COWBOYS ON TRACK
THE Cowboys say their new $40 million Community, Training and High Performance Centre is on track for a blockbuster opening in early 2021.
Construction at the complex has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is projected to create more than 200 full-time jobs and contribute $71.1 million in output for local businesses.
The centre, which will sit adjacent to Queensland Country Bank Stadium, is on 17,000 sqm of land leased from Townsville City Council, and will house the Cowboys’ multi-sport high-performance training spaces, sports medicine and sports science laboratories, and a community training field.
The Cowboys are partnering with James Cook University in the complex, which will also house the club’s operations and combine community areas.
“We’ve had to m a k e c e r t a i n a d j u s t - ments to it, but t h o s e adjustments are cosmetic, and we’re still very happy with it,” Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel told the Townsville Bulletin.
“It’s going to be ready by early 2021. It’s very important we have it ready before the start of when the 2021 season will be played.
“We know how integral the centre is to the long-term sustainability of our club. This facility will create a state-of-the-art, high-performance training environment for our team and will help us retain and recruit the best talent available to ensure we’re a competitive force for many years to come.”
Staged funding for the project was secured through a $15 million Federal Government grant, a $20 million loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) and philanthropic investment from club supporters.
The Cowboys have stood down 80 per cent of their playing staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and the club’s playing squad is training in isolation ahead of the NRL’S season restart on May 28.
“Under the conditions of our funding, the investment for our new centre has been ‘quarantined’ from our day-to-day operations, which has guaranteed that the benefits for the club and our commun
ity will continue to flow now and into the future,” Mr Reibel said.
“We’re operating with uncertainties and are a business that depends on the generous support of our partners, members and patrons for our team and community programs.
“We’ve had an increased focus on securing our sustainability on and off the field over the last few months, and our new Community, Training and High Performance Centre is a huge part of the club continuing to move forward as our time at our current HQ in Kirwan comes to an end.”
Mr Reibel said the centre would also provide a crucial service to the wider sporting community.
“It will be able to be used by community teams, for example if there is a very large soccer carnival, there is the ability for teams to use the facilities.
“Teams, clubs and individuals will see Townsville as a sporting destination, so there will be a strong flow-on effect for Townsville.
“It’s an important part of why the centre is there.”
Project advocate and Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson said investment projects like the Community, Training and High Performance Centre were vital to the region’s recovery POST-COVID.
“I’m passionate about the Cowboys as my rugby league team, but I’m even more invested in the prosperity and economic health of our region, and this project represents both,” Mr Thompson said.
“We’re looking very closely at the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on local employment and the 58 full-time jobs this centre will support from 2022 – that’s $4.4 million in wages and salaries – will be part of our road ahead, on the back of the 213 full-time jobs involved in construction.
“Its flow-on impact for local business ($14 million) and our gross regional product ($7.2 million) puts the new centre firmly on our recovery blueprint.”