Central Coast Mariners hopeful of running their own stadium
A week after The Daily Telegraph revealed interest in the Central Coast’s A-League licence, the Mariners are one step closer to becoming the first team in the competition to run their own ground.
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The Central Coast Mariners hope to be running their own stadium by the beginning of next season, after local council chiefs received a key report that recommends they hand Central Coast Stadium over to a private operator.
On Wednesday Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp will submit the club’s formal proposal to become the first A-League team running its own ground, in a move he said would change the economics of the club — and secure its future in Gosford.
Central Coast councillors were briefed on Monday on the contents of a report into the future of the stadium by consultants KPMG, which it’s believed recommends its management be outsourced to a private operator.
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Though the council is likely to seek “expressions of interest” for the tender, the Mariners are confident their proposal – which includes establishing a W-League team, creating retail outlets around the stadium’s perimeter and using it as a concert venue – will present a compelling case.
Negotiations are likely to last for months, but Mielekamp is hoping to have assumed the management rights in time for the next A-League and W-League seasons, opening up a wide range of income sources.
Though Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth has previously sought to assume the rights to run the stadium, the KPMG report is believed to recommend a change of policy by council that opens the way for private operators.
Under the plan, the Mariners would pay council an annual fee, and after investing in its infrastructure, would be able to leverage the stadium to raise extra revenue.
The proposal aims to open the precinct up to public use, removing the black gates round the ground and establishing a pop-up restaurant precinct along one side modelled on Brisbane’s successful Eat Street area of eateries in shipping containers.
After The Daily Telegraph revealed last week that Charlesworth had received proposals from consortiums in Canberra and Brisbane to buy the club and relocate it, Mielekamp said securing the stadium management rights would end any discussion about the future of the club.
“It’s our understanding that the council is preparing to call for expressions of interest for management rights of Central Coast Stadium, and as a club we are interested in exploring this opportunity and are preparing our formal proposal,” he said.
“Obtaining management rights would be a positive step forward for the club and the community, ensuring the long-term future of the Mariners on the Central Coast.
“Our submission to council will be a collaborative approach from partnerships we have formed with brands that are industry leaders with vast experience in the sports and entertainment landscape.
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“Management rights could be the catalyst for us to move forward with our W-League program and signal our readiness to join the competition next season.
“For the Mariners, this submission is about taking away the black gates at the stadium and making the venue accessible for the community seven days per week.
“The club has developed a strategy to create a vibrant entertainment precinct that will provide local jobs, attract more visitors and activate the city centre with a greater and more diverse calendar of events.”