Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson has welcomed news of $700,000 in state government funding for Sunshine Coast Council to move forward on its business case for delivering an Exhibition and Convention Centre in the Maroochydore Sun Central development.
Ms Simpson said the grant was a step in the right direction to make sure the facility supported the greatest number of jobs for the region and was built well.
However, she also called on the Premier to make funding the centre a priority as soon as the business case was finished.
Ms Simpson said she had fully supported Sunshine Coast Council’s application under the Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline program for the development of a business case for this $180 million facility.
“The Sunshine Coast is the only major centre in Queensland that does not have a facility of this kind and because of this we are missing out on a valuable sector of the tourism market for business events and conventions.
“The convention centre is an important piece of infrastructure which is essential to diversify the region’s economic base, help us grow the events tourism market and provide more local jobs.
“I have championed this project in Parliament asking the Premier to provide state government funding for Council to develop the business case.
“Local people tell me they don’t want a casino to fund this long over-due facility, they want the State Government to help fund it, and I agree.
“If the business case stacks up, I will continue to lobby the State Government to commit funding to see this facility delivered.
“I’m passionate about the Sunshine Coast having a place we can all be proud of to enjoy music and entertainment as well as welcoming the world to a top-notch convention centre which creates more local jobs.”
