FIGHT FOR THE NIGHT
Push for new ‘night mayor’ to awaken Glitter Strip’s potential
Tourism and city leaders have come up with a bold new proposal to rejuvenate the Gold Coast’s party precinct and bring it into line with major cities around the world.
TOURISM and civic leaders are pushing for creation of a new “night mayor” office to oversee and revamp the Gold Coast nightlife.
The Australian-first position, increasingly popular in major cities across Europe and the US, would be a liaison between businesses and political leaders plus locals tasked with running and boosting the Glitter Strip’s night economy.
With the Gold Coast on the world stage during next year’s Commonwealth Games, city leaders say the time is right to revamp nightlife by bringing it into line with major global cities and turning it into a lucrative economic powerhouse.
Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan is an enthusiastic supporter of the concept and said it would be an important step towards the city refreshing its party precinct offerings and adding to its reputation as a modern 24hour destination.
“We are a holiday and leisure destination and across the whole of our social economy we need to make sure we have entertainment which caters for all levels of people,” he said.
“You cannot have a destination which does not do this and creating the position of night mayor is a way which could help this. It is a good idea because once the kids go to bed, we have things that other people can do and this is an essential part of our economy so we need to boost it.”
The position of night mayor was created in Amsterdam in 2014 and proved so successful in revitalising the evening economy the post was adopted by other major cities.
These include Berlin, Paris, Zurich, Toulouse, New York and London where performer Amy Lame is the “night tsar”.
Overseas, the office of night mayor is a not-for-profit role created to bridge the gap between older political leaders who don’t engage in the nightlife to ensure each party precinct’s offerings were world-class.
Surfers Paradise Licensed Venues Association president Tim Martin said appointing a night mayor was a fantastic idea and Mr Donovan was a genius for suggesting it.
Mr Martin, a 20-year veteran of the Glitter Strip night scene and general manager of The Bedroom and Sin City nightclubs said it was an important part of the tourism economy.
“As much as the Glitter Strip does coexist with the family lifestyle we would love
IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA, I’D LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN.
to have a better voice and someone with a better understanding about how to mix the two together.
“It would be great to have someone a bit more in touch and across what we’re doing and where we’re going.”
Broadbeach councillor Paul Taylor said: “It sounds like a great idea, I’d like to see it happen.”
Mr Donovan said a key “missing piece” of the nighttime economy was more karaoke bars, which he said could prove highly lucrative.
“We need good karaoke bars which can also cater to the up-market Chinese and Japanese visitors,” he said.
“We need better facilities for this because it is a real gap in our entertainment offerings.”
BROADBEACH CR PAUL TAYLOR