By BENNY PIKE
PRESENTLY the entire Sunshine Coast is in the grip of the Event fever, each time you pick up a paper, listen to radio or watch local news there seems to be another event, whether it be sport, music, festival or schools locked into our calendar. Sunshine Coast Council has the man for all seasons Councillor Jason O’Pray banging a drum on how economically beneficial to the locals the new event will be.
While I’am delighted that finally council has realised the opportunities, I would like to point out the role Tewantin local Rick Cooper played in the beginning. It was 2004, Rick was Chair of the Noosa Tourism group and leading the way with the Tourism levy funding. You may remember, Noosa had no sand and was struggling attracting the tourist dollar. In his straight shooting leadership, Rick realised something had to be done, and Events was the answer.
Noosa needed to draw people on a regular basis and not rely on the holidays or the traditional functions. His basic common sense approach was to first look after the current events and set them to a 2/3 year term of funding, and then chase after the new events setting them a similar period of financial support. So successful was Noosa’s plan, it was quickly duplicated by the newly formed Maroochy Tourism Advisory Board. Probably the winner here, was the way both Noosa and Maroochy worked together in those early days so both areas would benefit.
It was important to realise that not everyone stayed in the event area, with many adopting to use accommodation that was close by. While Noosa’s Tri and Half Marathon were starting to grow, the Yacht Club Fishing, Long weekend and Jazz Festival were all welcomed to the schedule.
Coolum’s Kite Festival was reaching the sky in its early days, and the PGA at the Hyatt going gangbusters. I’am sure Rick would agree, the events saved the region on numerous occasions but there will come a time when enough is enough. People can only stand road closures, traffic jams, and disruption to normality a few times, it can’t be all year round. My only wish, is that Noosa and Sunshine Coast councils could put down the swords and work on building an entertainment/convention/culture centre.
I have no doubt Rick Cooper would come out of retirement to help this request become reality. It appears the Sunshine Coast Council has got the jump on securing teams/countries to base themselves on the Coast leading up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Scotland has already been wined and dined on the benefits the Scots could have if they take up the offer.
I’am aware that former Wallaby half Peter Slattery is currently working for Noosa council, and surely with his sporting connections something could eventuate.
A suggestion, if I may, don’t ask for the State Government to help, just do it yourself and make the contacts, just like Noosa did when the British Lions set up camp for the Brisbane leg of its tour. Until next time.
