The City of Launceston Council has this week passed a motion to end its ownership of the UTAS Stadium, transferring its responsibilities to the Stadiums Tasmania agency.
Welcoming the vote, Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said while the venue provided significant economic returns for the state and the entire Northern Tasmanian region, its operation until now had been funded entirely by Launceston ratepayers.
Mayor Garwood explained “Stadiums Tasmania has been specially developed to ensure our premiere sporting facilities in Tasmania are managed by experts in a unified and strategic way.
“While our Council has done an incredible job managing this facility on behalf of our community for many decades, it’s really unusual in 2024 for a local council anywhere in Australia to operate and manage a stadium like UTAS Stadium.”
Noting that the operation of a contemporary high-level sporting and entertainment venue is a specialised field, and is not a core business for local government, Mayor Garwood added "on top of that, under Council ownership UTAS Stadium costs Launceston ratepayers around $5 million each year.
“That’s not a sustainable model moving forward and does not take into account the significant upgrades that will be required in coming years and decades.
“With the transition to Stadiums Tasmania, UTAS Stadium continues to be publicly-owned, and more than $130 million in investment will be unlocked through the State and Federal Governments for future upgrade works.”
Mayor Garwood confirmed that the City is also negotiating $1.5 million in funding from the Tasmanian Government to support site activation at the stadium following the transfer.
He added “this is an incredible opportunity for Launceston and Northern Tasmania, and will ensure UTAS Stadium remains a premiere sporting facility for our community for future generations."
Mayor Garwood said the decision at yesterday’s Council meeting represented the final step in a long process, first initiated by Council back in 2021 with the development of the York Park Future Directions Plan.
Image: Launceston's UTAS Stadium. Credit: City of Launceston.
Born in the English county of Dorset, Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry and the www.ausleisure.com.au website - the go to news resource for industry leaders and professionals.
With a long-term commitment to communicating all that is best about the leisure industry (aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues) his career has been defined by an ability to develop and implement industry communications.
Starting his career working in heritage visitor attractions and then adventure travel in Africa and the Middle East, an interest in writing about his experiences led to his change of career into magazine journalism and publishing.
In addition to publishing, Nigel speaks on marketing communications at a range of industry events.
He was made a Life Member of the World Leisure and Recreation Association in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London).
As of October 2024, he was inducted into the Australian Fitness Awards Roll of Honour at the 2024 AUSactive National Awards.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
His philosophy on life is to be kind to all and to indulge those that you love.
His passions include family, Newcastle United and motorcycles (especially British ones) as well as caring for Stella the pug.
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