Coolangatta businesses happy the beach concert SandTunes has been postponed to late 2019

IF you were planning on rocking out at a planned southern Gold Coast beach concert, think again — there’s been a change of plans. Business leaders have weighed in on what it means for the area’s economy.

A music festival approved by the Gold Coast City Council at be held on Coolangatta Beach in December has been postponed.

NEWS that a beach concert at Coolangatta, planned for December, has been postponed until late 2019 is music to ears of local businesses concerned about its impact.

The Gold Coast City Council had given initial approval for TEG Dainty, US partner AEG and local partner Cross Promotions to stage SandTunes on Coolangatta Beach on December 1-2.

This was later scaled back to being a one-day event with promoters expecting up to 30,000 people on the beach between Kirra and Coolangatta.

Councillor Gail O'Neill was happy the SandTunes beach concert scheduled for December has been postponed. Photo: Jerad Williams

Division 14 Councillor Gail O’Neill told the Bulletin that the promoters had informed council they would not be going ahead with the concert this year but were looking to stage it as a two-day event in December next year.

“I was not in favour of the concert going ahead as a two-day event on Coolangatta Beach in the first place and still had reservations about it as a one-day concert mainly because of the time of year promoters wanted,” Ms O’Neill said.

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“December is a busy time anyway for accommodation houses on the southern Gold Coast and the SandTunes would simply add pressure on that market.”

Ms O’Neill said she would prefer organisers looked at a different time of the year, such as September, when it was quieter and could bring an added injection to the local economy during what was normally a ‘down time’.

“At the beginning of December, that’s the second week of Schoolies and I can understand the promoters wanting to tap into that market but I am concerned what impact that could have on Coolangatta.”

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Southern Greater Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce vice president and Coolangatta business owner Jo-Ann Smith welcomed the news saying the decision not to go ahead this year would give the local community breathing space to plan for the 2019 event.

“This year, there was a lack of consultation with the local business community as to the impacts of SandTunes but now we have more than 12 months to look ahead,” Ms Smith said.

“While I agree with Cr O’Neill that it would be better to have the concert at a time of year which wasn’t busy anyway,” Ms Smith said.

Greater Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce vice president Jo-Ann Smith was happy the Sandtunes concert was postpones this year.

“Having time on our side, the business community can at least create a checklist to examine various impacts a two-day beach concert would have locally.

“We would also like to engage with the promoters in a consultative process to address concerns and look possible options which would be mutually beneficial.

“To hold the concert at the beginning of December could see a ‘Schoolie migration’ from Surfers/Broadbeach south and how we could cope with that would be an issue.

“If we can start the planning process now, I think we could make the event a winner for both the Gold Coast and the promoters.”

Ms O’Neill said council had approved the festival and that still remained but promoters would have to submit a new application for the 2019 concert.