City partners with Eels to cement Parramatta as home of sport

The City of Parramatta will partner with the Parramatta Eels to cement the City’s reputation as the home of sport, drive visitation and economic growth and build capacity in the community.

City of Parramatta chief executive officer Gail Connolly said sport was part of the City’s DNA.

“World-class sporting teams drive business and recognition for the cities they call home - LA has the Lakers, Chicago has the Bulls and San Francisco the 49ers,” Ms Connolly said.

“The Eels are already synonymous with Parramatta and a powerful brand in their own right. Together, we want to amplify the existing sports tourism they bring to the City with more events and bigger game day activations that expand the experience beyond the stadium and drive benefits for local businesses.”

Ms Connolly said the strategic partnership was proposed to run for three years with a strong focus on building community capacity.

“We know how powerful sport can be in building the capacity of our community. With this partnership, we’ll be investing in player clinics, holiday camps and scholarships that help members of our community reach their potential.”

The partnership includes plans for a Rising Women of Western Sydney scholarship that will support a young woman who embodies the spirit of the Rising West in their chosen field.

Parramatta Eels chief executive officer Jim Sarantinos said the partnership would build on the club’s existing investment in the community.

“For over 75 years, the Eels and Parramatta Council have regularly partnered on key initiatives for our city,” Mr Sarantinos said.

“We are proud to represent Parramatta and Western Sydney and we look forward to collaborating on a number of great initiatives over the next three years focusing on community and social impact and playing our part in the growth of the city.”