Tourism CEO backs bid for NRL match in Toowoomba, looking ahead to 2032 Olympic Games

A push to bring an NRL match to Toowoomba not only makes economic sense, but will act as a showcase of the region’s ability to host sporting events with the Olympics around the corner.

Southern Queensland Country CEO Peter Homan backs the NRL bid for Toowoomba. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Hosting an NRL match in the coming weeks would not only be an ideal opportunity to showcase the beauty of Toowoomba to thousands of diehards rugby league fans ahead of the city’s biggest event on the calendar, but also remind Olympics organisers what the city can do.

That’s according to the CEO of the region’s top tourism body, who said Toowoomba’s leaders needed to push for the event with long-term goals in mind.

The Chronicle united with several stakeholders on Monday to launch the “Give Us A Game” campaign to urge the NRL to bring a professional rugby league showdown to the Garden City within a month.

It comes as 12 teams relocate to the Sunshine State this week to escape the growing Covid-19 crisis that has gripped Sydney and New South Wales.

Southern Queensland Country Tourism chief executive Peter Homan, himself a rugby league fan, said for Toowoomba to host a major event in the next month would be a prime opportunity to showcase the city to thousands of rugby league fans from surrounding regions ahead of Carnival of Flowers.

“From a tourism point of view, how great would it be to have it here,” he said.

Mr Homan said securing a match and successfully hosting it would be the perfect dress rehearsal ahead of the Olympic Games in 2032, which are likely to be held in southeast Queensland.

“They’re eyeing all the events off for the Olympics, so imagine if we could have high-level sport here if we had the right facilities,” he said.

“It gives us a leg-up in the Olympics (against other local governments), if it shows we can host an NRL game in town.

“We can host teams here, we have the right accommodation providers, and we can move people from the city to that ground quite easily.

“It gives us the opportunity to show we can host these things and the Olympics are only 11 years away.”

Mr Homan said Toowoomba was likely to have a top-tier sports stadium in the future, with the State Government reportedly eyeing off the city for one.

The most logical options would be either an upgrade of Clive Berghofer Stadium in East Toowoomba or starting work on the Toowoomba Regional Council’s plan for a massive sports precinct at Charlton.

Mr Homan said the latter option of a new stadium was the most likely.

“(Charlton is) possibly the better solution because it gives more opportunities for growth,” he said.