeisure

The new North Queensland Stadium needs to be designed to cater for events other than sport to maximise community benefits, according to Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill.

In an apparent first to have the City Council manage the new $250 million venue once it is operational Mayor Hill cited Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin as a local government managed venue that had proven successful in hosting various events.

Mayor Hill told the Townsville Bulletin “we would like to have some faith in Stadiums Queensland that we would have a management structure to ensure we are competitive for events … we’re talking about concerts.

“This is about having management … that is proactive in ensuring the design makes it a venue that is easy for promoters to put on a show.

“We know the old stadium doesn’t fit concert promoters at all because the old stadium was a trotting track that’s been retrofitted as a sporting stadium. The design of the new stadium should incorporate key elements that make it far easier … to stage concerts.”

With Elton John having announced two concerts in Mackay and Cairns later this year, confidence is high in the region that the new venue will be host events in addition to the North Queensland Cowboys NRL fixtures.

Previously promoters have been deterred from taking major acts to Far North Queenland because in the time it takes to get to and from Townsville for a one-night concert they could play two nights in Brisbane or Sydney, to bigger crowds and without the transport and equipment hire costs.

A spokesman for Queensland Minister Michael de Brenni said management had not been finalised.

The spokesperson advised the Townsville Bulletin “Stadiums Queensland can either directly manage venues … or engage specialist industry operators.

“Whichever option is taken, management staff would be based locally. In addition … the Treasurer as Minister for Sport last year appointed a Townsville local, Rabieh Krayem, as a Director on the Stadium Queensland board.” 

A little reported benefit cost ratio (BCR) analysis for the venue, revealed last May, suggested that the new 25,000 seat stadium is not financially viable and will cost taxpayers half a billion dollars in its first 30 years in operation.

Currently, its only certain activities would be an estimated 13 event days a year for the Cowboys’ home games.

13th March 2017 - NRL COWBOYS HOUSE OFFICIALLY OPENED IN TOWNSVILLE

21st February 2017 - SIR ELTON JOHN TO PERFORM LIVE SHOWS IN NORTH QUEENSLAND IN SEPTEMBER

20th December 2016 - COX ARCHITECTURE DESIGN ANNOUNCED FOR NEW $250 MILLION TOWNSVILLE STADIUM 

14th December 2016 - QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT OPENS EOI PROCESS FOR MANAGING CONTRACTOR FOR THE NEW TOWNSVILLE STADIUM 

20th October 2016 - BENEFACTORS THREATEN TO END FINANCIAL SUPPORT AFTER TOWNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL SACKS GALLERY MANAGER

14th October 2016 - FOUR ARCHITECTS SHORTLISTED TO DESIGN THE NEW NORTH QUEENSLAND STADIUM

12th October 2016 - SMALL IMPROVEMENT IN ATTENDANCES AT STADIUMS QUEENSLAND VENUES 

26th July 2016 - DIVERSE ATTRACTIONS UNDERPIN SUCCESS OF DUNEDIN’S FORSYTH BARR STADIUM

10th June 2016 - QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT COMMITS EXTRA $40 MILLION FOR ‘FEDERAL ELECTION DECIDER’ TOWNSVILLE STADIUM 

21st May 2016 - PLANNED NEW TOWNSVILLE STADIUM NOT FINANCIALLY VIABLE 

30th October 2015 - FFA ANNOUNCES MAJOR CHANGES IN DIGITAL AND FAN ENGAGEMENT 

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