GEELONG MAJOR EVENTS STRATEGY 2016 – 2026

The Geelong Major Events CommitteeA Section 86 Special Committee of the City of Greater Geelong Council

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OUR VISION

Geelong is positively recognised globally for hosting international standard major events

OUR COMMITMENT• We will partner with the State Government to secure significant events that maximise economic and employment

outcomes and infrastructure legacies for Geelong.

• We will focus our efforts on successfully hosting a mega event (exclusive World Championship or similar) every decade.

• We will target our support to host a major event in every month of the year.

• We will aspire to be engaged, passionate and the best Host City we can be.

• We will be at the leading edge of best practice for major events.

• We will use the last event we hosted, to better the next event we will host.

• We will strive to ensure that visitors leave recommending “all things Geelong”.

• We will embrace events which boost community pride and offer opportunities for residents to participate.

• We will work to find event partners who support local business, our community and this council in its endeavours.

• We will seize opportunities to ‘tell our story’ and “sell our capabilities” on the domestic and international events stage.

• We will continue to advocate for events related policy and regulation which enhances the events industry in Geelong and makes it more attractive to stage events in Geelong.

• We will promote upcoming events to potential visitors and our local community using a range of medias.

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CHARTER

Geelong Major Events (GME) is a Special Committee of the Council established pursuant to Section 86 of the Local Government Act 1989. GME has been formed to coordinate all activities related to the attraction, assistance and funding of ‘major events’ on behalf of the Greater Geelong City Council.

DEFINITION

‘Event’– an occasion where people gather with a common purpose that aims to enhance community life through participation of residents, measurable economic benefits and potential to market Geelong outside the municipality.

FUNCTIONS

1. A Geelong Major Events Strategy and Annual Business Plan in accordance with terms of reference.

2. Maintenance of a funding submission and evaluation process.

3. The development and attraction of new events.

4. The continuous improvement of current events.

5. Facilitation of State and Federal Government and private sector funding wherever possible.

6. Recommendations to Council regarding event infrastructure needs.

7. Allocation of funds from the budget or make recommendations to the Chief Executive Officer or Council for funding of proposals that have satisfied the criteria and are in accordance with the strategy.

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COMPETITIVE STRENGTHS

Natural environment

• City, coast and country within one Host City

• Waterfront precinct – natural amphitheatre, green open spaces, north facing protected waters of Corio Bay

• Barwon River

• You Yangs

• Northern airspace

Geography

• Boutique sized Host City

• Walkability of our City Centre and Waterfront

• Proximity to Melbourne

• Proximity to Avalon Airport

• Accommodation spread across region

Built Facilities

Major/Hallmark/Signature Events

• Waterfront precinct – open air arena

• Central Geelong – open air arena

• World-class triathlon courses

• Royal Geelong Yacht Club

• Simonds Stadium and Geelong Arena

• Geelong Cultural Precinct

• Premium golf courses

• Geelong Baseball Centre

• National Wool Museum

• Geelong Gallery

• Eastern Park

• Access to well maintained roads for event courses (cycling/motorsport/triathlon/athletics)

• Strength of the regional food and wine industry

• University city

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SPECIAL MAJOR EVENTS

(second tier events)

• National and International standard sporting venues including Kardinia Park, Stead Park, SSL Aquatic Centres, Geelong Arena, Corio Bay sailing, aquatic and on-water sports, Barwon River on-water sports, cricket, tennis, bowls, Leisuretime Centre & Barwon Valley Activity Centre

• Cultural venues including Costa Hall, Osborne House, Geelong Performing Arts Centre

• Geelong Library and Heritage Centre

• Geelong Botanic Gardens

Other

• Proven track record, second-to-none for a regional centre

• Event funding opportunities and pathways for event development

• Host City reputation and experience

• Industry leading operational resources and materials

• Ability to be responsive to tight timelines and unexpected opportunities

• Holistic council approach to supporting major events with established in-kind and specialist services available

• G21 Region structure provides existing collaboration with four adjacent municipalities

• Experience in ‘adding value’ to traditional event products ie business events, cultural programs

• Ability to mobilise networks within Geelong ie venues, business, volunteers, support services

• Council supported implementation structure

• (GME Executive Officer & Event Services Unit)

• Established strong relationships with key government, private and commercial major event stakeholders

• Events Geelong marketing and promotion support

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OBJECTIVES

1. PROCUREMENT - GME will strive to procure, stimulate and encourage events that offer the best opportunity to provide measurable economic benefits, potential to market Geelong outside the municipality and enhance local community life through participation of residents.

2. ADVOCACY - GME will support the development and improvement of events while focusing its activities on a clearly defined strategic program.

3. RELATIONSHIPS - GME will establish and maintain strong links with the private sector, government and our communities to achieve high levels of stakeholder investment and activity required to realise the events potential of Geelong

Procurement

Priority One: In partnership with State Government of Victoria, host the next mega event by 2022 and have identified another mega event to host by 2030.

Priority Two: Greater focus on calendar management to achieve improved seasonal schedule of major events and to better optimise venue usage.

Priority Three: Enhance and build on Geelong’s ‘Host City’ reputation.

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Advocacy

Priority One: Secure increased funding for major events hosted in Geelong.

Priority Two: Support event infrastructure improvements and investment to grow Geelong’s major event hosting capacity.

Priority Three: Investigate and develop further best practice pre-assessment and post-evaluation techniques and measures to improve data collection, estimating and reporting on the benefits to Geelong of hosting major events.

Priority Four: Ensure the governance of the GME Committee including its decisions, processes and performance is best practice and provides leadership to the local Events Industry.

Relationships

Priority One: Continue to maintain strong relationships with key event stakeholders to ‘sell’ Geelong as a Host City for major events.

Priority Two: Actively pursue and establish new major events relationships.

Priority Three: Continue to work pro-actively with the other council departments who also work within the major event’s space.

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GEELONG MAJOR EVENT MILESTONES

1998 Geelong Major Events (GME) is created to focus on the procurement and support of major events

for Geelong

1999 GME is formalised by Council as a Section 86 Special Committee of Council

2000 GME partners with Victorian Major Events Company and Cycling Australia to attract major cycling

events to Geelong

2001 GME secures the ITU Triathlon World Cup for 2002 – 2004

2002 Geelong hosts the World Masters Games Baseball as the inaugural event at the new Geelong

Baseball Centre

2003 Geelong hosts the UCI Women’s Cycling World Cup 2003 – 2008

2003 Geelong takes ownership of the Geelong Arena

2004 GME appoints four community representatives to the Committee

2005 Significant upgrades completed at Kardinia Pool, Skilled Stadium and the Geelong Arena creating

more major event hosting opportunities

2006 Geelong hosts Rescue 2006 in partnership with the Surf Coast Shire

2006 Geelong hosts a 2006 Commonwealth Games Live site and welcomes the Queen’s Baton Relay to

Geelong

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GEELONG MAJOR EVENT MILESTONES

2006 Geelong hosts National Championships in Basketball, Baseball, Tae Kwon Do, Hockey, Volleyball,

Darts, Powerboats, Triathlon and Marching

2007 Japan’s National Baseball League champions, Chiba Lotte Marines, return to Geelong for a 2nd

training camp at the Geelong Baseball Centre

2007 Geelong secures the 2010 UCI Road World Cycling Championships

2008 GME secures Ironman 70.3, the only Australia qualifier for the Ironman 70.3 Florida World

Championships

2008 Since 1844, Geelong’s annual Skandia Geelong Week (now Festival of Sails) has grown to be

Australia’s largest annual yachting regatta and now the Southern Hemisphere

2009 Geelong hosts the 12th Australian Masters Games

2009 Geelong hosts Big Bash Twenty20 cricket at Skilled Stadium

2010 Geelong hosts its largest ever event, the UCI Road World Cycling Championships, attracting an

estimated worldwide viewing audience of over 200 million people

2011 Geelong celebrates the 10th staging of the Australian International Airshow at Avalon

2011 GME announces the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival will return motorcar racing to Geelong’s

Waterfront

2012 GME secures the 2013 – 2015 Victorian Open golf tournament at 13th Beach Golf Links

2012 Geelong hosts Davis Cup tennis – Australia vs China

2012 The 10th National Celtic Festival held in Portarlington is now the premier Celtic festival in the

southern hemisphere

2013 Victoria’s largest multicultural festival, the Pako Festa celebrates its 30th year

2013 Geelong hosts the 14th Australian Masters Games

2013 GME secures the Head of the Schoolgirls Rowing Regatta, to be staged annually on the Barwon

River until at least 2019

2014 Geelong hosts the 2014 Melges 24 Sailing World Championship

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GEELONG MAJOR EVENT MILESTONES

2014 GME supports its first literary festival, Word For Word

2015 Simonds Stadium capacity will increase to 36,000 with the start of the Stage 4 redevelopment

2015 Geelong hosts the inaugural Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race broadcast worldwide to 106

countries

2015 Geelong is the only city in Australia to host The Globe Theatre’s ‘Hamlet’ during its world tour

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