Toowoomba deserves annual NRL match — this weekend’s game can help deliver that message
After launching the Give Us A Game campaign on July 13, The Chronicle has prosecuted the city’s case for an NRL match in no less than 23 articles over about four weeks.
Opinion
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This Sunday is not only a chance for Toowoomba residents to enjoy some top-flight rugby league — it’s an opportunity for the city to showcase how it has matured and is ready to grow further.
After launching the Give Us A Game campaign on July 13, The Chronicle has prosecuted the city’s case for an NRL match in no less than 23 articles over about four weeks.
Myself and sports editor Jason Gibbs, who started the campaign, are thrilled with the outcome as it shows what is possible when a community delivers a universal message.
On the surface, this will give locals a chance to put the doom and gloom of Covid-19 aside for one afternoon and watch Origin stars like James Tedesco tear it up in perfect Toowoomba conditions.
But make no mistake — the city’s leaders are looking further ahead than this one game towards securing an annual match-up in Toowoomba.
Mayor Paul Antonio has been clear from the outset that we need to maximise these opportunities by turning them into regular events and leverage them to secure much-needed infrastructure for the city and the region.
A regular NRL match and the upcoming Brisbane Olympic Games in 2032 create a necessity for Toowoomba to have a proper stadium that can fit more than 9000 people.
If this game sells out, as many tip, that’s thousands of dollars that will be missed out on, all because we didn’t have the facilities to meet it.
The State Government is the agency with the money available to make this happen, so I would urge them to listen to what our stakeholders are saying and start work on it.
But those are discussions for another day.
Right now, let’s make sure we sell out Clive Berghofer Stadium on Sunday and send a clear message to both the NRL and the State Government that Toowoomba deserves major sporting events like this.
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