Metricon will be key: Cochrane

EVENTS and promotions guru Tony Cochrane says Gold Coast city and the Suns’ Metricon Stadium base will be critical to Queensland’s 2032 Olympic Games bid getting across the line.

The Gold Coast Suns operate Metricon Stadium and Cochrane, the club’s chairman, said it had a proven track record of delivering and would be important as part of any bid strategy.

“It will be fantastic for the Gold Coast – I am 100 per cent behind it and a big supporter,” Cochrane said.

“Metricon Stadium played a key role in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and highlighted that the Gold Coast can deliver large scale events of the highest quality.

“At the Suns, we want to mean more to the Gold Coast than just being a football club. We want to help the community thrive and showcase it on the national and international stage.

“Last year we showed that we could help keep the AFL premiership season alive, hosting numerous clubs here on the Coast and 42 games at the city’s stadium. As a community we step up to the challenge and we would do that for the 2032 Olympics.

“The 2032 Olympic Games would provide a huge boost to the Gold Coast and the rest of the state, especially through tourism and infrastructure improvements.

“There would be worldwide commentary about our city for the next 10 years, the overall economic benefit for the city would be priceless.”

Mr Cochrane said the Games were within the state’s grasp and needed to be secured for the community, state and Australia.

“We have the facilities, we have the expertise and experience, we have an excellent health and safety record – we are a great option,” he said.

“Lots of sports are going to be big winners out of this, I think lots of young people are going to be big winners out of this not only in SEQ but in Australia generally. My message is that Metricon Stadium and the Gold Coast is ready to play its role in supporting this 2032 Olympic bid and we will do whatever we can to help make it happen.”