GC600 change popular with Surfers traders

THE head of the Surfers Paradise bar lobby says the Southport-based Supercars rock concert had been a “disaster” and is revved up about its relocation to the tourism hub.

Surfers Paradise tourism and bar bosses are welcoming a decision to shift the Gold Coast 600 concert out of Broadwater Parklands to Macintosh Island Park in Surfers.

Supercars this week revealed the change-up for October’s GC600 with the concert involving two simultaneous stages inside the racetrack.

The concert location has previously been criticised by the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce, with the live gigs held in Southport’s Broadwater Parklands from 2014.

Sin City and Bedroom nightclub general manager Tim Martin said the concert should have always been in Surfers Paradise.

“It was a disaster having the concert in Southport where there is nothing open and no real infrastructure,” Mr Martin said.

Mr Martin, who is also president of the Surfers Paradise Licensed Venues Association, said the tourism hub was set up to host large-scale concerts and events, something he said Southport lacked.

“There is so much disruption in the town during the GC600 and the businesses here should be beneficiaries,” he said.

Surfers Paradise Alliance CEO Mike Winlaw said the change was great news for the many night economy traders in the precinct.

“In previous years after the concert we didn’t see the traffic coming back, now that it’s walking distance to many things our night economy will benefit,” Mr Winlaw said.

The GC600 will run from October 25-27 with concert entertainment held each night.

Two stages will feature at the event, with the Hill Stage for all ages and Club 600 as an 18+ zone.

Entertainment on the Hill Stage will feature rock bands Mental as anything, Kingswood and the Vanns while DJ’s Carl Cox and Hot Dub Time Machine will light up the Club 600 stage.

A Supercars spokesman said igniting the Surfers Paradise night economy was “a component” of the reasoning for moving the concert.

“But the overall base premise was to create a festival feel around the event.”