Sun sets on stadium surge
A RESCHEDULED rock concert involving international band Kiss is the only major event locked in for Townsville’s new $300m stadium over the next six months.
The summer shutdown comes as the city’s peak lobby group, Townsville Enterprise, talks up the stadium’s epic success through winter, while others question if anything would have been achieved without the Covid pandemic interrupting other venues.
“We have been in the right place at a challenging time. If you take away the Covid factor, (you would say) we need to work that piece of infrastructure harder,” economist Colin Dwyer said.
The city has been struck by a rainbow through the winter months hosting at short notice a State of Origin rugby league game, Rugby Championship matches and historic double-header rugby Tests involving the All Blacks, Springboks, Wallabies and Pumas.
But the difficulties in attracting major sport and music events have been underscored by the city’s failure to attract a FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup game despite an enlarged 32-team format.
Football Queensland North general manager Declan Carnes said his organisation had lodged a submission to have two teams train in the city ahead of the World Cup and was waiting to hear if it would be successful.
He said he was unsure why the decision was made not to include Townsville as a World Cup venue or by whom, but added: “It’s disappointing, to say the least.”
“There’s definitely an opportunity to get A-league and World Cup teams in regional Queensland. We’d need help from all levels of government to support that,” Mr Carnes said.
Asked what was the best way to maximise use of the stadium and what structures were in place to do that, Townsville Enterprise said the stadium had attracted more than 30 major events attracting over 400,000 patrons.
“The stadium is driving positive benefits for the community as we cement our r position as the home of regional Australia’s best live events and sporting capital of f the North,” CEO Claudia Brumme-smith said.
“We have seen significant support from Townsville City Council and the Queensland government in securing the events held at (the stadium). Townsville Enterprise continues to work closely with local and state governments and Stadiums Queensland to attract a pipeline of events to hold in the stadium.”
Mr Dwyer said having a fund to offset the cost of bringing major events to Townsville would help improve the performance of the facility.
“If we are to compete with the likes of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, we need to look at all of the assets we have and how we package those assets to make them work the best we possibly can to create the most jobs and generate the most income for our economy,” Mr Dwyer said.
Stadium operator Stadiums Queensland was approached for comment.