Australia’s most picturesque venue is officially back on the market, with Central Coast Stadium – The Home of Live Sport, Entertainment & Community Events on the Coast – accepting proposals to become the venue’s new Naming Rights Partner beyond 2024.

VenuesLive, the experienced event and venue management company that operates the Stadium on behalf of Central Coast Council, has commenced the search for a new partner to enjoy significant benefits and exposure over the 5-to-10-year term.

Commercially known as Industree Group Stadium since 2022, the Gosford Stadium has recently hosted a historic A-League Grand Final featuring local champions the Central Coast Mariners, along with NRL regular-season and pre-season matches, Matildas football internationals, as well as being host venue for the England Lionesses at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Industree Group Pty Ltd – the Berkeley Vale owned-and-operated innovator, designer and manufacturer of premium Personal Protective Equipment – has had its names in lights at the Stadium since the pandemic as demand grew for its products.

Now, VenuesLive has begun the search for a naming rights partner to take the Stadium – located in the heart of the booming Central Coast – into a bold new era.

Kath Casey, Venue Manager at Central Coast Stadium, said the partnership offer was a dream opportunity for a leading company to get their brand before the eyes of millions of potential customers and to strengthen relationships on the booming Central Coast, halfway between Greater Sydney and the Newcastle-Hunter region.

“We believe Central Coast Stadium presents as an unrivalled naming rights opportunity . . . a truly unique proposition for a prospective Naming Rights Partner looking to increase brand awareness and the value of their brand,” said Ms Casey.

“The Stadium is one of the most beautiful properties in Australian sport and entertainment and its location gives our Naming Rights Partner access to the 350,000 residents of the Central Coast and valuable exposure to the 5.8 million people living in Sydney and the Newcastle region.

“There will also be broadcast and media exposure from up to 40 sporting, entertainment and community events held each year at the Stadium.

“Locally owned-and-operated Industree Group has been a great partner, who provided us with valuable support on the back of the challenging Covid period. Since then, the Stadium has enjoyed two of the most successful years in its history and we are now ready to take it to the next level. Industree Group will remain one of our valued supporters going forward with plans already in place to host a special event here later this year.”

The value of Central Coast Stadium to the local community was recently highlighted by a Central Coast Council report that showed four huge sporting events smashed attendance and visitation records, creating scores of new jobs and pumping $9.75 million into the Central Coast economy.

The Central Coast Mariners’ Grand Final against Melbourne Victory on May 25 broke the all-time attendance record at Central Coast Stadium, with additional seating required to host 21,379 fans. Thousands more watched on from a Live Site outside the Stadium, supported by Destination NSW.

Paramount + announced the live broadcast of the Grand Final had been watched by 1.12 million viewers across its streaming service and Channel 10.

With Gosford sitting pretty on the majestic Brisbane Water, the Stadium and its famous palm trees are showcased around the nation and, on occasions, the world whenever sport and entertainment events are staged at the picturesque Central Coast Stadium.

Central Coast Stadium is a purpose-built rectangular stadium and the home of the Central Mariners A-Leagues Football Club, which recently completed the most successful season in A-League history with the men’s team winning three major titles and the women’s team also qualifying for finals. The Stadium regularly hosts NRL and international rugby, and other sport and entertainment events. The Stadium has also become a centre of celebration on the Coast, hosting business, community, charity and cultural events.

Central Coast Stadium is the last Tier 2 stadium naming rights property available in NSW, with the major stadiums in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong signed to long-term naming rights agreements.

The Central Coast is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia with the Greater Sydney Commission having developed a strategic plan for the Coast on behalf of the NSW Government focusing on economic opportunities and employment growth.

The NSW and Federal Governments have pledged $1 billion in funding for a fast-rail link between Sydney and the Central Coast. Rail travel between Sydney and Gosford will be reduced to just 25 minutes on a fast-rail link between the two cities.

There is major planning work underway to ensure a redeveloped Gosford Waterfront across from the Stadium delivers a ‘WOW’ factor for the capital of the Central Coast. Work has already started on a new university campus in Gosford.

Ms Casey said: “We’re giving leading companies the chance to be part of an exciting new era and embed their brand in the fabric of the Central Coast – a booming growth region.

“The Stadium is a much-loved community asset, delivering significant economic benefits to the region while acting as a focal point for community pride and a sense of place within the Central Coast.”

VenuesLive will now undergo the process of receiving proposals and shortlisting potential partners.

• Central Coast Stadium is proudly managed by VenuesLive Management Services (CC) Pty Ltd, on behalf of Central Coast Council
• To express interest in this unique naming rights opportunity, please contact MICHAEL McLEOD at VenuesLive via [email protected]

Innovative celebrity chef, restaurateur and lifelong AFL football fan Shane Delia is introducing his signature Middle Eastern flavour across Optus Stadium with an exciting new retail food outlet and the addition of his menu to premium event spaces.

Shane is an award winning Chef and Owner of Melbourne institutions Maha, Maha East, Maha North and Jayda as well as two Melbourne Airport food outlets.

Pushing the boundaries has been a part of Shane’s success, whether opening new restaurants or food outlets, creating and hosting television series or founding food delivery marketplace Providoor.

Shane’s passion for Middle Eastern food has come from his family heritage.

“VenuesLive is one of the country’s best stadium caterers and Perth has always been a place of amazing produce,” Shane said.

“It’s been a dream of mine to bring my flavour to WA for the first time and it makes perfect sense to go on this journey with one of the best operators in the market.”

Shane has collaborated with the stadium’s Executive Chef Jochen Beranek to develop an exciting new culinary experience for fans and guests to experience. He will initially bring elements of his fresh, unrestricted Middle Eastern menus to premium event spaces and suites during match days and the Stadium’s private functions on non-match days.

Optus Stadium CEO Mike McKenna said Shane was a natural fit with the stadium’s food ethos. The stadium is well recognised as a top-class dining option, with the venue inducted into the Restaurant and Catering Institute of WA’s Hall of Fame for Event Catering after winning the Best Venue Caterer three years in a row.

“Bringing Shane’s flavours to our premium event space menu options will further enhance the range of choice available to our guests whether they’re being hosted in a suite, the Victory Lounge or attending a gala function in the River View Room,” Mr McKenna said.

“Key members of our team have spent considerable time with Shane, both in his Melbourne restaurants and at the stadium to understand his food philosophy. His influence will be seen right across our menus.”

Shane is also partnering with the stadium to open the first Western Australian based Biggie Smalls outlet. Located at aisle 144, Biggie Smalls is a kebab shop with a twist. Named after late rap legend The Notorious B.I.G, the menu has a fun-loving, vibrant style with cheeseburger, fried chicken and falafel kebabs part of the offering as well as spicy chicken dimmies (dim sum).

“Biggie Smalls is not just a Melbourne hotspot, it’s a brand that has international recognition and appeal,” Shane said.

“It is the perfect fit for the Optus Stadium customer, it’s fun, flavoursome and quality focused. I’m hoping that our WA clientele will love Biggie as much as Melbourne has.”

Mr McKenna said the stadium liked to have fun and do things differently with its retail food offerings.

“We have been looking to introduce some new fresh and interesting food concepts.

“Biggie Smalls is the first stage of some exciting changes ahead for fans to enjoy in the retail food space and we know there will be a number of existing loaded chips fans eager to explore the new options at aisle 144.”

Shane is a proud Western Bulldogs Football Club ambassador and says following the Bulldogs was a birth right, not a choice, for his family, after his father discovered the team when he began working at the tyre factory opposite Footscray’s Whitten Oval in 1974 after migrating from Malta a few years earlier.

He is the stadium’s second Culinary Ambassador, alongside fellow world-renowned chef and restaurateur Matt Moran, who partnered with Optus Stadium in August 2022.

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Media contact: Jean Perkins – 0438 886 954