Future Gold Coast: Major Events Gold Coast’s goal to grow tourism set by Mayor Tom Tate

A bold goal has been set for the city’s new events body - double the existing impact by pumping an astonishing amount of money into the economy.

GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate has set a bold goal for the city’s new events body - double the existing impact by pumping an extra $131 million into the economy.

Major Events Gold Coast will launch mid-next year with an annual budget of $13 million and a mandate to revamp the city’s line-up.

Cr Tate said the board would be tasked with filling nearly every weeeknd with major international events.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Jerad Williams

“The primary purpose of Major Events Gold Coast is to take a whole of city approach to major events and by growing the city’s event calendar increase the economic contribution,” he said.

“We want to see almost every weekend booked with a nationally or internationally significant event like the Gold Coast Marathon, the Queen concert or Magic Millions.

“The economic benefit for our city will be more than just events that Gold Coasters and visitors can attend, but for the first time ever people will be able to have an events career on the Gold Coast.

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Queen are playing the Gold Coast next year. Picture: Getty Images

“By securing major events, it gives the city the opportunity to reinvent itself regularly. We will offer something new and different in our city every weekend,” he said.

“Our four largest annual events inject a combined total of $131 million to our economy. Let’s double that.”

Major Events Gold Coast’s board is ex-Commonwealth Games organising committee CEO Mark Peters, Village Roadshow CEO Clark Kirby, Star Entertainment Group’s Geoff Hogg, Accor Hotels regional general manager Michael Coe, Cross Promotions International director Jackie Cross, Burleigh Brewing Co CEO Peta Fielding, ex-legal practitioner at Minter Ellison Jessica Norris and Connecting Southern Gold Coast chair Greg Jenke.

This year’s Gold Coast Marathon. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

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It will be chaired by Gold Coast Titans owner Darryl Kelly with a chief executive to be named in coming months.

Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista said the body had a significant role to play in boosting the city’s economy but wouldn’t be able to do it alone: “Major Events Gold Coast has an important responsibility to realise the potential of Gold Coast as an events destination.

“Its success will require government support at all levels to match local efforts.

Mr Hogg said the respective alliances in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and down south, which will be disbanded, had done a great job with their events and extra funding to drive them further would “be very successful”.

“I’m excited about the new body leveraging the alliances, what’s been very succesful and bringing them together.”