MAKE THIS AN ELECTION PROMISE
Plans to bring supercars, motocross and 40,000 cap festivals to city will inject $400+ million into economy, only if the Federal Government helps
TOOWOOMBA could be transformed into a tourism mecca if a massive proposal for a motorsport and entertainment precinct is built — and all it would cost the next Federal Government is $40m.
Developer John Wagner (left, with driver Perry Dayas) said a funding commitment for his $170m project should be a promise from both sides at the next election.
Once built, the project could deliver an extra 400,000 tourists to Toowoomba every year.
TOOWOOMBA’S proposed motorsport and entertainment precinct would attract visitor numbers equivalent of four extra Carnival of Flowers to the city every year and inject more than $400 million into the economy annually.
That’s according to developer Wagner Corporation, which is anxious to start soon on the “game-changing” project that could transform Toowoomba into a destination city for international race meets, massive music festivals and weekend warriors chasing thrills and spills.
Based on more than 700 hectares of land just west of Wellcamp Airport, the multi-faceted $170m precinct will include a world-class racing circuit, high-quality viewing areas, driver training centres for trucks, camping grounds for 5000 vehicles, 40,000-capacity open-air amphitheatre, international go-karting complex, motocross track and 4WD experience and training areas.
The city’s economic and tourism leaders have thrown their support behind the concept, urging the Federal Government to provide the final $40m in funding to make it viable.
Wagner Corp chairman John Wagner, whose company will spend nearly $100m of its own money on it, said he wanted to replicate the economic boost from the carnival up to five times a year.
The only way to do that, in his view, is by building world-class infrastructure that could attract top events.
“It’s really important we get this thing built and create more jobs and more opportunities for our region,” Mr Wagner said.
“The Carnival of Flowers brings more than 100,000 to the city, so this is worth four carnivals a year.
“What the carnival did for the Toowoomba community for the month, if you can have four more of those and one or two other smaller events, you won’t know the place.
“It’s really about turning Toowoomba into a destination — on a big weekend for a motorsport event, it’s not unusual to get 250,000 people over four or five days.”
Mr Wagner said it would take two years to build the precinct once the final funding was approved.
Southern Queensland Country Tourism CEO Peter Homan said tourists currently spent about $1000 during an average stay of three to four nights in the region.
He said the precinct would not only grow our domestic market, but also boost Toowoomba’s appeal internationally.
“We currently don’t have much of an international market, and a lot of that is education-driven — it’s hard to get them off the coast,” Mr Homan said.
“We think the entertainment precinct will open that whole market up and put Toowoomba on the map.
“I’ve seen John’s proposal and it’s outstanding — not only will it be a great benefit for the region, but we should be able to leverage off it,” Mr Homan said.
He said the precinct’s offering of attractions based around events and year-round activities made it an ideal tourism driver.
“It’s going to attract all these different people to Toowoomba because there’s all the other side things,” he said.
“The self-drive market is booming and will for the next few years due to Covid-19.”
Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise CEO Ali Davenport said she was excited by how an extra 400,000 people visiting the city could boost regional migration.
“Once people have a good experience, they might come back to live — we hear lots of anecdotal evidence of this,” she said.
“When I first saw the scale of this project, I thought it was the Wagners at their best.
“The number of different ways the facility can be used, not just for motorsport but also driver training, events and conferences, concerts, camping, it speaks volumes about their vision.”