New plans for Townsville sports and entertainment hub

Townsville City Council is to expand its plans for a new entertainment centre to incorporate a rectangular sports stadium as part of a regional sports precinct.

The new precinct, lo be located on the edge of the city's CBD, would co-locate homegrounds for both the North Queensland Cowboys and Townsville Crocodiles, while having the capacity to lure international events and conventions.

The proposal would replace bids for a separate convention/entertainment centre and football stadium in central Townsville submitted to the Queensland Government.

Townsville City Councillors now hope to secure State and Federal Government funding in their bid to replace the city's ageing Dairy Farmers Stadium and the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.

The heads of Townsville's major national sporting teams met last week to join forces to strengthen the case for the complex.

Cowboys Chief Executive Peter Jourdain said the concept would provide huge benefits to both the clubs and the city, telling local media "we can see some huge benefits in shared infrastructure and hopefully it will reduce the overall cost.

"It's better for the future of Townsville to work together.

"We would be trying to get this to work with the overall revitalisation of the CBD."

Crocodiles Chief Executive Ian Smythe said the facility had the potential to be a city landmark, akin with The Strand and revitalised mall, adding "it will be a signature project ... an iconic facility that people will be proud of.

"It goes beyond sport. What we're trying to do is create Townsville as a genuine second capital and events city of North Queensland."

Playing fields, administration, recovery gyms and sport science facilities would be co-located for the clubs, while a transport hub tapping into new roads and railway linking the port have also been discussed.

While the City Council and the Federal Government have each pledged $47.67 million to a convention centre, the Queensland Government has been reluctant to back the plan, instead commissioning a business case to assess the viability of the centre.

Plans submitted to the Queensland Government for a $185 million stadium to replace Dairy Farmers identified a parcel of land currently owned by QR National.

That plan included a 30,000-seat stadium, with 100 open-air corporate boxes, 25 enclosed corporate suites, two 450-seat function rooms and 24 permanent food and beverage outlets.

5th October 2011 - COWBOYS REVEAL PLANS FOR NEW TOWNSVILLE STADIUM