Elton John Shows and Stadium Still Rocking Coffs Harbour
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The thrills and excitement of this year’s hugely successful Elton John shows at the C.ex Coffs International Stadium have been revisited following the news that they won the Major Event of the Year Award at the NSW/ACT Parks and Leisure Australia Awards of Excellence – and the Stadium won the Community Facility of the Year Award.
“People are still talking about the Elton shows and what fantastic nights they were,” said Coffs Harbour Mayor Councillor Denise Knight. “And they wouldn’t have been such a success without the amazing work of the Stadium staff and volunteers who made everything run so smoothly and made both nights so memorable.”
The C.ex Coffs International Stadium played host to two nights of Sir Elton John’s global ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour’ in February 2020. Originally, the Coffs Coast was only due to have one show, but a second was added soon after tickets went on sale as demand and interest was so high.
“This was the first big test of the upgraded Stadium – and far from the usual sporting events that we usually host – so it was a nail-biting time of long hours and sleepless nights to make sure it all ran like clockwork,” said Nikki Greenwood, Council’s Group Leader City Prosperity.
“Getting this award is fantastic recognition for the team and the entire community who helped make it such a success and an event that the city can be proud of for years to come,” she said.
As well as being a key part of the Major Event of the Year Award, C.ex Coffs International Stadium was the winner in its own right of the Community Facility of the Year Award.
The Stadium was revitalised from 2017-2019 through the ‘Building an EPIC Stadium for the Future’ project to include new and refurbished facilities. The project has delivered $25.74m economic benefit locally, as well as 76 jobs for the community during construction and increased opportunities through event attraction and delivery. It was jointly funded by Council, the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund, with contributions from the C.ex Group, Infracraft Detailed Joinery, Key Employment, AFL and Cricket Australia.
The Stadium now includes 3,000 seats with more than half undercover, The Hub office space for four local sports organisations and temporary administration space for event organisers, multi-use rooms for both players and officials, media, corporate and broadcast facilities, improved accessibility for people with limited mobility, a nationally-renowned playing surface that caters for AFL, Cricket, Rugby League/Union, Football, athletics and many more.
Parks and Leisure Australian (PLA) is the leading industry association for professionals in the sector. Through a broad range of services, it supports members to provide opportunities that strengthen communities through good use of leisure time for the social, environmental, economic and physical wellbeing of all Australians.