Football –
Central Coast Council has confirmed its support for the Central Coast Mariners following a crisis meeting with the beleaguered club on September 29.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders for the Mariners’ future.
Mayor Matthews said Council will be working with the Mariners on a potential five-year agreement.
“Council values the contribution that the Mariners make to the Central Coast, and we are keen to work with the Mariners’ Club on potential solutions to ensure that the club remains and thrives in our region.
“At today’s meeting, we expressed our commitment to working on what a potential five-year agreement between Council and the Mariners might look like,” Mayor Matthews said.
“Council will also reach out to Regional Development Australia and Destination NSW to see if any agreements can be created to support the Mariners and to help secure their future on the Coast.
“We will also be contacting the State Government to explore the possibility of providing free public transport for spectators to attend games so that our community can really get behind the Mariners as well,” she added.
Mielekamp said the meeting was the first opportunity to bring all stakeholders together and talk seriously about the future of the Mariners on the Central Coast at such a crucial time.
“I am confident that this is the start of meaningful collaboration and tangible outcomes, as all parties at the meeting vowed to find a way to make a difference and contribute.
“The aim was to find enabling actions and immediate quick wins that will secure the Mariners’ venue hire agreement at Central Coast Stadium for another 5-10 years, and to seek a solution to creating a single venue home base for the CCM Academy and its 430 youth,” Mielekamp said.
“There will need to be further meetings to come as unfortunately not all the State and Federal MPs were able to make the call.
“The most empowering part of today’s meeting was the opportunity to hear directly from the Football community.
“With representatives from Central Coast Football, CCM Official Supporters’ Club and the newly forming CCM Supporters’ Trust, it was a great opportunity to express to all parties the magnitude of Football on the Coast, a sport that represents over 15,000 participants and contributes over $25M to the local economy,” Mielekamp said.
Council Director, Boris Bolgoff, said Council had invested over $6M in the home ground for the Mariners, Central Coast Stadium, over the last three years.
“Council is committed to the continued economic development of our region and we want the Mariners to be an important part of our future,” Bolgoff said.
“The Stadium is a flagship venue for the Coast and Council is taking steps to ensure that we maximise the benefits that it can bring to our community.
“We recently placed a Draft Central Coast Stadium Strategy on public exhibition and will take on board community feedback as we move forward with steps to ensure a bright future for the stadium.”
Source:
Press release, Sep 29
Central Coast Council Media