STATE OF ORIGIN IN TOWNSVILLE Promoting North Queesland as a Tourism and Events Destination A Tim Nicholls-led Liberal National Government will lead a formal bid for a State of Origin match in Townsville. throughout the week so tourists won’t just travel for the The Problem game and leave but stay for longer and spend more. North Queenslanders are among the most passionate North Queenslandrugby league fans in the world, Stadium but they have to travel This northern exposure will do wonders for tourism February 2017many hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of kilometres and business and promote North Queensland to an to see their beloved Maroons play a State of Origin match. international audience, with the game beamed to more The North Queensland Stadium is expected to generatethan 100 countries. The $250 million NorthState Queensland of Origin matches are now in Melbourne and Perth up to 750 jobs through the design and construction Stadium project willwhile deliver North an Queenslandiconic, fansphases, miss upskill out on local the workers chance and engageto local industry. 25,000 seat regionalsee stadium games live.in Some of the best rugby league players in Frequently Asked Questions Townsville in time thefor theworld 2020 hail NRL from the NorthIn and addition it’s onlyto jobs fair and that industry fans training, are the project will given the opportunity to cheerdeliver for athem range backof benets on their to the homeregion including:Why is 2020 or 2021 the right time to make a bid for a season. North Queensland State of Origin game? turf. ∙ revitalisation of the CBD State of Origin games are scheduled to be played in With a vision to become an internationally-recognised ∙ promotion of Townsville as an events city venue with world-class sustainable architecture and Melbourne in 2018 and Perth in 2019, and the Queensland ∙ a catalyst for broader investment in the priorityRugby League has thrown its support behind a push to urban design, the stadiumOur will celebrate Record what is great development area, the city and the region about North Queensland. get a game to North Queensland in 2020 or 2021. This As a party that represents all∙ improvedparts of stadium the state, facilities the for athletes, stawould and mean one game is still played in Brisbane, but that a spectators Principal consultant, CoxLiberal Architecture National and their Party team ofrecognises the benefits and second Queensland game would be played in Townsville. specialist consultancies,importance including rms of with bringing Townsville major ∙ socialevents cohesion into regionaland community pride. The bid has also been timed to coincide with upgrades to oces such as 9Point9 Architects,communities. Arup and Sydney’s RPS will major sports stadiums are set for major Sydney stadiums announced by the New South Wales continue to liaise with localupgrades stakeholders and including could be out of action for some years, with Townsville City Council, the NRL and the North Government to maximise the chance of success. State of Origin matches due to be played in Melbourne Queensland Cowboys to develop the stadium design ahead of works on site commencingand Perth in in late 2018 2017. and 2019 respectively. The Townsville Has this ever been done before? Stadium, for which the LNP pledged funding, is due to be Despite being the home to some of rugby league’s greatest built by 2020 and the time is right to make State of Origin in stars including Billy Slater, Gorden Tallis, Sam Thaiday North Queensland a reality. and Matty Bowen, a State of Origin match has never been played in North Queensland. With a brand new stadium set to be built in Townsville by 2020, this is the right time to Our Real Plan bring a game to fans in the state’s north. A Tim Nicholls-led LNP Government will make a formal bid to host a State of Origin game at the new What else will the bid involve? Townsville Stadium in 2020 or 2021. Within the first 100 This bid will be about more than just an Origin game in days of government, we will instruct Tourism and Events Townsville. If successful it would include a series of events Queensland to begin negotiations on North Queensland’s and a rugby league-themed festival to ensure other North behalf. Queensland communities share the occasion. As part of negotiations, the LNP will also request for the State of Origin As part of the bid process we will request both the Blues teams to be based in rugby league strongholds such as and the Maroons to be based in other Northern rugby Cairns and Mackay leading up to the game. This will ensure league strongholds such as Mackay and Cairns in the more North Queenslanders get the chance to meet their lead-up to the game. We will also look to undertake a rugby league heroes and that the benefits of the experience rugby league-themed festival to run in North Queensland flow far and wide. To learn more about Our Plan visit betterqueensland.org.au Authorised by L.Folo. 66-68 Bowen Street, Spring Hill QLD 4000..