REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday, June 4, 2005

BUSINESS and sporting leaders across the region called on the council to get its act together and move faster on the stadium.

But the council hadn’t even spoken to the owner of the land it wants.

Despite a general agreement that a Robina site, owned by Robina Land Corporation (RLC), was the best option for an NRL stadium, negotiations over the land were yet to begin.

RLC chief executive Richard Wyatt said he had not heard from the council in months.

“No one here has. We honestly don’t know how serious the council is about the Robina site,” said Mr Wyatt.

He was ‘pretty neutral’ on whether to develop the land, which is near the Robina train station, or sell it to the council.

“If we sell the land we lose a development opportunity. It’s not a particularly good deal,’’ he said.

“But we would do that in the interests of the Gold Coast.

“We need an approach from the council though.’’

Astounded business leaders claimed the council was wasting time on one of the region’s most important opportunities.

The revelations came after Treasurer Terry Mackenroth, who offered to build the stadium if the council coughed up the land, urged the council to get a move on and make a decision.

Mayor Ron Clarke said the council had not needed to speak to the land owner yet, although it was ‘progressing’ on the stadium issue.

“We haven’t needed to talk with him (Mr Wyatt). When we next talk to him it will be about money,’’ he said.