NRL 2020: Gold Coast mayor wants NRL to relaunch at resort

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate has made an ambitious play to relaunch the NRL on the Glitter Strip, saying two resorts in particular would be perfect for the game’s return.

THE Gold Coast has thrown its hat into the ring to host a rebooted NRL competition, offering up options including a luxury island resort that sold last year for just $1.

Ahead of a crunch meeting of the NRL Innovation committee tomorrow, Coast mayor Tom Tate has pitched the Glitter Strip as the latest potential host for when the competition resumes.

Cr Tate has identified Couran Cove on South Stradbroke Island and Royal Pines Resort at Ashmore as potential bases for the NRL teams should the league relocate to Queensland.

Couran Cove on Stradbroke Island. Picture: Steve Holland

Couran Cove is sitting largely empty after being sold last year for just $1 by former owners Onterran to Sydney group EDG Captial in a deal which included $17 million of debt.

The four-star resort boasts more than 300 rooms including luxury waterfront hotel units and forest lodges as well as an array of sporting and recreational facilities.

Cr Tate said Couran Cove could be the perfect place to quarantine players from the 16 NRL clubs who could play games at Robina’s Cbus Stadium, home of the Gold Coast Titans.

He said with the Coast’s ferry service suspended, there would be no shortage of boats to transport players, coaching staff and officials the 30 minutes to the mainland.

Maroons Women’s Origin team training session at Royal Pines. Picture: Richard Gosling

Cr Tate said the five-star RACV Royal Pines Resort, which has hosted major sporting teams as well as the Australian men’s and women’s PGA golf tournaments and has its own fields, would also be well-equipped to host NRL teams.

The resort closed on March 27 amid the coronavirus crisis but could potentially reopen to host the NRL, Cr Tate said.

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“They would both make excellent options, subject to advice from Queensland Health,” he said.

“It would be a hugely welcome boost for the Gold Coast amid the coronavirus crisis and I’d be happy to talk further with the NRL Innovation committee about the idea.”

The Coast has now joined Townsville, the Whitsundays, Calliope near Gladstone, Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island and a Sydney site near ANZ Stadium at Homebush in pitching to revive the NRL season.

Originally published as NRL 2020: Gold Coast mayor wants NRL to relaunch at resort