Gold Coast City Council to investigate best locations and how to manage major concerts

A City-wide review is underway, it can be revealed, on the Gold Coast hosting concert events at The Spit and on the beaches after a backlash from residents. READ WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

A City-wide review is underway, it can be revealed, on the Gold Coast hosting concert events at The Spit and on the beaches after a backlash from residents.

This investigation needs to make transparent how much promoters and subcontractors are paying for use of public land – and their returns on liquor and food sales.

The City must stop suburbs becoming gridlocked, or later resembling a public toilet.

Councillor Darren Taylor wants a rundown on available infrastructure and some “clarity” on the roles of council, Experience Gold Coast and state bodies involved.

The Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA) is trustee for Doug Jennings Park at The Spit.

“The report will determine if any further consultation is needed and the extent of that consultation,” he says. Officers will report by Christmas.

Councillor Darren Taylor has called for a review into concerts and outdoor events after a community backlash about Doug Jennings Park at The Spit being used for music festivals.

The GCWA website shows eight events are planned for Doug Jennings Park between now and early next year, including an October three-day festival which will attract 30,000 people.

Why is the top of The Spit becoming so popular for outdoor concerts?

Unlike using Carrara Stadium, industry insiders say it offers low costings and opportunity to control liquor sales.

Mr Taylor says he “can’t comment on costings” because the GCWA controls The Spit.

At Carrara, sources suggest promoters are outlaying up to $250,000. At The Spit, your booking fees and bonds range from a few thousand dollars upwards to $30,000.

For the recent Coolangatta beach concert headlined by popular GC act DJ Fisher, the City asked for a park booking fee of $48,900. The promoter later paid $57,938 to fix the damage to grass and the dunes.

Greenheart will be a sprawling 241-hectare space between Robina and Merrimac, featuring vast open spaces, beautiful natural and cultural landscapes, an event quarter, recreational and educational precincts, and large scale sports facilities. Photo: Supplied,

The Main Beach Association emailed GCWA after the Fred Again concert at The Spit.

“First, the promoter’s gross receipts must have been close to $5.4 million based on the

attendance figures published in the Gold Coast Bulletin. This represents a paltry return to

the State of $7382 per day or 50 per cent of that per day for bump in-out or early access, plus some minor administrative costs and a bond of $30,000,” MBA wrote.

“The only beneficiary would appear to be the promoter, food and beverage trucks.”

Back in November last year, Save Our Spit along with Save Our Broadwater and Federation Walk warned both the council and state government about wasting taxpayer money by upgrading road infrastructure at the northern tip of The Spit for concerts.

Artist impression of Greenheart, the Gold Coast's new proposed parklands between Robina and Merrimac.

What are the alternatives? Greenheart is to be built, and a decision soon on an indoor concert stadium at Southport. Both are close to public transport.

“I am still waiting on the officer report which I’m hoping will identify event spaces that can accommodate the size, attendance numbers and type of event. Along with customised traffic management for each specific event whether City or State Government,” Mr Taylor says.

We are an events city. We just have to be smarter about where we stage them.

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Originally published as Gold Coast City Council to investigate best locations and how to manage major concerts