Milton O'Brien leaves behind 'best gig in Wollongong'

Personal and professional challenges lie ahead for WIN Sports and Entertainment Centres marketing manager Milton O'Brien as he prepares for a new life in the Middle East.Mr O'Brien, who has worked at the venue since 1998, said he had seen some remarkable acts and events in the past 11 years."There have been thousands of events, hundreds of football games and millions of people have passed through the doors," he said.Mr O'Brien said the Pink shows in August were "absolutely stand-out". He included the Hawks winning the championship in 2001, as well as concerts by Keith Urban, Matchbox Twenty, Bryan Adams, Powderfinger and Silverchair as other exceptional occasions."It's a tough gig but it's the best gig in Wollongong," Mr O'Brien said of his job.On October 28, he will start in his new role as manager of venues and visitor services at the Aspire Zone in Doha, Qatar. "It's a large multi-venue precinct, with a 50,000-seat football stadium, a number of indoor sporting and entertainment venues, and other facilities including a large shopping mall and a high-quality sports hospital," he said.Mr O'Brien, who has lived in Kiama for the past 18 years, will be accompanied by his wife but will leave behind his son and daughter, aged 19 and 21.Doha, a 50-minute flight from Dubai, is the capital of Qatar on the Persian Gulf."It's a challenging cultural, professional and physical environment but for me it was the right time to do this, both professionally and personally," Mr O'Brien said.