Coast ‘languishing behind’ other regions in events sector, says former mayor

A push for a large-scale events centre on the Sunshine Coast has intensified amid claims more than 100,000 people support the proposal.

But the Department of Tourism says there is no need for an events centre until at least 2038.

Former Maroochy Shire mayor Alison Barry-Jones, the current chair of the Sunshine Coast Arts, Convention and Entertainment (ACE) Centre Association, urged levels of government to build a venue soon.

“Sunshine Coast Council, government and key stakeholders must ensure the proposed centre gets off the ground in time to maximise opportunities from the fast-approaching 2032 Olympics,” she said.

“The Olympics will inject more than $8 billion into the economy, and the Sunshine Coast needs to be ready to diversify our community infrastructure offerings and reap the returns.”

The council’s plans for the Maroochydore city centre include potential for events spaces but detail is limited.
But Ms Barry-Jones said the region required a facility.

“An operational arts, convention and exhibition centre is what we desperately need to breathe life into our new city centre, drive and enrich our region’s economy, and boost corporate tourism,” she said.

“Other smaller regions across Queensland have long enjoyed the financial, economic and social benefits this type of infrastructure delivers. The Sunshine Coast is languishing behind socially, culturally, commercially and economically.”

She claimed there were more than 100,000 signatures of support for an events centre, from residents and community leaders, during the past four decades. She said an “overwhelming” number of signatures were sent to Canberra in a bid to prompt the federal government to act.

Ms Barry-Jones said ACE executives were due to meet with mayor Rosanna Natoli for discussions this weekend. She said a $220 million centre was possible with the support of benefactors, joint ventures and contributions from tiers of government.

She also said the state government’s SEQ City Deal, which includes major grants for infrastructure, could be utilised.

“There is money there and we need to fight for it,” she said.

A council spokesperson said an “exhibition and convention facility” was “proposed as part of the vision for the city centre” and an accessible location for it had been earmarked.

“As part of a recent amendment to the development scheme for the area, its proposed site was improved to be co-located with a future transit station that will better enable visitors to access by public transport,” they said.

“This would also locate the exhibition and convention facility near the gateway to the city heart.”

But there are no details regarding design, costs or timing, and the wording for the planned venue did not include “entertainment”.

The updated scheme, published in March, did however state there could be areas for entertainment within the city centre, including an amphitheatre and a possible “sport, recreation and entertainment facility”.

The state MP for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson said an events venue would bolster the region, but there were more pressing matters.

“I support a Sunshine Coast arts and convention centre, but the first priorities are funding and action to address health, housing, cost of living and crime, as well as transport infrastructure,” she said.

“Maroochydore does need a facility to host major events for arts, sports and conventions, with a plan that allows it to start at an affordable level. However, that hasn’t been the case with the proposals put forward to date costed at more than $200 million and up to $300 million.

“There must be work done to rescope the arts and convention centre to have a more affordable, achievable first stage, with support from all three tiers of government and the private sector.

“That’s what has happened in nearly every region with a facility: they start at a lower level and then they grow as funds are available.

“I had hoped this could be achieved here by using some of the Olympic funding for basketball and multi-use community facilities on a first-stage facility in the Maroochydore CBD, but this wasn’t agreed to by the council or the state and those funds have gone to the Kawana sports field for a dedicated basketball stadium.”

Ms Simpson said access to the city centre would need to be improved.

“The state and federal government ripped funding out of the Mooloolah River Interchange project a few months ago, which has a damaging impact upon accessing Maroochydore,” she said.

A heavy rail line is expected to be built to the city centre but design is yet to be finalised, costs are sky-high and there is no time frame for it.

A Department of Tourism spokesperson said there was no requirement for a convention and entertainment centre in the region.

The department last year published findings from the Queensland Conventions Sector Review, which assessed future needs and event demand, gaps in service delivery and opportunities for investment.

“The review found current centre supply is expected to meet demand until 2038, with no pressing need for new or expanded convention sector construction,” the spokesperson said.

“The review recommended any proposals for new centres undertake a detailed investigation of anticipated demand, specifically around how these centres would attract new interstate or international business to Queensland.

“It also recommends that, if seeking government funding, the proponent must demonstrate a significant co-investment and a clear demonstration of the state-wide economic and social benefits.”

The region’s leading tourism body Visit Sunshine Coast and the company tasked with delivering the city centre, SunCentral, were approached for comment.