VenuesLive selected as preferred operator of Central Coast Stadium
VenuesLive look to have won the race for management rights to Central Coast Stadium, with the NSW organisation advising of its selection as the preferred operator of the Gosford venue.
The next phase will see it enter into commercial negotiations with the Central Coast Council for the future management of the 20,000-capacity rectangular stadium.
The Council, which has operated the stadium since 2014, opened a tender for the management rights of the venue last year, with the Central Coast Mariners and a group of Council staff also believed to have submitted applications.
But in a blow to the Mariners, who are the stadium’s only permanent tenant, their bid is understood to be unsuccessful, with VenuesLive set to be awarded the rights.
VenuesLive currently manage three major sports venues in Australia – Accor Stadium, Optus Stadium and CommBank Stadium.
The Mariners had previously unsuccessfully submitted a proposal for management of the rights of Central Coast Stadium, with plans to further develop the venue.
Despite missing out again, the A-League club is expected to continue playing its home matches at the picturesque venue.
The Central Coast Council reported they were losing around $1 million per year while managing the stadium, and as well as offloading the management rights, are keen to boost the number of events to 40 per year.
Opened in 2000, Central Coast Stadium was initially built to host home games for the merged NRL team, Northern Eagles, but that was short lived with the team relocating full-time back to Brookvale Oval. As well as Mariners home games, the stadium has since hosted occasional NRL matches, rugby union games and other one-off events.
On its website, VenuesLive says it is committed to growth and innovation in the areas of venue management, event delivery and catering services; leveraging its team’s extensive management and operations expertise to bring to life world-class events, service delivery, and a fans-first live sport and entertainment experience in all VenuesLive serviced venues.
