Wollongong billionaire Bruce Gordon is throwing his weight behind the push for a convention centre in his favourite city.
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Mr Gordon said he lives in Bermuda but his heart is always in the city he first visited doing a magic act seven decades ago when he was 17.
The WIN Corporation boss has been investing in property ever since and often talks to people about what the city needs.
He has been doing that a lot recently as he decides what to do with a major redevelopment of a whole city block he is planning on a prime commercial real estate site just west of the mall on the southern side of Crown St. In the process he said one thing had become very clear. It might not necessarily be on the site he is going to develop but he said “we need a convention centre. We are only 80 kilometres from Sydney but conventions are all going to places like Newcastle”.
Mr Gordon said the reason Wollongong does not presently get more conventions is because it does not have a large enough convention centre.
“And secondly we don’t have a hotel that we can put 600 or 800 people in who come and visit conventions,” he said.
Mr Gordon said he was also particularly keen to get the right kind of development happening in the prime area he is looking to redevelop soon just above Crown Street Mall. He said he had been acquiring property in that area for many years. And with so many good things happening in the city recently now is the right time to move.
“Crown Street is a big project which we are just about ready to really get really serious about..because that is a whole city block,” he said.
Mr Gordon said he wants to redevelop the whole area.
“We bought them one after the other...the NRMA building and different buildings over the years. Right now we are having discussions with various people about what Wollongong needs,” he said.
It may not be on his site but one thing Mr Gordon is sure about is Wollongong does need a major convention centre near the city centre. “I think a development here could do something in that area. We are actually talking to some people at the moment as to what size convention centre Wollongong really needs. When you look at them around the world they can usually handle a few thousand people”.
Mr Gordon also thinks it is important to keep improving existing amenities and facilities. He said that was one of the reasons why he provided ongoing support to the WEC, WIN Stadium and IPAC. He said it was great to see the Hawks doing so well at the moment and and the future of the Dragons was also important. He is also keen to support an A-League team.
Read this Saturday: Bruce Gordon and Geoff Phillips celebrate milestones.
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
