Marina boss: Axed expo did its job

GOLD Coast City Marina CEO Trent Gay said the precinct’s axed boat expo helped “breathe life” into a sector on its knees.

Mr Gay’s shipyard and marina, the city’s biggest, was a key backer of the Gold Coast International Boat Show and Marine Expo when it started seven years ago.

The upcoming March 2018, event has been halted, with organisers citing space issues due to bustling activity in the Coomera precinct and the interruption to businesses from putting it on.

Mr Gay said he was proud of what the Expo achieved for the boating industry and its aim had been to breathe life back into an industry hit hard by the Global Financial Crisis.

“Look at the Gold Coast Marine Precinct today and there is absolutely no doubt this is exactly what we achieved as a result of this event.

“The Gold Coast is certainly well recognised as the nation’s major marine industry hub, our shipyard is experiencing record growth and our on-site trades at (the marina) are in expansion mode – the industry is buzzing, it’s exciting and we really believe this event has been a major part of the recovery process,” Mr Gay said.

“At a time when the industry was on it’s knees we were all able to dig deep and work together to create an event for the industry, by the industry, which has since created enormous growth and employment opportunities – well beyond what we could have envisaged back in 2011.