Toowoomba North member Trevor Watts pushes region for convention centre and high-level sporting precinct ahead of 2032 Olympics

A Toowoomba MP has pushed the region’s most powerful to provide a much needed facility and secure greater economic benefits, after a proposed location fell through this week. Find out what is on the cards here.

Trevor Watts has made an appeal for Toowoomba’s powerbrokers to put their brains together to find a viable spot to build a much-needed entertainment facility to the Garden City.

It was revealed the current Toowoomba Hospital would be turned into a health centre once the district’s new $1.3b facility opens at Baillie Henderson in 2027.

Member for Toowoomba North Trevor Watts had previously discussed taking advantage of the CBD location and converting the hospital’s site to a convention centre and sporting precinct, ahead of the city’s involvement in the 2032 Olympics.

Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service Toowoomba Hospital will become the Toowoomba Health Centre in 2027. Picture: Kevin Farmer

With the site’s fate now locked in for continued medical use, Mr Watts said it was time for community representatives to fight to bring an entertainment centre to the city

“The State Government, Toowoomba Regional Council and the University must work together on these plans (for a convention centre and a high-level sporting precinct) as they are important pieces of infrastructure for our city,” he said.

“With the Olympics just ten years away, the plans must include an Olympic size tartan track and athletics facilities.

“The current Commonwealth Games discus gold medallist Matthew Denny learnt to throw in Toowoomba but our city, due to a lack of facilities, does not have the ability to host a regional level athletics event.”

Artist impressions of the Wellcamp Entertainment Precinct, would have the capability of holding festivals and large events.

Toowoomba Regional Council’s Mark Mason previously told The Chronicle the old hospital site held a key opportunity to benefit the community.

“I’m talking about a stadium, aquatics and convention centre — they all interact with each other in a commercial and social sense,” he told the Chronicle.

“That has a 25-50 year life to it, and the Olympics are the driver for us to do this.

“It’s got good accessibility, there are linkages, and it is a prime piece of land that could be used for that purpose.”

Meanwhile the Wagner family campaigned heavily ahead of the Federal Election earlier this year for secured funding for a proposed $170m entertainment precinct at Wellcamp.

Though the proposal failed to secure federal funding, Groom MP Garth Hamilton said he was in support of growing the region.

Mr Hamilton said the announcement of funding for a new hospital at Baillie Henderson presented “lots of exciting opportunities for our future growth”.

“I remain supportive of any project that benefits the people of Toowoomba region,” he said.

The Toowoomba Regional Council was asked for comment and did not respond at time of publication.