Ash Bolt
The City of Greater Geelong is looking to offload the management of Geelong Arena.
Behind closed doors at last week’s council meeting, councillors voted to explore future options for the arena and seek proposals for the conditional management of the facility for up to the next five years.
The decision followed a challenging two-year period for the Geelong Arena, which has been heavily impacted by an inability to host activities and events due to COVID-19 restrictions.
It also would help ease the financial burden on the city, which has been impacted by the pandemic.
Mayor Stephanie Asher said the request for proposal process was aimed at revealing all options to maximise Geelong Arena’s potential as a sport and cultural events centre.
“The constraints imposed by the pandemic have left the arena in a position where it is financially responsible for us to explore alternative management models,” she said.
“We want to bring all potential proposals to light, which will help us decide upon the best way forward for the Geelong Arena.”
The request for proposal process is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022.
There will be conditions attached to any transfer of management that the city said would help protect and enhance the community’s use.
Conditions would include honouring the existing licence and user agreements with current community groups under a community sponsorship rate.
In a separate project, the council also approved $1.5 million in funding to replace the roof of the Geelong Arena.
Any transfer to new management is scheduled to occur following the replacement of the roof, which will enable the facility to have the broadest range of uses.
The city’s sport portfolio chairman Ron Nelson said the roof works would ensure the major events program – which delivered millions of dollars in economic benefit for the region – would continue to thrive.
“This will increase the load bearing capacity of the roof, which is essential to increase the use of the facility and to host major events,” Cr Nelson said.
The works, which are likely to occur in the second half of 2022, will require a three-month closure of the entire site.
