Construction starts on Central Coast Gateway Centre

Mid March saw Jim Lloyd, Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads and Local Member for Robertson; Minister for the Central Coast and Member for The Entrance, Grant McBride; Gosford City Council Mayor, Laurie Maher; Tourism New South Wales representatives, and Peter Hale, Chairman of Central Coast Tourism turn the first sod in the construction of the long-awaited Central Coast Gateway Centre.

The Gateway Centre, which is being built at Mount Penang Parklands at Kariong, is supported by funding from the Australian Government under its Regional Partnerships Programme and funding from Tourism NSW, Gosford City Council and Central Coast Tourism (CCT).
“This is a red-letter day for the Central Coast,” Mr Lloyd said. “The Central Coast Tourism Gateway Centre will be state of the art and will include of a tourism Call Centre for the benefit of the whole Region. Over the past eight years the Australian Government has contributed some $300,000 towards CCT’s projects. These projects have been outstanding investments such as CCT’s internet based reservation and booking system (a first in Australia) and the establishment of a Convention Bureau (now successfully bringing conferences and conventions to the Region). "I am sure that CCT will be a pace setter again with an innovative and business creating Gateway Centre” he added.
Mr Lloyd’s comments were echoed by Mr McBride who said that this project was another example of the two local members working together for the good of the Region.
“This ground breaking ceremony is the culmination of many years of planning, countless funding applications and a lot of blood, sweat and tears” Peter Hale, Chairman of Central Coast Tourism said. “We are delighted with the support from the Australian Government’s Regional Partnership programme and the outstanding contribution from Gosford City Council and the State Government. Without this support, the Gateway Centre could never have gone ahead” he said.
While the Gateway Centre will benefit tourism across the whole of the Central Coast and particularly in the Wyong area, which is heavily dependent on tourism, Wyong Council refused to contribute to the project as the Centre was being built in the Gosford Council area.
The Gateway Centre will cost around $1.1 million with the State Government contributing $308,000, the Federal Government $275,000, Central Coast Tourism $250,000 and Gosford Council contributing $267,000.
To ensure that the regional funding requirements would be met, Gosford Mayor Laurie Maher took a leadership role and committed Gosford Council to contribute Wyong Council’s share of the funding.
“Tourism is a major Central Coast industry and a significant employer. This Centre will be central to the industry’s continuing growth,” said Mayor Maher.

Back Send us your comments

Business relocation and expansion consultants