Sandtunes Festival: Business owners fear repeat of 2018 Commonwealth Games

More than 35,000 people are expected to attend a new festival on the southern Gold Coast later this year. But business owners fear it will leave them economically worse off.

BUSINESS owners in Coolangatta have had mixed reactions to the SandTunes festival, some fearing a Commonwealth Games repeat and others cheering an expected influx.

Coolangatta’s Komune Resort and Beach Club owner Tony Cannon is one of many looking at the upside of the beachfront event stating he “wants to see it happen”.

The two-day music festival announced last week will be on Coolangatta Beach and tipped to deliver an estimated $11 million economic input and generate 50,000 visitor nights.

Festival promoter Paul Dainty has secured a star line up headed by Travis Scott and has said he hoped it would evolve into a Glastonbury-type event which inspired people to travel for it.

Kate Jones, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and Promoter Paul Dainty launched the festival last week.

Mr Cannon has put in an application to extend his trading license to make the most of the crowds but he also wants the festival to provide pass outs to guests so they can leave.

“I want to see it happen. It’s epic what they are trying to do but I’m worried all of the cafes and restaurants will have a really bad weekend and then they won’t want it back and it will kill the whole thing,” Mr Cannon said.

“All of the businesses have a lot of Christmas functions and events. It’s a really busy time.

“I’ve been on the Precinct Advisory Group since day one for the past 12 months.

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“We consulted about 70 different businesses and came up with about seven or eight recommendations.

“Our issues are it’s a key weekend in December and it’s really critical overall for our venues’ profitability with the town being closed that weekend for the event.

“In Cooly they do so many festivals and most of them are really negative for our businesses.

The festival could see as many as 35,000 people pack the beach.

“For example, the Commonwealth Games were terrible. They blocked off the whole road for a bus exchange and shut out our businesses for two weeks. We are worried about that happening again and having no pass outs.”

Cafe D’Bar owner Donna Archdeacon agreed and has written to council about her concerns.

She said she questioned where the estimated $11 million in economic benefit would be going.

“Our southern area is for families who like to enjoy our safe and pristine beaches and park

spaces which are only one of eight with world surfing reserve status,” Ms Archdeacon said.

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“They will shut down our town from Kirra point and all the way down to Greenmount beach for days with weeks of interruptions.”

Ms Archdeacon said a pass out was vital not only for the small businesses but the festival goers who would need to escape the sun.

SandTunes promoters Billy Cross, Paul Dainty and Colin Skals are eager to see the event succeed.

“This is a music festival where alcohol will be sold in the event, with no pass outs, in the hot summer sun.

“While literally locking out the local business who pay the licenses, fees, rates and outgoings to GCCC.

“Events without fences are welcome if they enhance our current culture.”