Gold Coast attracts Football Federation Australia

Football Federation Australia has selected the Gold Coast as the location for 10 training camps, the first of which is being held this week.
This follows recent news from the Oceania Athletics Association to base their operations on the Gold Coast in 2009, along with the announcement of three major athletics championships to be staged here.
Gold Coast City Council Director of Economic Development, Darren Scott, said the sporting industry in the city was gaining unprecedented momentum, âby establishing Sport Gold Coast we have demonstrated our commitment to promoting the Gold Coast as a high performance sporting destination.
âWeâve recognised the substantial economic impact these sporting teams have on our local economy, with each of these teams using Gold Coast accommodation providers, restaurants, transport and leisure activities.�?
Tom Sermanni, Head Coach of the Westfield Matildas, said the squad were looking forward to the training camp on the Gold Coast, âthe warmer conditions on the Gold Coast during the winter months in Australia will certainly help with our preparations for the upcoming Asian competitions.
"The assistance of Sport Gold Coast in preparing for the coming week and future camps has been greatly appreciated. I would also like to acknowledge the generous support of the Australian Institute of Sport for funding the training camps."
The FFA will bring the Matildas, Young Matildas (under 20 women), under 17 women and the menâs youth team to the Gold Coast for a total of ten training camps this year.
The teams will utilise the facilities at Carrara Stadium and The Southport School, and will be accommodated at Mantra Sun City during their stay.
General Manager John Wilder said the team at Mantra Sun City are delighted that the Football Federation of Australia has selected the Surfers Paradise resort as their training camp base, stating âthe teams will enjoy exceptional health and recreational facilities including a fully-equipped gymnasium, water slides, outdoor lagoon pool, plunge pool and heated spa, as well as the indoor heated pool and spa.�?
The FFA decision is a direct result of the promotional efforts of Sport Gold Coast, who recently released a comprehensive guide to elite sports training on the Gold Coast, which was distributed to key sporting bodies, administrators, trainers and coaches nationally and internationally.
Sport Gold Coast is an initiative of BusinessGC, the economic development agency for Gold Coast City Council, and is committed to proactively developing a sustainable economy through industry development initiatives and investment attraction opportunities.
BusinessGC partners with potential investors to create business opportunities, facilitate access to funding and generate networking connections across nine industry sectors, including sport.

http://www.sportgoldcoast.com.au