First jobs flow on North Queensland Stadium

Assistant Minister for Cities, Angus Taylor, said local jobs were starting to flow from the Townsville City Deal’s A$250m stadium build:

We expect to see around 2000 people employed on site during construction and 80 per cent of the project funding flow to local businesses under Watpac’s plans for local procurement. As this build takes shape in the heart of the city, it will be an important signal to the community that the City Deal is boosting local employment and growing Townsville’s economy.

Joining a site tour on Tuesday were Federal Assistant Minister and Queensland MP Karen Andrews (representing the Commonwealth), Minister for State Development Dr Anthony Lynham and Townsville City Mayor Jenny Hill.

Dr Lynham said the start of on-site work was a milestone for local people:

Advantage Signs has been commissioned to design, manufacture and install printed graphic shade cloth to the site fencing from June 26, with the work to take two weeks and support 15 jobs.

Brazier Motti is conducting a dilapidation survey of the site and adjoining areas, including a low level drone flyover of the mangrove verge and river bed and video condition report of the existing stormwater infrastructure, which will take one week and support 10 jobs.

Watpac is ahead of schedule in awarding the first two trade packages released early this month with the total number of work packages available to local contractors to amount to 80.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said it was great that the stadium works were already delivering jobs to the local community:

I am really happy to see local firms get this kind of work, as they should, because we have the expertise and experience right here in Townsville.

I’ve been fighting to get Tier 1 contracts like these to employ more local businesses and more of the local workforce, so this is a great result and I look forward to more locals getting work out of the stadium construction.

The North Queensland Stadium is a joint project of the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Townsville City Council and is supported by both the National Rugby League (NRL) and the North Queensland Cowboys.

The North Queensland Stadium forms part of the Townsville City Deal signed in 2016.

To view the trade packages and register EOIs visit: northqueenslandstadium.icn.org.au/  

Project details

The North Queensland Stadium (NQS) project will deliver a 25,000-seat, best-practice, purpose-built, regional stadium in time for the commencement of the 2020 NRL season at the project site located at 17-49 Saunders Street, Railway Estate, Townsville (Lot 1 on SP155392). It is envisaged that this project will provide the catalyst needed to generate renewed interest and economic activity in and around the Townsville CBD.

This project will provide numerous benefits for Townsville and the region, including:

•       Expansion of North Queensland infrastructure
•       Job creation and flow-on economic benefits
•       Stimulation of urban renewal
•       Enhancement of North Queensland liveability
•       Raising the profile of the NQ region which is expected to result in:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          – Investment in other parts of North Queensland

                               – Increasing the regions sporting and events capability

                               –  Attraction of more domestic and international visitors to Townsville

The construction of the project will be delivered by Watpac who has been selected as the managing contractor for the NQS project utilising a design and construction management contract. Watpac will progressively tender the trade packages listed on ICN utilising an Expression of Interest (EOI) process.

Some of the current work packages open for EOIs include:

• Pitch Construction
• Security System
• PA Systems
• Sports Lighting
• Stadium Seating
• Video Board
• Entrance Control & Turnstile Systems
• Food & Beverage including Equipment
• FF&E
• FF&E installation
• Building Signage

To view the trade packages and register EOIs visit: northqueenslandstadium.icn.org.au/  

Image, courtesy: Townsville City Council

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