COWBOYS’ $5M BOOST
Cash takes centre to ‘next level’
VIRTUAL reality field kicking, a reconfigurable indoor training field, a sports research facility, a climate-controlled training room and rehab facilities are now on the cards for the Cowboys Community Training and High Performance Centre following an additional $5 million State Government investment.
The multi-million-dollar centre will become the home of the North Queensland d Cowboys come February 2021, if everything goes to plan.
Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel said “save a monsoon” at the end of the year, the team would officially move in by the end of February.
“I think it’s really important portant that we make that move before the season starts in 2021 and not disrupt our preparations for the year,” he said.
Cowboys’ chairman Lewis Ramsay said the additional funding would allow them to take the development to the “next level”.
“The Cowboys think that this will be a centre for the entire community and for Townsville to benefit from,” Mr Ramsay said.
“We believe that international sporting teams will be attracted to Townsville with a fantastic stadium like Queensland Country Bank behind us and this new state of the art training centre.”
Mundingburra MP Coralee
O’rourke said the project would continue to be a boost for the Townsvil Townsville community, including creating 80 jobs during the construction.
“We are happy the Cowboys are achieving their vision in building this state-of-the-art facility, which will benefit not only the club but the entire community,” she said.
Townsville MP Scott Stewart said the new facility would bring more life to Townsville’s CBD and create construction as well as ongoing jobs for the community.
The project has also received a $20 million Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility loan and a $15 million Federal Government grant.
James Cook University head of sport and exercise science associate professor Fiona Barnett said the university already had research projects with the Cowboys but this facility would help them expand their relationship.
“We’re really looking to increase that area of research not only with elite athletes, but with grassroots level sport, and even with the community at large,” she said.