Wollongong deserves something spectacular with future development of the WIN Sports and Entertainment Centre.
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The point was made during a panel discussion at a Venues NSW Board Business Lunch in the Winners Room in the WIN Stadium Western Grandstand on Monday.
The panel followed a Venues NSW board meeting and luncheon presentations by chief executive and former Edmund Rice College student Paul Doorn and chair Christine McLoughlin.
The comment about the city deserving a spectacular venue was made by former Matilda’s star Amy Duggan during a panel discussion led by Rugby great and Venues NSW director Phil Kearns. And made after it was revealed the process in Newcastle took up to nine years.
Mr Doorn said to accelerate the project it would need a coalition of the willing which was exactly the make up of those in the room at Monday’s lunch.
Ms McLoughlin said the lunch was about getting the interested stakeholders in one room and “really encouraging a constructive process around sharing ideas and thoughts about what is possible and a way forward for the future”.
“We are government owned so it is really about setting up an engagement framework to work up a concept plan. Paul our CEO is leading the work and spending quite a bit of time down here with some of the team to progress that”.
Mr Doorn said the success of concerts such as Elton John and Cher and sporting events such as the Federation Cup and Wigan verses Hull Super League game showed what exciting potential there was in the future of sport and entertainment at the venue in Wollongong.
“You have always got to have your eyes on the future and what kinds of events might be in the pipeline and how you might modify the venue to meet those needs into the future. We are looking at the short term and long term as well,” he said.
Ms McLoughlin said the Elton John concert in particular showed just how the whole precinct and city was willing to come alive so vibrantly for such events.
Which is why Wollongong has a such a good case for investment in further developing the entertainment and sports precinct.
WIN Sports and Entertainment Centre venue manager Marc Swan was also able to give an update of where work was at with improvements to the Northern Grandstand.
The funds were announced by Venues NSW in 2017 and Mr Swan said work would finish in March in time for the Dragons first home game of the 2019 NRL season in April. “The structural steel is being treated an recoated. And there will be new roof sheeting installed”.
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