Sunshine Coast sports industry figures behind $405m industry

From stand-alone stores to global empires, the Sunshine Coast is home to many top-notch sporting businesses. Find out who’s behind them and what they’re worth.

An almost half a billion industry is growing rapidly on the Sunshine Coast.

The sports industry is undergoing a boom in recent years and is becoming more diverse each year.

From protein powders to horse racing, several Sunshine Coast residents are at the forefront of the growing sector.

Sunshine Coast Council economy portfolio councillor Terry Landsberg said the sport and recreation industry brought $405m into the region’s economy in the 2020/21 financial year, skyrocketing 46 per cent from the previous year.

Mr Landsberg said the council’s major events portfolio was made up of 44 sports events worth $55m to the region in the previous financial year.

The Sunshine Coast Daily has explored the money and brains behind a range of sports-related businesses in the region.

Check them out here:

The Sunshine Coast Turf Club

The Sunshine Coast Turf Club

The Sunshine Coast Turf Club along Pierce Ave, Corbould Park is a multimillion-dollar premium sports venue in the region and home to about 68 horse races annually.

Between venue hire and events it attracts about 70,000 people every year.

The club, with racecourse and facilities manager Murray Weeding on deck, revealed in its latest financial report that its net surplus was a little more than $1.16m for the year ending on June 30, 2021.

Jetts Fitness

Jetts Fitness founders Brendon Levenson and Cristy Levenson. Picture: Supplied.

Global fitness empire and franchise Jetts Fitness is a $100m business, which has 12 gyms in the region and is headquartered in Mooloolaba.

The empire, which has 280 gyms across the world, started in Gold Coast in 2007 by Sunshine Coast couple Brendon Levenson and Cristy Levenson.

In 2016, the couple sold it to Quadrant Private Equity for about $100m.

In the same year, Elaine Jobson took over as chief executive of Jetts Fitness in Australia.

Maroochy River Golf Club

Maroochy River Golf Club. Picture: Supplied.

Maroochy River Golf Club along David Low Way, Bli Bli is a multimillion-dollar golf club on the Sunshine Coast, boasting a 102ha grass plain, a driving range, and a recently-built mini golf course.

Maroochy River Golf Club general manager Charlie McGill said the club sunk a little under $46m to build a new club in 2015 after it moved from a previous location following the Sunshine Coast Regional Council buying its old land for about $42m in 2011.

Mr McGill said his club was one of the best and biggest in the region because of its spectacular product and location.

Lorna Jane
Women’s activewear queen Lorna Jane is a multimillion-dollar brand with three highly-popular stores in the region at Noosa, Maroochydore and Buddina, which are part of its 100 stores in the country.

Lorna Jane founder Lorna Jane Clarkson started the company in 1989 and it has been ever growing since. In the 2016/17 financial year, the retailer reported a $1.8m profit.

In 2020, the founder bought back 40 per cent of the company for a whopping $28m after previously selling this portion of the company.

Bounce
Multimillion-dollar indoor trampoline giant Bounce has planned to open a trampoline park at a 2164sq m venue in the Sunshine Plaza later this year or beginning of next year.

The cost of a centre’s fit out reportedly costs between $1.5m to $2m.

Bounce, which has 16 trampoline parks in the country, is expected to pull in about $50m in revenue this year.

Elite Supps Maroochydore

Elite Supps Maroochydore. Picture: supplied.

Elite Supps Maroochydore in the Sunshine Plaza opened in December but is already one of the biggest vitamin and supplement stores in the region, and is part of a franchise empire.

Elite Supps is a family-run franchise rapidly expanding to more than 30 stores across the country since its first store opened in 2007. It’s also one of the biggest online supplement retailers in Australia.

Elite Supps Maroochydore manager Dylan Pettit said sales were high, with the business 10 times ahead of where it was expected to be when first opening.

He said there was massive demand for their products, given many residents on the Sunshine Coast are interested in a healthy, fit lifestyle.

“[We’re] really taking off now,” he said.

Elite Tennis International

Elite Tennis International director and co-owner Michael Poulos, left, tennis legend Ken Rosewall, middle, and Elite Tennis International director Matt Deverson, right. Picture: supplied.

Elite Tennis International along Central Park Rd, Caloundra is a major sports player in the region with 20 courts, offering court hire, coaching, and tennis equipment.

Elite Tennis International director and co-owner Michael Poulos said the tennis club and company was the biggest in the region with 20 staff and about 1000 paid customers pouring in every week.

Mr Poulos said his club and company’s success was supported by its constant drive to deliver a high-quality service otherwise his bottom line would bear the brunt.

“If we do something badly, it costs us money,” he said.

The Sports Hub Sunshine Coast

The Sports Hub Sunshine Coast along Main Drive, Bokarina invested about $27m on its much-anticipated sports facility, offering high-performance sports training and recovery areas, health services, and accommodation.

Rebel
Sunshine Coast Council economy portfolio councillor Terry Landsberg said the most-played sport last year was the beautiful game of soccer, a sport where many players find gear at sport retailer Rebel.

Rebel Sport has three stores on the Sunshine Coast, and is owned by ASX-listed company Super Retail Group Limited.

Rebel Sport has 160 stores nationwide since opening in 1985, and pulled in about $1.21bn in sales, according to its latest financial report in 2022.

Stay Elite

Stay Elite founder Troy Payne. Picture: Supplied.

Stay Elite along Main Dr, Bokarina is one of the best sports recovery services in the region, offering float therapy, unique massages, and steam and saunas for everyone, including elite athletes such as Australian cricketer Nick Buchanan.

Stay Elite founder Troy Payne said his number of clients and sales have increased by 15 per cent monthly, with new members joining each week, since opening in mid last year.

Mr Payne first opened a massage clinic in Mooloolaba in 2018 before booming in popularity and later opening Stay Elite, of which he planned to continue to expand.

“It’s one thing to get to the top, and it’s another thing to stay there,” he said

Next Level High Ropes Adventure Park
Opened in 2020, Next Level High Ropes Adventure Park at the Sunshine Plaza, Maroochydore is a $3m project by TreeTops Adventure Group, a giant high-ropes company in the country.

This group falls under the parent company, ASX-listed adventure tourism group Experience Co.

Founded in 1999, Experience Co reported annual revenue of about $57m in 2021.

Rip Curl
Iconic surf and clothing store Rip Curl is a multinational brand with six stores on the Sunshine Coast, of which it has more than 100 in the country and New Zealand.

In 2019, Rip Curl was bought out by New Zealand-based outdoor retailer Kathmandu for a staggering $350m, an acquisition that was tipped to bring Kathmandu’s annual revenue over the $1bn mark.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast sports industry figures behind $405m industry