Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 2021 by ausleisure97

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ISSUE 143

SPORT

Impact of Climate Change Gymnastics Clubs Australia

FITNESS

FACILITIES

All Abilities Access Christchurch’s Recovery

Print Post Approved PP100022562

10 Years of KX Pilates Post COVID Recovery

PLUS

Remembering Michael Gudinski Asian Theme Parks Flexible Design

VENUES

Post Pandemic Theatre Operations Digital Ticketing

contents

Issue 143

features 16

Inspiring Future Movement Fitness operators post-COVID recovery

Fit to Franchise KX Pilates first decade of operations

The Show can now go on Leading the world’s post pandemic theatre operation

Honouring the Big G Remembering Michael Gudinski

Digital Ticketing: Benefits Beyond Hygiene Contactless ticketing creating safer environments

COVER: KX Pilates

Flexible Venue Design Future proofing community sport venues

regulars 6 From the Publisher 8 Two Months in Leisure

The post earthquake recovery of Christchurch’s facilities

www.ausleisure.com.au for all the latest industry news, products and events

Ready to Thrill Theme parks’ new attractions in 2021

Designed for Inclusivity All abilities access at Sydney’s newest aquatic centre

60 People 61 Products

10 Years On

Focus! Focus! Focus! Introducing Gymnastics Clubs Australia

4 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

Sport threatened from Climate Change Climate Change’s impact on Australian sport

From the Publisher Recovery is happening, just not for all

Published by Australian Leisure Media Pty Ltd, 102 Taiyul Road, North Narrabeen, NSW 2101 (PO Box 478, Collaroy, NSW 2097) AUSTRALIA ABN 32 092 549 721

Tel: 02 9970 8322 E-mail: leisure@ausleisure.com.au www.ausleisure.com.au Twitter: @AusLeisure Facebook: www.facebook.com/AusLeisure Editor Karen Sweaney Publisher Nigel Benton Design Australian Leisure Media Pty Ltd Contributors Shaun McKeogh and Gwen Luscombe

Advertising Inquiries Nigel Benton Tel: 02 9970 8322 Email: nigel@ausleisure.com.au Printed in Australia by Pegasus Print Group Building B, 1A Bessemer Street, Blacktown NSW 2148 Tel: 02 8822 0600, www.pegasusprintgroup.com.au The annual subscription cost is AUS $90 (inclusive of GST) in Australia, New Zealand and throughout the Rest of the World. Members of AALARA, ALFA, ASPA, ASSA, EVANZ, ExerciseNZ, IAKS, LIWA Aquatics, the Sports and Play Industry Association and the VMA receive the magazine as a membership benefit. The views contained in Australasian Leisure Management are not necessarily those of Australian Leisure Media Pty Ltd or the Editor. While every care is taken with advice given, Australian Leisure Media Pty Ltd and the Editor can take no responsibility for effects arising therefrom. Views expressed by contributors may be personal and are not necessarily the views of their employers or professional associations.

Official Publication

In Association with

Australasian Leisure Management is an Australian product, Australian owned and printed in Australia.

12 months after Coronavirus emerged and caused a near complete shutdown of the out-of-home leisure economy, it’s remarkable how the industry is still in a position to be contemplating and even, experiencing recovery. Much of this issue of the magazine explores how operators have adapted to operating in accordance with COVID restrictions and how, in many cases, they are positive about the future. It also covers how following another, literally, seismic event, New Zealand’s Canterbury region has recovered following the earthquake it experienced 10 years ago. Adapting to the Coronavirus world, new facilities are opening, new ways of doing business have been introduced and new efficiencies have taken hold across the industry. With life seemingly returning to normal, Australia and New Zealand are seeing fitness groups and new franchises expanding in the exercise facility market, venues leading the world in the reopening and operation of live theatre and sporting venues are operating at near capacity - albeit with occasional disruptions as local Coronavirus cases are detected. This is backed up by parts of the country where industry employers are recruiting and even advising of staff shortages (perhaps resulting from former employees having left the industry), with the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures showing that around seven out of 10 of the filled jobs that were lost during the March and June quarters last year had been regained in the December quarter. Of the new jobs being recruited, a changing pattern of employment is emerging with an increasing number of casual and part-time roles, as confirmed by ABS figures from December last year that showed part-time tourism jobs exceed full-time positions for the first time. Tourism is also the best indicator that recovery is inconsistent. The loss of international visitors has seen attractions reliant on that sector hugely impacted. Even with government subsidies, many attractions face an uncertain future, with the permanent closure of Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park in Far North Queensland the first of what may well be many upcoming failures. And the impending loss of the Federal Government’s JobKeeper allowance is set to have a significant impact on operations and jobs in those sectors still affected by the Coronavirus downturn. In the arts and entertainment industry, one in five workers has been dependent on JobKeeper, while in tourism, the end of JobKeeper is expected to bring about major job losses. Proof of this comes from the NSW Tourism Industry Council who found, in a recent survey, that 42% of operators faced having to reduce staff numbers. Mindful that relief cannot go on indefinitely, if an industry remains impacted by Coronavirus restrictions - with the most notable examples being fitness clubs that have to employ marshalls and/or operate with restricted numbers; those involved in music and performance events that can’t allow capacity crowds or tourism operators reliant on non-existent international visitor arrivals - then that sector should get governmental relief. But this relief needs to be real, and not something announced at a press conference that is then unattainable. An example of this is the Federal Government’s June 2020 arts rescue package of which just 26% of the funds allocated have been spent.

Nigel Benton, Publisher

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Two Months in Leisure Some of the industry headlines over recent months. Daily industry news can be read at www.ausleisure.com.au

Drastic shortage of swim teachers puts young Australians at risk A massive shortage of swim teachers is putting young children at risk with swim schools across the country reporting long waiting lists for lessons while they scramble to find suitable staff. Estimating a need for at least 2000 swimming teachers across Australia and highlighting that extra training courses were being implemented by the industry body to help people achieve the necessary qualifications, Swim Australia Chief Executive, Brendon Ward stated “we lost a lot of swim teachers during COVID as pools were closed and many were ineligible for JobKeeper and sought alternative employment in other sectors. “As a result, we are now seeing average waiting lists for swim lessons 20% higher than they were pre-COVID and many swim schools cannot even cater for their existing customer base.”

ASPA sport leadership playbook resource shares a ‘thousand years’ of experience The Australian Sports Professionals Association is currently releasing a series of ‘teaser’ interviews from its Leadership Playbook for Australian Sport. Launched in September last year, the publication sees 20 chief executives from state, territory and national sporting organisations share their key lessons and learnings on topics including leading teams, mentoring, volunteer management, resilience and mental health and hiring staff. The 20 chief executives in the book come from a range of sports across Australia. The 10 women and 10 men represent each state and territory with each of them boasting a broad range of backgrounds.

New Northern NSW Rail Trail to boost jobs and tourism A new rail trail in the northern NSW communities from Casino to Murwillumbah is expected to attract thousands of visitors a year and create much-needed jobs and investment in the state’s Northern Rivers region. The Rail Trail will preserve the unique heritage value of the rail corridor, as well as providing an alternative transport route that connects smaller rural communities to town centres in the Northern Rivers.

2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show proceeds under COVIDSafe rules Having not been held in 2020, the Sydney Royal Easter Show is going ahead, but with COVID-19 restrictions in place that will limit visitor numbers. Often described as the largest yearly event in the Southern Hemisphere, will have an app with a traffic light system to monitor the number of people at events and exhibits, and public transport will no longer be free with a ticket. Numbers at the Show will be restricted at 60,000 people a day, giving it the potential to attract up 720,000 attendees over its 12 days.

ACCC to take court action against Lorna Jane over ‘anti-virus activewear’ claims

Wellington’s Sky Stadium hosts world’s largest concert crowd in a year Over 32,000 fans, the largest crowd for a concert anywhere in the world for nearly a year, attended Wellington’s Sky Stadium in mid-February to see New Zealand act SIX60. The concert was the fifth show of the band’s SATURDAYS tour, which has seen the band play in front of 100,000 fans this year across their five outdoor concerts. The Wellington concert (pictured above) had more people in attendance than this years Superbowl. 8 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is to take court action over activewear brand Lorna Jane’s claims that its clothes could protect against Coronavirus. With the consumer watchdog taking action against businesses’ spurious pandemic claims, the legal action against the Australian activewear brand follows it having been fined almost $40,000 in July by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for claiming its clothing could eliminate COVID-19 and stop it spreading. Launching its claimed ‘anti-virus’ activewear’, the company claimed it protected wearers against pathogens.

Viva Leisure opens first Titanium branded Club Lime Pyrmont

Carlton FC announces elimination of debt and new membership record

Viva Leisure has opened its first Titanium branded fitness facility in the inner Sydney suburb of Pyrmont. Nearly two years in the making, Club Lime Pyrmont marks the introduction of Viva Leisure’s first premium facility, with high quality fitout and design, state-of-the-art equipment, outstanding group fitness spaces, 24/7 opening and no lock-in contracts. In launching the new brand, the ASX-listed operator introduced an integrated marketing campaign executed across outdoor, digital, social, Spotify and search. Viva Leisure’s ongoing expansion has also seen it acquire six Pinnacle Health Clubs in Victoria for a sum believed to be in excess of $6 million.

The Carlton Football Club has announced that, for the first time since 1996, it is debt free while also revealing it has reached an all-time club membership record. The Board has ratified a management recommendation that will see the Club’s remaining $4 million of historical debt wiped out immediately and has informed the AFL that it will no longer be a financially assisted club of the competition. The removal of their longstanding debt was one of Carlton’s 10 targets within their strategic plan, launched in 2019.

Online ticketing scam returns to impact tourist attractions An online scam which has defrauded hundreds of thousands of dollars from visitor attractions has been reported as having re-emerged in Australia. Operators already impacted by the Coronavirus are now having to cope with the scam, which largely targets the Chinese community with fraudulent offers of discounts to popular attractions. As reported by The Age, advertisements posted on China’s social media platform WeChat reveal the extent of the fraud, with Global Ballooning Australia, Adventure Park Geelong and ski operators at Mt Buller, Falls Creek and Mt Hotham all subject to fake promotions in recent months. The well-organised fraud has also targeted Gold Coast theme park Sea World, Sydney Zoo, Jetstar airlines and retailers Coles and Dan Murphy.

ActiveXchange market intelligence shows members quick to cancel unused memberships Newly released market intelligence from ActiveXchange shows that COVID-19 has changed the game when it comes to retention, with members of aquatic, fitness and recreation facilities cancelling after significantly less ‘nonattendance’ in 2021 than in the past. With ActiveXchange’s ecosystem safely and securely compiling millions of data records, cleaning and streamlining the information, then ‘washing’ it against additional data and predictive models and algorithms, to create tangible insights to create a confident ‘what next’ mindset, the data suggests that cancellations are being driven by financial, access and choice reasons.

Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Playbook rules aim to safeguard against Coronavirus The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee (Tokyo 2020), International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have published the first in a series of guidance ‘Playbooks’ providing advice for the safe staging of this years’ rescheduled Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Playbooks outline the personal responsibilities of all involved in this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games to ensure their safe and successful delivery, providing a framework of basic principles that each key stakeholder group will follow before they travel to Japan, when entering Japan, during their time at the Games and when leaving the Games. In terms of behaviour, the Playbook advises that that singing or chanting will be discouraged at Games venues to safeguard against the spread of Coronavirus with clapping encouraged.

Online Subscriptions A 12 month/six issue subscription to Australasian Leisure Management magazine costs just $90 www.ausleisure.com.au

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News IN BRIEF Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein has called on the AFL to provide a solid timeline for when Tasmania will get its own team, threatening to end the state’s financial support for Hawthorn and North Melbourne occasional fixtures in Hobart and Launceston. Australia’s national museum of screen culture, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (pictured) at Melbourne’s Federation Square has reopened to visitors following a $40 million physical and digital transformation.

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Sport Australia has released a ‘Participation Design Toolkit’, aimed at helping sports design new products to attract and retain participants. Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has questioned the development and running costs for a new aquatic centre proposed as part of the redevelopment of the city’s WACA ground which the City of Perth had previously committed to back. Hills Shire Council has announced that the Hills Basketball Association is the new manager of the Bernie Mullane Sports Complex, gymnasium and netball courts. The Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park near Cairns (pictured) has closed permanently, following the downturn in visitation as a result of COVID-19 halting international tourism. The former Cudgee Wildlife Park in Victoria has reopened with new owners and rebranded as Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters. Planet Fitness has opened its first facility in Queensland, in the Cairns suburb of Morayfield, with plans to launch two further clubs in greater Brisbane in the coming months.

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Construction is underway on a series of upgrades at the Sutherland Entertainment Centre, with work on the long-planned refurbishment now being undertaken by builder ADCO Constructions and project management firm Root Partnerships. 1R Australia is set to open its first Australian facility in the Capitol Grand development in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra (pictured). TEG has acquired a majority stake of Sydneybased boutique tour and events promoter Handsome Tours. The Adelaide Festival Theatre will close for up to seven months from mid-July 2021 to allow for the next stage of building works on the adjacent Festival Plaza on the banks of the River Torrens. Evolution Wellness, the Asian fitness club operator whose portfolio of brands also includes Celebrity Fitness, Fitness First, and Fivelements, is to enter the Australian market with its premium boutique gym brand, FIRE Fitness. Amid fears of rising costs for the project, North Sydney Council has announced its appointment of experienced sports facility builders Icon SI to redevelop the North Sydney Olympic Pool. Zoos SA has announced Mossop Construction + Interiors as the appointed builder for the multi-million dollar Monarto Safari Park Visitor Centre.

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The Sydney Opera House has partnered with Virgin Active Health Clubs to deliver a fourweek fitness series on the forecourt of the harbourside landmark (pictured). South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has announced the details of a $700 million indoor multi-purpose arena to be built on the banks of Adelaide’s Torrens River.

World’s Largest Swimming Lesson to return in June

Standards Australia adopts amendments to AS 4685 Playground equipment and surfacing Supporting the operation of safer playgrounds, Standards Australia has advised of the adoption of standards to the series of AS 4685, Playground equipment and surfacing, Parts 1-6, with modifications made to reflect industry and community needs. Aligning with international standards to create safer environments for children’s free play, the updated AS 4685, Playground equipment and surfacing series has been adjusted to provide clarification around height and free fall requirements with the objective to assist in reducing the risk of child playground related injuries.

Victorian regional bid for 2030 Commonwealth Games stalled due to Coronavirus A proposed multi-centre bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games across cities in Regional Victoria has been put on hold due to the Coronavirus crisis. The bid, launched nearly four years ago by the City of Greater Shepparton, planned to host the 2030 Games at venues around the state in Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Nagambie, Traralgon, Warrnambool, Wodonga and Yarrawonga.

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The organisers of the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (WLSL) has advised that the global platform to promote the importance of teaching children to swim will return on 17th June 2021. Now in its 12th year, WLSL serves as a crucial platform for the aquatics industry to build awareness of swimming lessons and with months of learn-to-swim programs having been lost in 2020, the need to provide children with access to formal swimming lessons this year is more important than ever.

CLM diverts 79% of Bay Dreams festival’s waste away from landfill Facility manger CLM has advised of how, equipped with a waste management plan and a dedicated team, it diverted 79% of leftover waste from January’s Bay Dreams festival away from landfill, beating its record 2020 achievement of 66%. With Bay Dreams always having aimed to divert waste generated at the event from landfill, for the 2021 festival, waste management was carried out by CLM, which also manages Trafalgar Venues for Nelson City Council With CLM developing a significant track record in both avoiding and reducing waste at events, 85.4 cubic metres or just over four tonnes of waste was collected.

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Auckland’s Eden Park receives confirmation for staging concert events Eden Park has been allowed to host concert events following a compelling decision by Auckland’s Independent Commissioners. The stadium is now moving to contract and proceeding with announcements with a number of artists - with promoters having confirmed that Eden Park will deliver a superior event experience to music fans with its transport connectivity, proximity to the city and facilities that cater to all demographics and cultural communities.

Melbourne Festival Hall’s change of ownership marks the end of an era The recent change of ownership of Melbourne’s Festival Hall marks the end of the Wren family’s 60-year involvement with the venue. First opened as the West Melbourne Stadium in 1915, it was purchased by John Wren in 1955 and reopened as the Festival Hall in time to provide the venue for several Olympic Games events, including gymnastics and wrestling, the following year. The venue quickly became the venue of choice for big-name acts performing in Melbourne with The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey and Ed Sheeran all gracing the venue’s stage over the years. However, with Melbourne’s newer venues attracting performances and events that would previously have gone to the Festival Hall, the Wren family’s Stadiums Pty Ltd first sought to redevelop the site and, after a heritage listing prevented that, put the property up for sale in 2017. The venue was purchased by evangelical church Hillsong last year.

New Zealand Tourism Minister says industry ‘shouldn’t expect more Government support’ New Zealand Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has shared a bleak message for the tourism industry across the country suggesting that it cannot expect ongoing Government support to help it cope with the downturn in visitors. With the nation’s borders still closed to international visitors, Minister Nash advised that businesses who rely on foreign tourists may need to have “very hard conversations with your bank, your creditors, your directors and your employees.” Still struggling to fill the $6 billion drop in expenditure by overseas visitors, Minister Nash said businesses need to accept “the cold, hard reality” that New Zealand will probably not welcome back international tourists until 2022.

Promoter Tony Cochrane winds up International Entertainment Consulting One time rock promoter and Gold Coast Suns Chairman Tony Cochrane has wound up one of his entertainment and touring businesses. Grant Thornton have been appointed to oversee the liquidation of International Entertainment Consulting Pty Ltd. Concert promoter and Ticketek owner TEG Live are among the investors in the business which includes Cochrane’s wife Thea Tony Cochrane and his wife Thea and Sirromet Wines founder Terry Morris on the board. Launched in 2013, IEC was behind The Rolling Stones ‘Exhibitionism’ retrospective that opened in London in 2016 before touring the world. 12 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

Far North Queensland loses $2.2 billion of visitor spending Cairns Regional Council has advised that more than $2.2 billion of visitor spending in the region was lost last year as a result COVID-19 related travel restrictions. A report to Council outlining Tourism Tropical North Queensland’s activities revealed that prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, the region recorded 2.9 million visitors spending $3.51 billion for the year ending March 2020.

Football Victoria announces pledge to ‘unite the futsal community’ Football Victoria has announced that it is “stepping up its dedication to unite the sport and invest in the resources needed to govern futsal in Victoria.” The only form of ‘indoor football’ or ‘five-a-side’ officially approved by world governing body FIFA and Football Australia, Football Victoria explain that “the game’s health is suffering from an absence of centralised direction in recent decades.”

AFLW reaches membership record in fifth season THE AFL has revealed that its AFL Women’s competition has broken its club membership record, reaching 21,319 members. The new figure surpasses last year’s high and marks the fifth straight year an AFLW club membership milestone has been achieved since the competition was established in 2017. Eight AFL clubs have also achieved record AFLW club membership in season 2021, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast and Western Bulldogs.

Coronial Inquest hears that Royal Adelaide Show ride had ‘design and condition flaws’ A Coronial Inquest into the death of eight-yearold Adelene Leong who was thrown from a ride at the 2014 Royal Adelaide Show has heard that the ride from which she was thrown had been “plagued by complaints” during previous shows and fairs. Deputy State Coroner Ian White was also told that the Airmaxx 360 - which caused Adelene Leong to be “catapulted” through the air at 100 kilometres per hour - had escaped major scrutiny because it had a ‘misappropriated’ design registration.

www.ausleisure.com.au for all the latest industry news

Summer promotion sees Timaru District community facilities attract record attendances Timaru District Council has advised that its community facilities saw record attendances over summer, boosted by its ‘Sunsational’ promotion. Created with young families in mind during the long summer break, the promotion saw people collect a free bingo card from one of the participating venues on which they then began ticking off activities throughout the District. The card set unique challenges at South Canterbury Museum, Timaru District Libraries, Temuka Courthouse Museum, Geraldine Historical Museum, CBay Aquatic Centre, Aigantighe Art Gallery and the main parks.

Rackley Swimming open 26th Queensland swimming school Rackley Swimming’s latest swim school - its 26th in Queensland - has opened at the North Lakes Aquatic Centre. Featuring a heated outdoor 25 metre swimming pool, heated indoor Learn to Swim program pool and an outdoor play pool with water features, North Lakes Aquatic Centre is managed by City Venue Management. Rackley Swimming opened its ninth Gold Coast pool and 25th swimming school - Rackley Swimming Hope Island - in January.

Community sport facilities deliver $7 billion value to Victoria Victoria’s community sport and active recreation sector is delivering exponential economic, health and social benefits, a new report has revealed. The Value of Community Sport and Active Recreation Infrastructure, a new KPMG report commissioned by Sport and Recreation Victoria, shows that the sector delivers economic benefits to the value of $7.04 billion annually. The report is the first ever comprehensive investigation into the economic, health and social impacts of community sport and active recreation infrastructure in the state.

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Swiss observation wheel experts purchase Melbourne Star Swiss-based global observation wheel design and management experts, Robu Group, has advised of their purchase of the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel with the new ownership having come into effect from 1st February. Melbourne Star Observation Wheel management said the attraction is operating as usual, welcoming thousands of visitors a week, with a new Master Plan expected to bring exciting visitor activities and experiences both in and around the Giant Observation Wheel, in the near future.

Asset sales reduce Experience Co’s half-yearly losses as tourism operator Experience Co, Far North Queensland’s largest biggest tourism operator, revealed a half-yearly net loss of $200,000 in its results to 31st December 2020. Experiencing a significant downturn in income, the ASXlisted company’s losses were offset by the $27 million sales of hot air ballooning operations and Cairns-based white water rafting firm Raging Thunder.

No insurance forces closure of Barra Fun Park in Townsville The Barra Fun Park in Townsville has closed its doors after 20 years of operation after failing to find an insurer prepared to renew its public liability insurance. The popular attraction halted operations at the end of January after owner Brent Stevenson found insurers unwilling to offer cover, a result of insurers finding many sectors of the leisure industry becoming ‘financially unviable’ for global markets.

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Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 13

Naming rights deal for Redcliffe’s Dolphin Stadium

Details revealed of new and existing venues that would host Brisbane’s 2032 Olympics With the International Olympic Committee (IOC) having declared Brisbane as the ‘preferred candidate city’ to host the 2032 Olympics, venues that would potentially host Games events have been revealed in the bid document. With the bid relying heavily on using existing facilities and sporting infrastructure, it has been promoted as a Games that will break-even, avoiding incurring massive overspends such as those faced by past Olympics. To achieve its aims, Brisbane’s Olympics would include venues across south-east Queensland, including a number of facilities built for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and possibly some built for Sydney’s 2000 Olympics, while football preliminaries would also be played in Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane’s bid document suggested that between two and seven new venues would be built including a new 50,000-capacity stadium at Albion Park to serve as the main stadium, hosting athletics and the ceremonies.

Court allows Viagogo a reprieve in paying $7 million fine The Federal Court has allowed ticket-reseller Viagogo to hold off paying a $7 million fine for breaching the Australian Consumer Law pending the result of the Swiss-based company’s appeal. Legal action was pursued against the controversial secondary ticketing firm by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for making false or misleading representations when reselling tickets to live events. The Federal Court ruled that the secondary ticketing firm had indeed made false or misleading representations and “engaged in conduct liable to mislead the public”. However, with an appeal against that decision pending, the Federal Court has said Viagogo could delay paying the fine until proceedings concluded.

VMA announces dates for 2021 Venue Management School The Venue Management Association (VMA) has announced the dates for the 2021 Venue Management School and Leadership Institute to be held at Salt Resort, Kingscliff between the 7th and 12th November. With the unfortunate cancellation of the 2020 School, the VMA is looking forward to welcoming a new intake of Year 1 students who will join returning Year 2 students as they complete their studies and graduate. The world-renowned VMS combines the ultimate venue industry networking experience with a two-year program featuring workshops, discussions and presentations to explore essential topics to the venue industry.

14 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

Ambitious South East Queensland rugby league side the Redcliffe Dolphins have revealed the new branding of its home venue - Moreton Daily Stadium - under a naming rights and sponsorship deal. Part of the community for more than 70 years, Redcliffe Leagues Football Club is looking to be the next team to join the NRL competition. The Club’s plans have also seen its home venue undergo significant redevelopment over the past five years, with the soon-to-be-completed latest stage set to see the venue’s capacity increased to 11,500.

US$46 million makeover for Hong Kong’s Ocean Park The Hong Kong Government is to provide HK $361 million (US$46 million) for a makeover of the administrative region’s Ocean Park into a new style of tourism destination with a role as marine conservation hub. Operating at a loss for the last four years, the further injection of funds into the 44-year old theme park will see it change its emphasis, moving from a traditional theme park to a self-sufficient marine conservation centre and visitor destination. Facing declining visitation and massively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ocean Park has received repeated financial support from the Hong Kong Government.

New Zealand’s Jobs for Nature funding will create training and employment opportunities A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mount Richmond will create jobs and help protect the unique ecosystems of the South Island forest park according to New Zealand Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. Administered by the Department of Conservation, the Mt Richmond Forest Park has ecosystems developed on mineralrich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country.

NRL cut operating costs by more than a third in wake of Coronavirus challenges The NRL reduced its operating costs by more than $65 million over the last year as it reacted to disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. According to a Sydney Morning Herald report, despite the governing body saving more than a third of its previous operating costs due to cost cutting measures during the past financial year, it is still set to report a loss for its last 12 month reporting period to the end of October last year.

www.ausleisure.com.au for all the latest industry news

Christchurch venue management company Vbase announces new brand Christchurch City Council owned venues and events company Vbase Limited has changed its name to Venues Otautahi. Explaining the new branding, Vbase advised the $49,000 rebranding “makes clear who we are and what we do - we are Otautahi and we operate venues. “Secondly, it supports our intention to refocus on marketing the venues, not the company … and, it supports the Company’s local procurement strategy.”

AALARA to replace single annual conference with one-day events in Sydney, Melbourne and on the Gold Coast Facing ongoing uncertainty over COVID-19 travel restrictions, the Australian Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Association (AALARA) has announced that it will not hold its multi-day annual industry conference in May but will instead hold single day ‘roadshow’ events in Sydney, Melbourne and on the Gold Coast. The AALARA21 RoadShow events will be held in: Sydney on Wednesday 21st April, Melbourne on Wednesday 5th May 2021 and the Gold Coast on Wednesday 12th May 2021.

Construction commences on NSW Cricket Centre of Excellence Construction has commenced on the NSW Cricket Centre of Excellence - the first time in 160 years Cricket NSW will have a home it can call its own. Located at Wilson Park, Silverwater in Sydney Olympic Park, the $50 million facility will be home to the NSW Blues and NSW Breakers squads and Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers BBL and WBBL squads as well as the headquarters for nearly 150 Cricket NSW staff.

Peninsula Hot Springs Group announces partnership in East Gippsland The Peninsula Hot Springs Group has partnered with East Gippsland tourism operators Rachel and Adrian Bromage to develop a new hot springs attraction in picturesque Metung. Grant support from the State and Federal Government will enable Metung Hot Springs to raise the additional funds needed to bring to life a new regional hot springs development in a location recently devastated by bushfires, severe drought and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research sheds light on supervision issues at public aquatic facilities Royal Life Saving WA is reminding parents about the importance of closely supervising their children while attending Western Australia’s many public aquatic centres. The reminder follows new Edith Cowan University (ECU) research that highlights the quality of supervision at public swimming pools in Western Australia, with the study identifying that almost one quarter of caregivers are distracted by mobile phones. The ECU research, which was conducted in conjunction with Royal Life Saving WA, is the first published study to identify links between mobile phone use among caregivers and inadequate supervision at public swimming pools. Researchers observed 449 children and their carers at two Western Australian public swimming pools and conducted 10 in-depth interviews with parents about their own perceptions of their supervision responsibilities and the barriers to supervision. Overall supervision levels differed with gender, with only 44% of female caregivers providing ideal supervision, compared with 72% of male caregivers. Of the caregivers observed using their mobile phones (22%), none provided ideal supervision.

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Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 15

Inspiring Future Movement Rachel Ely outlines how the fitness industry continues to strengthen 12 months since COVID-19 shutdowns ith March marking a year since Coronavirus forced much of the industry to close down, Fitness Australia is reporting W that operators are experiencing a resurgence that is driving jobs, memberships and demand for services. Midday, 23rd March 2020 will forever be etched in the memory of fitness facilities, exercise professionals and fitness industry staff as a day that more than 6,400 fitness businesses closed indefinitely, put more than 35,000 people immediately out of work and removed the option of gym-based exercise from four million Australians. Faced with uncertainly, instant loss of clients, revenue and income and not knowing how they would survive sent many health and fitness business owners and sole traders into a state of despair and scrabbling to go virtual within a matter of days, just to keep food on the table. Advising that the $3 billion a year industry was hit devastatingly hard, with no warning or foresight into how long businesses would remain closed, Fitness Australia Chief Executive, Barrie Elvish (pictured left) stated “this time last year was a period of panic, uncertainly and fear for our industry. No one was immune from the forced shutdowns - from business owners 16 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

and personal trainers to support staff and the four million gym members across Australia. “COVID-19 was unlike anything anyone has ever experienced before, as with many other industries we were not prepared for what played out over months of various shutdowns and restrictions. We had to adapt very quickly to ensure people still had access to vital exercise options, such as virtual training and outdoor exercise, when permitted. “This allowed some businesses to continue to operate at a minimal capacity, which was important for the livelihood of so many people and the survival of the industry.” Data from Fitness Australia’s COVID-19 Fitness Industry Impacts Report released last year, found: -81% of exercise professionals and sole traders had lost their job or main source of income -70% of business cited a 100% decline in memberships -Revenue was down 100% for 50% of gym owners -Gyms that could adapt and go virtual or outdoors were able to only generate less than 10% of their usual income. 12 months on Despite the financial and emotional pain faced by many over the past 12 months, the industry is continuing to quickly rebuild strength and resilience according to Fitness Australia who is the industry’s peak member association. Elvish noted “at an association level, we’ve implemented more robust health and hygiene frameworks for Fitness Australia members to give their business greater credibility and provide their members with the confidence and peace of mind their gym is of the highest standards and delivering service excellence. COVID-19 also saw Fitness Australia start to work more closely with governments and health authorities, and while this has been slower in some states than others, we are confident our engagement will continue to push for fitness facilities to be classified an essential service due to the benefits on our community’s long-term mental and physical health and wellbeing.” Adding that the industry was also seeing a surge in new job opportunities as businesses cater for heightened demand and start planning for the future, Elvish went on to say “job listings through the Fitness Australia Jobs Board* for the January to March quarter so far are 88% above the 2019 average. In comparison, listings in April last year were 79% below the 2019 average - that’s a big turnaround and gives us tremendous reason for hope.” For Newcastle business owner, John Pirlo, who owns eight Genesis Health Clubs and founded the Ninja Parc franchise, the closures impacted more than 21,500 members, 174 of his staff and 32 contracted Personal Trainers from across the region and took a toll personally. Pirlo explained “it was a real challenge coming to terms with World Gym Australia reported a record year in 2020 (below) while Viva Leisure (top left) continues to open and acquire new locations.

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Mennillo explained “Better Than Ever is a one-on-one personal training business, we didn’t have an online offering. When the shutdowns happened we basically had nothing to fall back on, direct debits for our 150 plus clients stopped and we were essentially stuck in mud with no way out. “I had to lay off staff, my wife who works in the business with me had to find a second job and I was working 80 plus hours a week. We had to get online as quickly as possible, which on the bright side has seen us design a sophisticated online platform that will future proof our business.” Mennillo said the business has seen very positive signs in recent months, and he was now hiring more staff to keep up with growing demand as be rebuilds the business, concluding “January was a complete reset for us and most likely for many fitness businesses. “We’ve had more than half our clients return and we’ve signed up more new members in the past two-and-a-half months than we did in whole 2020 calendar year. We are rebuilding, we’ve gone back to basics and are focusing on giving our clients a high level of personalised service. “Realistically, I think it will take us a solid two years to really get our business back to pre-COVID times. The past 12 months have taught us a lot but we are very grateful that we are still standing and pushing forward.” *Source: Fitness Australia Jobs Board powered by Sportspeople. Rachel Ely is Fitness Australia Marketing Coordinator at Fitness Australia.

The Belgravia Group’s Ninja Parc indoor obstacle course concept has opened its third franchise, in the Melbourne suburb of Bayswater.

the shutdown. Personally, I think I was in a blackhole for two to three days not knowing what to do. “I made a critical decision to keep all staff employed, even before JobKeeper came into effect. This coupled with annual rents of more than $3 million and zero revenue coming in, meant times were very dire. “Once we got up and running online we were able to achieve approximately 10% of our revenue through a pay-per-use system for members. It was minimal but allowed us to keep going, we knew many of our members relied on the training for their mental health and wellbeing so we didn’t want to let them down.” Once gyms reopened in NSW his clubs were swift to adopt COVIDSafe procedures to give people a high degree of confidence they could visit the gym and train safely. Explaining this, Pirlo stated “we had great feedback and high level of understanding from our members and the community; they were willing to do whatever they needed to ensure they could go to the gym and keep them open. “Within 30 days of reopening we were back to approximately 60% of revenue and this increased to 95% within four months with the majority of members now back. It’s been a long road, but it taught us that we can adapt and learn no matter the circumstances. Our mission is to inspire movement and that keeps us going.” For Adelaide local Tony Mennillo, founder and Chief Executive of Better Than Ever, a personal training, health and nutrition business in Findon, the snap shutdowns meant he had to completely reengineer his business model. 18 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

Snap Fitness has commenced 2021 with the opening of nine new clubs.

High-intensity workout phenomenon Barry’s has opened its first Melbourne studio.

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Malvern KX Pilates studio (above, credit: Kit Haselden) and Aaron Smith (below, credit: Julian Kingma).

Fit to franchise: Beyond 10 years of KX Pilates Aaron Smith explains why the journey is more important than the destination when growing a fitness franchise

y career in fitness started working as a personal trainer, M but it was not until I went overseas and saw how the personal touch one-on-one training offers could be scaled up to the business level that I was inspired to develop a dynamic Pilates studio brand in Australia. The idea was to keep it boutique to maintain the personal touch, but grow the community around it, so it always had a buzz. After an ordinary start, I can tell you there’s nothing sadder than an empty studio on opening day, I got my act together and people started hearing about us. Now, KX Pilates has more than 70 studios Australia-wide with an overseas master franchisor in Indonesia and country partner in China. Our core offering is a 50-minute session giving clients a full-body dynamic Pilates workout using customised equipment, including our purpose-built reformer machine. However, the workout is only really half the reason why our 20 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

clients are so loyal. The community aspect of our studios is important because it makes a fitness session something clients look forward to in their day or week. Just as sport brings people together, exercising together helps with motivation because it’s about sharing achievements. Foundational elements The concept of achieving through steady incremental improvement is embedded in the foundation of the business, and it serves us well at a client level and a business level. KX stands for ‘Kaizen eXperience’ - where kaizen is the Japanese concept of continuous improvement. It’s clear that the fitness aspect of what we offer is an example of continuous improvement, but KX reaches beyond that: we also consider ourselves a lifestyle brand. We want to see the kaizen attitude cross over to our clients’ daily lives. This, as much as the Pilates, was the reason I saw KX as a movement from the beginning. Leveraging kaizen, in a business sense, has been hugely rewarding. If you start a business, my advice is to make sure one of its core values is about how to make things better! Our culture is not just focused on what the letters ‘K’ and ‘X’ stand

clients to connect with like-minded people beyond their neighbourhood. The answer to that is franchising. Franchising has both tangible and intangible elements. The tangible elements are things like the studio fit out, the customised equipment, the design and marketing aspects. The most important intangible element is the brand. The brand is a feeling and that feeling comes from the culture that you build into it. How you embed and maintain culture will determine the strength of your growth and the consistency and quality by which your business will be known. It is fortunate that most of our franchise partners are drawn from our existing ‘family’ of trainers and clients, people who are well aware of our culture. Signing international master franchisors therefore presents a challenge. How do we recruit the right people, those who share our culture and values, who will in turn recruit the right people? Our first international master franchisor made it easy for us as she lived in Melbourne for six years, and had an immediate affinity to KX, and wanted to bring it to her home country, Indonesia. China was a different story. We looked for someone who not only had the business experience but showed an active interest in fitness, with the understanding that KX is not just a financial proposition, it’s a lifestyle brand. Our business partner has 20 years’ experience in the fitness industry, including growing a yoga brand, so we’re definitely on the right track. Our relationship is centred around trust. We are clear about the culture and business opportunities that KX Pilates offers while the team there has the in-country expertise. When our department leaders work with their international counterparts, we use guidelines and work alongside them to decide what would work best in their communities, which vary by province and even cities within a province. The master franchisor’s role is to find the intersection of brand culture and values with the country’s culture and values and leverage those to grow the business. Malvern KX Pilates studio, and below and overleaf. Credit: Kit Haselden.

for - it’s not just a motto to us. The culture of kaizen translates to the way we conduct our business and network, from the individual studio right up to headquarters in the way we create space for improvement. What this looks like at a network level is building that space into the fabric of our processes. It’s embedding a feedback cycle in our regular cluster (a group of five to 10 studios) meetings so franchise partners have the opportunity to vent, discuss issues, troubleshoot and propose ideas in addition to the chance to upskill and connect with one another. It’s providing forums online and in person for our franchise partners to contribute ideas that we evaluate and consider. We then dedicate time and resources to develop the most viable ideas into practise. All this requires psychological safety, opportunity and followthrough, and you can only do it if the culture is ingrained in the network. Ready to franchise Within a couple of years of opening my first studio I had three. My father took a look at my financial figures and felt that I could have a comfortable life if I stopped there. That’s not my way, however – I had a plan to make KX a brand that could change the way people thought about fitness. Throughout my career, I’ve seen the best and the worst of the fitness industry. One of my pet hates is when gyms look at clients as sales and numbers rather than taking a personfirst approach. I once saw the late US entrepreneur Jim Rohn speak at a conference and the quote that struck me was, “care more about your customers than you do about the money you will make from them and you will be successful.” In addition to improving customer service, my vision was to create a community around a KX studio that would enable 22 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

The future of fitness Going to China has been eye-opening for another reason, and that’s the speed at which things move. Copycat studios can pop up just weeks after launch, so it’s essential that we take control by being exclusive and innovative to stay ahead of the pack. Part of that is wrapped up in tangible aspects of our brand. We have customised equipment, and we are rolling out the Balanced Body KXformer, a proprietary Pilates reformer

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custom-built in the US to our specifications and exclusively for our brand. We have been working on the model for years, tailoring it to suit our unique workout. In an over-saturated fitness market, having innovation as part of your business strategy will help you stand out. It’s no coincidence that our dedication to kaizen means we are, from the outset, innovation-focused because we are constantly looking for ways to improve. With the two pillars of innovation and culture as brand calling cards, we feel equipped for the future of fitness. If you’re a fitness business that wants to survive and thrive, make sure you have those elements worked out before you go forth.

Aaron Smith is founder and Chief Cultural Officer of KX Pilates. Based on the Japanese philosophy of kaizen (continuous improvement), KX Pilates was founded by Smith in February 2020, is Australia’s largest Pilates franchise and the first Pilates brand to offer high intensity, dynamic workouts in the region. It currently has 74 studios across Australia, one studio in Jakarta, Indonesia and has plans to open a further 10 studios in 2021 including launching into China. In November 2018, he stepped down as Chief Executive with an initial focus on innovation and international expansion and in 2021 has stepped into the role of Chief Cultural Officer.

So you want to franchise your fitness business… It’s important to establish up front what kind of franchisor you want to be. This will determine how you set up your franchise structure, as well as shape the recruiting, onboarding and franchise partner development process. The Ruler: The relationship is governed by the rules. It is based on the principle that if a franchise partner follows the process to the letter, they will succeed. This is fantastic for franchise partners who want the path laid out for them but not advised if you expect them to contribute ideas to improve the brand. At their worst, The Ruler can become The Dictator, where the franchisor micro-manages the franchise partner because they have no confidence in their capability. If you’re The Ruler, beware that this kind of toxic relationship can poison the network. The Partner: The relationship is governed by the collective. This franchisor sees that if they empower and collaborate with their franchise partners, they can achieve more together. Personally, I find this style of franchise relationship the most rewarding because franchise partners

24 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

take ownership of the brand and support its values; when there’s mutual respect and open dialogue, you’re better able to advance the brand. It’s harder to expand quickly as The Partner because each franchise is treated as an individual, not a number, but the long-term outlook is much more stable. The Ambassador: The relationship is governed by the franchisor’s ability to represent the brand positively at industry level. These franchisors tend to be advocates, thought leaders and award-winners who cultivate a public presence. They provide a positive role model for franchise partners but don’t always create space for franchise partner contributions. The Ambassador attends events and participates in industry-level activities such as judging awards, to represent themselves and their franchise partners by association. Of course, hybrids of these exist to balance the benefits and drawbacks of each franchisor style, so be aware of how they might affect your brand and find the right mix of traits for you.

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Shrek Ensemble. Credit Brian Geach

Karen Sweaney accounts for openings that lead the way in post-pandemic theatre operations

n early May last year, when the impact of Coronavirus was only first being felt, UK-based theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh expressed a belief that venues in London’s West End and on New York’s Broadway would be closed until 2021 as a result of the pandemic, telling the BBC that theatres “are going to be the last to go back.” Sir Cameron, whose Delfont Mackintosh group owns eight London theatres and who has produced a series of global hit productions over the last five decades, went on to advise that unlike many other leisure venues, theatres cannot immediately reopen as lockdown restrictions get eased, stating that “it takes months and months to get huge shows like the kind we do up and running.” With live entertainment among the sectors worst affected by Coronavirus measures, November’s opening of the hit Broadway musical Pippin at Sydney’s Lyric became the first large scale musical theatre production to open in Australia since COVID-19 led to theatres closing down in March. Foundation Theatres and the Sydney Lyric had a detailed COVID Safety Plan for the performance which saw comprehensive hygiene measures with patrons required to wear masks and the venue initially not sold to full capacity. Advising that performances will always operate in accordance with the advice of NSW Health, Foundation Theatres Chief Executive, Graeme Kearns advised before the first performance “we have detailed measures in place to assist with flow of patrons and to protect the health and hygiene of all who visit us. 26 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

“Our team has been working tirelessly to ensure that theatre is as safe as it can be.” Following this, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s (QPAC) production of ‘Shrek The Musical’ was delivered, as of Saturday 9th January, as Australia’s first major musical to a 100% capacity audience without a special exemption required, since the onset of COVID-19. However, the sector has had to be agile. Short term ‘snap’ lockdowns to deal with isolated Coronavirus outbreaks caused QPAC to suspend performances of Shrek in mid-January while February’s temporary reintroduction of lockdown measures in New Zealand required Christchurch’s Court Theatre to operate under the country’s Alert Level 2. Reacting to this, the venue re-introduced safety protection screens to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in its auditorium and contingencies to keep patrons one metre apart. Explaining how the venue coped with the restrictions, Court Theatre Chief Executive, Barbara George stated “the Court Theatre was a business of two halves that kept our patrons safe under COVID-19 alert level two. “We had literally split our building into two with separate zones that catered for up to 100 people each.” George added that with the production Winding Up with Mark Hadlow and Darien Takle having just opened “we had sold out shows with lots of people really looking forward to a night out at the theatre so it was fantastic we did not disappoint them.” George said staff had worked hard as bookings under Alert

Frozen at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre. Credit: Capitol Theatre.

Level 2 were affected as The Court Theatre reduced the house size to create safe seating. Another local opening, Frozen the Musical at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, is having a more international influence, with the Disney production serving as a model for other global theatrical productions while also being used to inform the eventual reopening of productions on New York’s Broadway. Since the Capitol Theatre hosted the international debut of the new production of Frozen on 10th December it has played to 75% capacity houses of maskwearing patrons. The Sydney performances are the first of five Frozen productions on four different continents that Disney plans to have running in 2021 - the others being in London in June, as well as in Tokyo, Hamburg and the resumption of its North American tour. Disney Theatrical President Thomas Schumacher sees that the Sydney, and subsequent, productions will each inform the eventual reopening of New York’s famous theatrical hub. Schumacher, who is also the immediate past Chairman of the board of

the Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway theatre industry, told cable news channel NY1 “it looks like we’ll be opening other parts of the world before Broadway opens (where) we will learn a lot of our protocols and can test how all of our safety procedures are as safe as we want them to be. We need to test it while we’re in a place with a very low infection rate. “We’re going to learn a lot about audiences, about people’s willingness to buy tickets, how people feel about restrictions, and we’re going to learn about health and safety.” The opening night of Frozen in Sydney welcomed 1,300 patrons who were not required to socially distance - although they were required to wear masks and follow other protocols, such as using contactless ticketing, and confirming they have watched a video telling audience members how things are going to work on the night. Of the NSW safety protocols, Schumacher, who supervised the opening after a 14-day quarantine on arriving in Australia, said he was most taken by the QR code check-in system, which was used during technical

rehearsals to keep track of all members in the building. Having seen audience members being asked to register using QR codes before entering the theatre during regular performances, Schumacher sees this as a possibility for Broadway productions, both as a means of contract tracing and to ensure building safety. Schumacher said everything started on time, with no complications or confusion from the audiences, explaining “everyone teared up when the first invited audience came in. “You’re aware that it’s all about the people. The orchestra, the crew, the glorious cast and all the event staff - all of whom have been out of work. “So you’re doing this to get them back to work. It’s thrilling because I feel like I’m eight months ahead of you as I can see what this is going to be like. I can see what the protocols are going to be like, I can see how we can work together and how we can feel safe.” In addition to the QR-code system, the theatre’s protocols include deepcleaning the building after every performance, requiring audience members over the age of 12 to wear masks, setting specific arrival time windows for audience members and specifying the order in which they can exit the theatre. The plan was tested during the COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney’s Northern Beaches over Christmas which led to the cancelation of Frozen for three days beginning the week of 21st December. With performances resuming on 26th December, Disney Theatrical praised the NSW Government’s handling of the situation, while cautioning that shutdowns may be part of any reopening strategy. In a statement, Disney Theatrical advised “the impressive and thorough testing and tracing operation undertaken by the NSW Government - which has allowed Sydney’s live entertainment to resume after a brief shutdown - is the latest demonstration of their strategic

Sydney’s Capitol Theatre reopened with COVIDSafe measures in place. Images credit: Capitol Theatre.

28 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

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Sydney’s Capitol Theatre reopened with COVIDSafe measures in place. Images credit: Capitol Theatre.

leadership during the pandemic. The fact is, these occasional pauses are the new normal as cities reopen theatres and we will always work closely with local leadership to protect our audiences, casts and employees.” When Broadway does reopen, Disney Theatrical will be working to remount the Aladdin and The Lion King musicals, with

Schumacher noting that away from New York, the USA’s different jurisdictions will have different requirements for reopening. Commenting on this, he concluded “we don’t know what the obligations are going to be for the vaccine. We do not know what the obligation is going to be for testing.” The Coronavirus pandemic has seen Broadway’s 41 theatres closed since 12th

March last year, and will remain closed until at least May 2021, their reopening having been pushed back several times. The Australian production of Frozen was originally scheduled to open in July 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic. Karen Sweaney is Editor of Australasian Leisure Management.

Operators reveal new management team and logo for Theatre Royal Sydney

UK-based Trafalgar Entertainment, the new operators of Theatre Royal Sydney, have provided an update on the progress of the venue’s refurbishment while also announcing senior appointments - Jono Perry as General Manager, Nick Cook as Technical Manager and Houri Tapiki as Head of Customer Experience the first members to join the Theatre Royal management team. With work advancing in anticipation of welcoming back audiences this year, the first appointments to the venue’s management team, sees Jono Perry ready to contribute his wealth of experience in the entertainment industry both Australia

and internationally over 20 years. Most recently as Wharf Renewal Project Director at Sydney Theatre Company, he has held senior positions at organisations including Opera Australia, Brisbane Festival and the Queensland Ballet. Nick Cook has been engaged in live performance industries for close to 20 years, having held the position of Head of Technical Operations at both the Sydney Lyric and Capitol Theatres, as well as, most recently at the newly opened Sydney Coliseum. Houri Tapiki joins the team after most recently leading the Client Services teams at Ticketek which further enhances her expertise in leading customer experiences across a diverse range of venues and events. Welcoming his appointment, Perry advised “the refurbishment and reopening of Theatre Royal Sydney is another significant milestone rebuilding Sydney’s cultural life (and) will reestablish Sydney’s CBD as our driver for the cultural and visitor economy.” Sir Howard Panter, Trafalgar Entertainment’s Group Chief Executive,

30 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

advised “the eyes of the international arts industry are firmly set on Sydney as it heralds a further cultural renaissance playing a very important part in the recovery and renewal of the creative industries. “Theatre Royal Sydney will be transformed with international standards to house world-class productions from Australia and around the world from major commercial musicals, plays, ballet and live music. TE is collaborating with leading producers and promoters across its industry networks worldwide to establish a diverse programme of first-class theatre productions. “Sydney holds a unique position as producers from all around the globe are circling to be one of the first to have their productions play in the Theatre Royal in 2021. We are currently in talks with producers across Australia, the USA and London, to confirm inspiring productions to relaunch Theatre Royal. We know this activity will play a key role in Sydney’s cultural and economic revival.”

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Michael Gudinski in 2020 (above) and after founding Mushroom Records in the 1970s (below).

Honouring the Big G Remembering legendary Australian music promoter Michael Gudinski

he death of Michael Gudinski, Chairman of the Mushroom Group of companies, at the age of 68 at the beginning of March has led to widespread recognition of his achievement in championing Australian music and helping shape the nation’s sound over five decades. His 45-year career saw him advance the cause of numerous Australian acts, including Skyhooks, Kylie Minogue, New Zealand-created Split Enz and more recently, Eskimo Joe and Evermore. He also brought to Australia many of the world’s top artists, including Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, the Police and more recently, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift. When COVID-19 shut down the music industry in 2020, Gudinski launched the online live music series The State of Music, in support of local musicians who lost their livelihoods overnight - which evolved into the ABC TV show The Sound. Michael Solomon Gudinski was born in Melbourne on 22nd August 1952 to Russian Jewish parents who had come to Australia from Europe after surviving the Second World War. He got his first taste of the entrepreneurial life aged just seven, when he charged Caulfield Cup racegoers to park in a vacant block next to his house. By 15, he was organising dances and earning $500 a week, with bands showing 32 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

up on his parents’ doorstep for payment. After booking acts such as The Aztecs and Chain (who he also managed), Gudinski dropped out of his final year of high school and established his first booking agency, Consolidated Rock, in 1970. Learning the music business on the job, in 1972 with business partner Ray Evans, Gudinski booked a major musical coup with the inaugural Sunbury Festival. More than 35,000 fans paid $6 for a three-day ticket. It was quickly followed by him promoting John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, his first international tour, later that year. As he later told a biographer “it was the most money I’d ever made in one night in my life.” Later that year, at the age of 20, he set up Mushroom Records. Low on funds after a shaky start, Mushroom Records struck gold by signing Skyhooks in 1974. The seminal Australian act’s first album Living in the 70’s topped the charts for four months, selling 240,000 copies and paved the way for dozens of other top selling acts. In 1987, he signed a young singer who would become Australia’s biggest international pop star - Kylie Minogue. Last month, she praised Gudinski for organising a concert to benefit small towns hit by both bushfires and the pandemic, writing on Instagram “his passion for the music scene, for performers, crews and audiences knows no bounds.” Gudinski also threw his weight behind transformative Indigenous artists Archie Roach and Yothu Yindi, whose careers have left an immense cultural legacy. In 1979, he launched the touring agency, Frontier Touring, bringing some of the biggest international names to Australia in the 1980s and 1990s, including Frank Sinatra and The Rolling Stones. In 2019, US entertainment publication

Michael Gudinski with Kylie Minogue, ‘Molly’ Meldrum and Tina Arena at the 2017 opening of the Music Industry Vault in Melbourne (left), at the NFSA (above) and with Michael Rowland and Peter Garrett in February this year (right).

Billboard ranked Frontier the thirdlargest promoter in the world. In 1993 Gudinski sold 49% of the Mushroom Records label to News Ltd (now News Corp) and the remaining 51% stake in 1998, while keeping the Mushroom Group name. Speaking of his passion for Australian music, Gudinski once said “the talent was always here but the industry was a cottage industry. “It was very frustrating because, at the time, Australians always thought anything that came from overseas whether it was music, cars or fashion designs - was better.” Gudinski collected a number of ARIA awards over the years including the special achievement award in 1992. In 2013 he was acknowledged as the inaugural Aria industry icon. In 2006 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) while in May last year was named as the most influential person in the Australian music industry for 2019 by The Power 50, a listing of the Australian music industry’s 50 most influential people. As late as the Friday before his death he was with Midnight Oil at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, with Frontier staging the band’s Makarrata Live tour. He is survived by his wife Sue, son Matt (Executive Director of Mushroom Group since 2013), his singer-songwriter daughter Kate, grandchildren Nina-Rose and Lulu, and a team of more than 200 across a range of touring, merchandise, publishing, and management companies. On the announcement of his death, Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe was among the first among many to post a tribute on social media, writing on Twitter “Seems almost impossible. A towering figure on the Australian cultural landscape. “I’m not sure we ever agreed on anything … still didn’t stop us from being mates for 30 years. I’m going to miss him deeply. My love to his family.” State Funeral Michael Gudinski was farewelled in a state funeral on 24th March at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. Nigel Benton

“My friend Michael Gudinski was first, last, and always a music man. I’ve toured the world for the last 50 years and never met a better promoter. “Michael always spoke with a deep rumbling voice, and the words would spill out so fast that half the time I needed an interpreter. But I could hear him clear as a bell when he would say, ‘Bruce, I’ve got you covered’. “And he always did. He was loud, always in motion, intentionally (and unintentionally) hilarious, and deeply soulful. He will be remembered by artists, including this one, from all over the world every time they set foot on Australian soil. My deepest condolences to his wife and partner Sue and to the whole Gudinski family, of which he was so proud.” Bruce Springsteen

“The Australian music scene has today lost a great man, a leader, an inspirational entrepreneur in Michael Gudinski. “Like anyone that has worked in the event genre over the past 35 years I have often had the pleasure of working for and alongside Michael on many occasions, the first of which was Guns N’ Roses at Calder Park. And what a gig that was for all the right and wrong reasons. “In short I under bid the gig by more than 40%. I spoke to Michael directly the day after the gig whilst in the middle of event day. His advice was ‘just get the job done and we will talk’. Which I did Four days later we completed the task in a first-class manner. Three days of 40 plus degrees, combined with torrential rain. St John’s stretched over 25 of our crew off of the work site due to dehydration. “Whatever could go wrong, did go wrong. Never the less the job was completed. “I sent an invoice for the full cost (zero margin) of the clean with a letter that explained our shortcomings at the bid table “60 days later I received a cheque for full payment with a single dollar note ‘pinned’ to the cheque with a handwritten note from the great man that said ‘don’t let it ever be said that you can’t make a buck out of Michael Gudinski’. Amazing. “We continued to do work for Michael for many years. And I still have that dollar note. A sad loss.” Craig Lovett, Partner/Principal and cofounder, Incognitus Michael Gudinski with Frank Sinatra and fellow promoters Tony Cochrane and Michael Chugg in 1988.

Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 33

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Capitol Theatre Tamworth.

Digital Ticketing: Benefits Beyond Hygiene Gwen Luscombe explores how facilities and organisations implementing contactless ticketing are not just creating a safer, more hygienic environment, but also improving efficiency and profitability

hile some industry operators might have been considering contactless technology for their future wish-lists, technology disruptors like TicketSearch (formerly Seat Advisor) are already offering next-generation software specifically to empower venues with an efficient and affordable way to streamline customer service and build stronger relationships. The TicketSearch solution was launched in November 2019, a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic forced venues to close their doors. Though the company might have looked like the ‘new kid on the block’, the ticketing platform was built over seven years, with input from hundreds of venue managers and box office staff across three continents. What did years of surveying patrons, customers, and venue managers reveal? The true event experience begins with the excitement of purchasing the ticket, but can fade quickly when 36 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

customers log onto clunky, outdated ticket platforms to buy their ticket from their phone. Fumbling with printed tickets, wasting time waiting in lines, and disconnected merchandise sales tracking left gaping opportunities for engagement untapped. And, in a post-COVID world, those gaps in the customer journey would leave many patrons concerned for their health and safety. Having challenged developers to build a mobile-first platform to streamline the customer experience, TicketSearch founder and President, Dennis Doulgeridis advises “we knew that patrons were craving a more interactive and simple system, but we didn’t know how fast it would be utilised by leisure venues to restore operations and a sense of safety.” Over the course of the pandemic, TicketSearch has adapted its technologies to support varying social-distancing requirements across different municipalities, contact tracing, and integrated hybrid events. The company has onboarded

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Capitol Theatre Tamworth.

over 1,000 venues in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, the USA and across Asia. With its North American team having just confirmed a contract with Del Mar Race Track, an 11,000 seat venue in California, Doulgeridis notes “savvy venue managers, marketers and fundraising staff are taking this opportunity to upgrade technologies so they can connect with their customers. While the pandemic has brought many challenges, it has placed a spotlight on the importance of relationships and truly knowing your customers.” Recent studies from leading data and analytics company GlobalData, have confirmed this technology surge specifically in the live events and hospitality industry with mobile apps and contactless check-in, ticketing and payments being just a few technologies that emerged as venues required contact-free technologies to improve health and safety. Organisations such as Tamworth Regional Council’s Entertainment Venues division, - which operates the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre, Capitol Theatre and Tamworth Town Hall - found a silver lining in the storm. Although they had planned to move to the TicketSearch platform ahead of the pandemic, the shutdown provided the perfect opportunity to clean its database and prepare for reopening. Venue staff reviewed customer profiles, added marketing tags and built out membership profiles. The team drafted automated marketing emails and customised tickets for both email and SMS delivery, simultaneously launching a new user-friendly website to sell merchandise. The technology has already become so integrated and brought unexpected benefits that venues are operating on the assumption that contactless is here to stay. Although the thought of changing customer relationship management (CRM) and ticketing platforms can be daunting, advances in technology have become more appealing. Of course, the pressure of reduced revenues has pushed venue managers to be more innovative in maximising revenues by increasing engagement with patrons and reducing costs. With the option of contactless ticketing systems like TicketSearch, venue managers are able to follow every point of the customer journey – from initial engagement through loyal membership. Organisations can make smarter decisions 38 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

with real-time data, that shows which marketing efforts are most effective and which shows are more likely to attract an audience. Taking marketing one-step further, TicketSearch’s automated upsells can be added to digital ticket reminders to keep patrons coming back again and again. Before any in-person events, Entertainment Venue used TicketSearch’s integration with Zoom to sell virtual tickets to events. As they approached their date for reopening, they used the bubble seating added to their seating maps for social distancing and contactless tickets with SMS delivery. Contactless payment and ticket delivery became the preferred options as tickets were sold and delivered as e-tickets or by SMS. Entertainment Venues Manager, Peter Ross advised “by going contactless, we have been able to capture valuable datapoints along the customer journey. We are able to engage and communicate with our patrons on a more meaningful level.” With a freshly updated database and new marketing emails, the Entertainment Venues staff used TicketSearch to communicate with their members and keep in touch with customers. Pre-performance automated emails were sent via TicketSearch and Ross’s team also used the platform to create customised emails for various events, so they were communicating with audiences every step of the way. Emails to patrons introduced TicketSearch, so when it came time to attend in-person events, customers were familiar with the new system. Re-issued tickets sent via email also included announcements about upcoming shows. Ross added “by focusing on more frequent communication through digital technologies, we’ve been able to restore trust with our customers. “We’re communicating more frequently, at a lower overall cost. It’s so efficient.” It’s a sentiment echoed by a variety of venues and organisations, who also implemented contactless technology not just to boost COVID safety but to create a better overall customer experience and reduce on administration time and costs. Last year, both Queensland’s Suncorp Stadium and NSW’s Central Coast Stadium successfully moved to implement a contactless ticketing system in partnership with Ticketek.

INTIX Chief Executive, Alex Grant and (below) INTIX’s digital ticketing in use by AFL Victoria.

Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, NSW.

Guests could access their contactless tickets via their smartphone and simply hold it up to the turnstile’s reader for convenient and fast access. TEG’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Ticketing, Cameron Hoy, said the contactless tickets “provide fans with an enhanced and frictionless event day experience with the additional security and anti-scalping benefits of our SecureTix digital tickets.” And it’s not just large venues utilising the technology, with Australian-owned boutique ticketing company INTIX believing that smaller local sporting can also reap the benefits of a contactless system. INTIX Chief Executive, Alex Grant says COVID-19 has dramatically changed the landscape of the sporting and event industry, affording many smaller-scale events and venues such as sports clubs the opportunity to upgrade their technology where it was previously out of reach. Smaller sports clubs, he says are largely run by volunteers and revenue is low when events are typically free to attend. Additionally, there’s been no urgency or incentive for the upgrade. Grant explains “in the past year we have seen sports and events as some of the hardest-hit industries, due to the gathering restrictions and lack of ability to manage COVID risk. Now that these events are slowly recommencing, there are important new requirements to ensure they are managed in a COVIDSafe way. “Even before COVID came along and made it essential for these clubs to move into the digital space, there were already many reasons to do so. “I have been playing local footy in Melbourne for 25 years and one of my bugbears was having to stop at the petrol station on the way to the game to withdraw cash to pay for entry. There is also no ability to track which members have arrived at the event. Most clubs have a little membership card for the member to show at the gate, risking the potential for the card to be passed through the fence allowing others in free of charge. “Now in most cases, we are talking about small clubs that rely on game day fees and fundraising to cover basic costs. The last thing they need is people gaining free entry and losing out on part of their revenue, particularly after the year we have just had.” Digital ticketing goes a long way to solving the issue. In the museums sector, in late 2020, Shoalhaven Regional

Gallery in NSW installed a contactless donation tap point, giving art lovers a safe means to contribute donations to the gallery’s exhibition program. The terminal, produced by Quest Payment Systems, is a contactless and cashless solution for tax-deductible donations so that patrons can make their donation safely and continue their support of the gallery’s art programs. Explaining the innovation, Shoalhaven Mayor, Amanda Findley stated “providing a contactless donation option is especially important during COVID-19, to protect everyone’s health.” With the technology successfully implemented at a variety of galleries and arts programs across Australia, another sector hit particularly hard during the pandemic, Mayor Findlay added “free entry to the Gallery for visitors is so important for all members of the Shoalhaven community to have access to exhibitions and events. Providing a cashless donation option will hopefully ensure this can continue.” As the Gallery is a significant creative space for the Shoalhaven region, incoming donations ensure its vibrant exhibition and events program continues to contribute to Shoalhaven’s artistic hub. The installation has also made a difference in the number of donations and amount collected as few patrons carry cash these days, which has seen a significant drop off in the amount donated over the last few years. The tap system has made it significantly easier for visitors to contribute and support the arts in the region. Gwen Luscombe is Director of the Ideas Library and a regular contributor to Australasian Leisure Management. With thanks to Cyndee Woolley.

Benefits Beyond Compliance Outside of increased hygiene and COVID-compliance, integrating contactless technology has brought bigger benefits to businesses including: Reduced litter and debris: With thousands of tickets not being printed - they will never find their way to the garbage can. Increased security: As less cash changes hands, it reduces the risk of employee error and theft. Increased productivity and better admin: Contactless ticketing saves administration time as there’s no need to reconcile payments with attendee lists. Improved crowd management: Digital ticketing and contactless entry system ease queues, allow for managing patron density, and a smoother entry process for guests.

Netball action at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

Flexible Venue Design Chad Brown explains how commercialisation and diversification can future-proof community sport venues

uture proofing community sporting facilities through commercialisation is becoming an increasingly popular venture helping make this sector more financially sustainable and less reliant on outside funding channels. Maximising a sporting centre’s potential by making it multipurpose through innovative design allows for additional revenue streams, giving sporting organisations a new lease on life. A sporting centre no longer needs to be viewed merely as a venue that holds sports games and accommodates fans. The aim is to go beyond watching a game, there is a fuller experience that sporting venues can offer if the design is right and the infrastructure is in place. Venues have the potential to evolve into multi-purpose commercial enterprises. This means that as multi-purpose buildings, sporting centres can be equipped to give priority to the fields of retail, accommodation and catering so that fans enjoy an all-inclusive experience. This economic activity generates a revenue stream, which means the sports organisation running such a venue can reinvest the profits made in the training of its athletes and in the improvement of the facilities. These projects have attracted investors who love sport, but who are also recognising a paradigm shift in the reconceptualisation of sports venues as potential vehicles for efficient and pro-active business opportunities.

40 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

Nissan Arena Nissan Arena, known as the Queensland State Netball Centre before its naming rights were sold shortly after its opening, is an eight-court indoor netball and elite training centre located in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. Constructed by Hansen Yuncken and designed by ThomsonAdsett, the venue was completed in 2018 and has the capacity to seat over 5000 spectators via fixed and retractable seating around the unique sunken show court. The brief was to create a large facility that could be everything - an elite training facility, an event facility with full broadcasting functionally but also a community netball facility with the capacity to host national and international sporting teams. To achieve this, we had to undertake extensive consultation with key partners such as Stadiums Queensland, Netball Queensland, the Queensland Government and a range of sporting bodies. The challenge was to not only establish a high-profile destination for players, administrators, coaches and spectators but also have additional infrastructure in place to allow for multiple revenue streams. Put simply, we had to future-proof the venue through innovative design. For example, a lot of thought went into developing an effective layout and flow to allow ticketing to occur. Previously it was a player pay model, spectators watched

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Netball action at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

the games for free, so we had to work with Netball Queensland and assist them in achieving a spectator and player pay model. Now all games can be ticketed including those of NBL team Brisbane Bullets. The venue is also the home of Super Netball team Queensland Firebirds. There are also café, food and beverage outlets, player and umpire changing facilities for both community and elite athletes, gymnasium, sports science and sports medicine facility for elite athlete activities and administration offices and parking facilities for Netball Queensland. Thanks to considered, flexible design this multi-purpose venue has the ability to operate 24/7 and host more than just netball. Spatial allocations were a key part of the design. We needed to create spaces that would cater for multiple functions. Firstly, for netball at an elite level, but also making further

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WORLD Sporting Precinct The WORLD Sporting Precinct upgrade at Bairnsdale in Victoria’s East Gipplsand, is another project ThomsonAdsett is working on to develop a detailed design plan to boost community opportunities. Sports and Leisure Sector Lead and Senior Associate at ThomsonAdsett, Sean Stone explained once upgraded, it would cater for, in the long term, increased use and upgraded sporting facilities including eight netball court complex with shelters, seating, footpaths, pedestrian movement zones, and car parking. A fit for purpose rebuild of the WORLD pavilion/change rooms will serve the netball and hockey user groups. A separate football precinct will include two senior pitches and two junior unfenced fields, shelters, car parking, footpaths, pedestrian movement zones, a pavilion including change rooms and a social area. Stone advises “the realisation of the project requires $10.7 million funding. The detailed design work will provide council with the information necessary to seek grants and other funding. “When fully constructed, the WORLD will provide a great home for over 750 netballers, 630 football players and 150 Social areas at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

Australasian Leisure Management

allowances regarding seating and making the courts work for different sports. The Nissan Arena is not just a netball centre, it can host a range of events from trade shows to concerts. We’ve made sure it’s financially viable into the future so the revenue can be reinvested back into future sporting development programs. It’s about utilising the venue’s features to maximise its revenue-generating potential. For example, by making provisions to create seamless circulation of the upper levels above the show courts and having access for vehicles allows trade shows to operate from the venue. Nissan Arena is located next to the busiest park and ride interchange in Queensland so the positioning of facilities such as food and beverage outlets outwards, creates an opportunity for cafes to operate out of business hours to service this external clientele. The flexible design is also giving Netball Queensland the option to further activate the venue with Esports as well as sports tourism including short-term accommodation. The scope for the entire precinct is proving endless but it would not have been possible without the design complementing the vision. And the only way to achieve this is through consultation with all the stakeholders. Everyone needs to feel like they own the design and that they are going along the journey with us.

Concept for the WORLD Sporting Precinct upgrade at Bairnsdale in Victoria’s East Gipplsand.

F&B outlet at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

Concept for the WORLD Sporting Precinct upgrade at Bairnsdale in Victoria’s East Gipplsand.

hockey players, most of whom are juniors, allowing these sports to grow. “The site will also provide an opportunity for students from throughout the district to utilise the much-improved facilities for carnivals and inter-school sports events.” On reviewing the master plan the challenge was to establish a cost-effective way to achieve the upgrade while meeting the compliance requirements and expectations of many stakeholders. Stone noted “we needed to give the East Gippsland City Council a real sense of what the budget estimate is before they go to the tender. It’s crucial they future proof the job. “We undertook a number of feasibility studies knowing all the sporting bodies have their own design guidelines. Working with multi-purpose facilities can be difficult. “How do you set precedents in a design while trying not to create kingdoms with multi users? – one can’t take priority.” Another challenge was designing with the intent to create revenue streams, with Stone adding “we made sure there was synergy across the entire precinct. We created pedestrian ‘spines’ that linked all areas allowing for connectivity and flow. “Catering for multiple sports that historically wouldn’t mix allowed for year-round tenancy. “Then there’s the hospitality aspect. Where do you place the canteens to ensure people see them and come and pay for food and drinks? “The design needs to consider line-of-site and positioning.

They should be placed externally, run by volunteers and be flexible in design so there is the potential of hiring them out to catering companies. “Canteens have the potential to be the biggest revenue driver for sporting venues but it all comes back to smart design to ensure the facility’s success.” Chad Brown is a Partner and Group Director – Education and Communities at ThomsonAdsett.

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Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 43

Aquatic fun at the new QEII Park. Nga Puna Wai is Christchurch’s new athletics facility (below).

10 Years On Richard Lindsay outlines how the sport and recreation sector has recovered from the Canterbury earthquakes

n February we collectively reflected on the horrors that were experienced 10 years ago due to the Christchurch earthquakes. It was not surprising to see the levels of grief and sadness reflected in the anniversary commemorations. It is still a raw, real event that affected Cantabrians in many ways. Some lost family and friends, many lost their homes and many more lost their livelihoods. Some are still battling to be compensated for their losses while the loss of lives will never be forgotten. Reflecting on the last decade from a sport and recreation perspective, and having been actively involved in the recovery process the key question I want to address is how has Canterbury fared, 10 years on? Sport and recreation were the last thing on most people’s minds immediately after the February 2011 events. Rather, the focus was on rescuing trapped people and re-uniting families. There was a natural flight from Christchurch to other parts of New Zealand to seek safety and respite from the constant aftershocks. There was a sense of confusion and bewilderment as people began to pick up the pieces. In a very short period (in some instances only a few days) efforts were made to re-engage communities and to provide some sense of normality for people. The true values of sport and recreation were confirmed. Social cohesion, community engagement and self-worth were gained through local and community level consultation. Sport and recreation organisations rallied together and offered casual games and activities for children and adults to escape the reality that surrounded them. 44 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

Investigations began, to understand what was damaged and what needed to be repaired, restored or replaced. Some of those looking from outside of Canterbury saw the situation as a blank canvas; an opportunity to completely re-imagine the sport and recreation landscape in the city and surrounding province. However, the reality was that while there were a significant number of damaged facilities, there were also a number that were unscathed or only in need of minor repairs. The other reality was it was not just the sport and recreation infrastructure that needed to be attended to; roads, houses, water, wastewater and other infrastructure also needed investment. The government of the day was quick to establish an agency to support local government with the mammoth recovery process. The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Agency (CERA) was set up and tasked with developing a recovery strategy. CERA was given unprecedented powers to oversee the recovery of Canterbury. At around the same time the sport and recreation community was brought together by Sport Canterbury, Sport NZ and the Christchurch City Council (CCC) to understand recovery needs. This was formalised through the establishment of the Sport and Recreation Earthquake Leadership Group (SRELG). CERA recognised the organised approach of sport and recreation and requested that SRELG map out a recovery plan for the sector. Ten years on as we look back, how has Canterbury fared? Here are some key observations that may help others who ever have to embark on a recovery process, regardless of the magnitude.

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The concept for the new Christchurch Metropolitan Sports Facility (above) and liquefaction at the old QEII Park after the 2011 earthquake (below).

Although opportunity knocked, realism answered the door Many thought the earthquakes provided the platform to completely re-vision the entire network of facilities. The reality was a large number of sport and recreation assets only received minor damage or none at all. Most parts of the jig saw puzzle were still there. Some larger assets needed to be replaced (Lancaster Park, QEll, Centennial Pool), but it became apparent this was not a time when everything needed to be re-built. This was not a ‘blank canvas’ situation. Canterbury integrated recreation and sport into the CBD There was a strong drive to use recreation, sport and play as mechanisms to ignite the Central City Recovery Plan. The Metropolitan Sports Facility and the Multi-use Arena (stadium) were seen as key anchor projects for the CBD. The Margaret Mahy playground was one of the first anchor projects to be completed, offering Christchurch a world class destination playground. The development of a more coherent, intuitive network of cycleways was also seen as a way of changing how Cantabrians commute. The Avon River corridor also encouraged an increase in biodiversity in the area with the northern side of the river designed to reflect the natural environment as much as practical. This has provided access for thousands of people each day to the river’s edge. Iwi were integral in ensuring the return of native flora to the area. Sport and recreation leadership created opportunities Compared with some sectors, sport and recreation was more united and galvanised. There were strong pre-existing relationships between local government, central government and the regional sports trust that allowed the recovery process to begin as soon as practical. CERA used SRELG to help develop a recovery plan for the sector and prioritise projects. Third party funders looked to this prioritisation and aligned their funding to maximise effect. Ongoing engagement requirements drained people The volume of requests to engage in processes and projects was too much for smaller organisations. ‘Consultation fatigue’ was often referred to, referring to people’s lack of energy to be consulted on again, often by different organisations for similar outcomes. Many smaller groups had few, if any, paid staff, with volunteers being required to advise on large scale projects. It was not necessarily the request for advice, rather the short timeframes that frustrated some groups. This led to an imbalance of power between sport specific groups and larger agencies seeking input. 46 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

Timeframes were variable and changeable Some projects were completed very quickly. A high-profile example was the development of the temporary rugby stadium to host the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise (and other sports teams). The CCC worked with a number of groups and erected the stadium in around 100 days. A phenomenal effort. Other projects had delays, many of which were out of the control of the sector. This led to frustration and mistrust in some avenues. Long delays in communication with stakeholders inputting into some projects magnified the problem. Temporary solutions potentially re-prioritised long-term solutions While the temporary rugby stadium breathed life into professional rugby in Christchurch, arguably the temporary solution allowed decision makers to place the development of a permanent solution on the backburners. It would be interesting to consider how long it would have taken to develop a new permanent home if Crusaders’ home games were all moved to Nelson or Timaru. While this would have placed enormous financial pressure on the franchise, the delivery of a permanent venue may have been prioritised. A high trust model of engagement achieved instant results The Canterbury earthquakes meant local knowledge and delivery was even more valuable for government agencies. Within the sport and recreation context SPARC (now Sport New Zealand) relied heavily on the local RST and Councils to lead the sector through the tumultuous early months. SPARC supported the recovery process through a high trust model of investment that allowed agencies to get things done without having to fit within prescribed outcome areas. This trust and flexibility lead to increased confidence in local deliverers and better outcomes for the wider sector.

The ‘temporary’ Orangetheory Stadium.

Valuable people were lost to the sector Many people involved in the recovery process no longer work in the sector. Research from the San Francisco earthquake recovery warned that those involved in the recovery process would either burn out or leave. This was mirrored in the Canterbury situation. Summary Canterbury was king hit when earthquakes struck in 2010 and 2011. While not knocked out, it was on its knees. The sport and recreation sector bounced back remarkably well. The fact that children were back playing sport within a few weeks showed the resilience of communities and the importance of sport in the social fabric of many people’s lives. As new facilities were planned, opportunities were implemented to inspire partnerships and collaboration. Multisport hubs were actively encouraged. Christchurch now has some facilities that will be considered world class such as Nga Puna Wai and the soon to open Metropolitan Sports Facility. The recovery process was not easy. Stakeholders were frustrated by some delays, many of which were out of the control of those developing facilities. Future recovery agencies could consider appointing more sector facing stakeholder

The Margaret Mahy Family Playground.

managers, tasked with ensuring two-way communication that is ongoing and transparent. The next generation of residents and visitors will be able to experience world class facilities in their own region. They may not know the full back story of how we have got to here, but that does not matter, provided the sector is healthy, vibrant and adaptable and people are participating in play, recreation and sport activities of their choice. The recovery of Canterbury has set up the region for the next 50 years. Let us hope that if others have to go through any form of recovery process, they can learn from the Canterbury experience and get up from the canvas stronger. Richard Lindsay is Managing Director of consultancy RSLC. He has worked in the sport and recreation sectors for over 25 years in central and local government, not-forprofit and commercial organisations. He can be reached on 021 274 6540, www.rslc.nz

PROUD PART OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE SWIMMING 145 WORLD RECORDS AND COUNTING IN MYRTHA POOLS. www.myrthapools.com Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 47

The latest additions at the Atlantis Aquaventure waterpark on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai (top) and the concept for Six Flags Qiddiya (below).

Ready to Thrill Asia’s theme parks are continuing to expand 2021. Nigel Benton reports ith operational theme parks across Asia closed for a large part of 2020, many locations made the most of the year W with work on new attractions while under development resorts moved forward with their plans. Work on Saudi Arabia’s Six Flags theme park at the Qiddiya giga-project saw the commencement on the construction on what will be the world’s fastest rollercoaster. When it opens as Six Flags Qiddiya’s flagship attraction in 2023, the Falcon’s Flight coaster will send riders down a 160-metre vertical cliff, through an illuminated tunnel, and around a series of corkscrews and inversions - at a reported top speed of 250 kilometres per hour. It will take the accolade away from the Formula Rossa rollercoaster at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi which accelerates guests to a speed of 240 km/h. With former Disney executive Phillipe Gas, appointed Qiddiya Chief Executive in November last year, the development’s building program has been largely unaffected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Taking on the role, Gas advised “Qiddiya is a once-ina-lifetime chance to develop an unforgettable offering that will transform entertainment for an entire region and create cherished memories for current and future generations.” With Saudi Arabia opening its borders to international visitors in 2019, the Kingdom has moved to develop a cruise industry, attracting international sporting events and luxury hotel brands to build projects among its stunning natural landscapes as well as revising rules such as strict dress codes that could make foreign visitors feel unwelcome. With Dubai an established tourism destination and the delayed Expo 2020 to now open from October, DXB Entertainments’ 48 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

The entrance to Bollywood Parks Dubai.

Dubai Parks and Resorts has relaunched Bollywood Parks Dubai. Opened at the end of January with nine new rides, an authentic Bollywood themed shopping experience at the Bollywood Souq Bazaar and new Indian food and beverage offerings, the park has introduced the world’s tallest swing ride, the Bollywood Skyflyer, standing 140 metres tall and the Wheel of Stars, a 55-metre-high observation wheel. Bollywood Parks Dubai General Manager, Milton D’Souza told CNN “we used the time to create and build a brand-new area in the park that we call the Mela Zone, which is home to

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Motiongate Dubai.

The concept for Sea World’s Leviathan wooden rollercoaster.

the majority of the nine new rides at Bollywood Parks Dubai.” In 2019, the three theme parks at Dubai Parks and Resorts - which also includes Motiongate Dubai and Legoland Dubai - attracted 2.6 million visitors and D’Souza hopes the new additions will encourage more guests to visit the theme park as Dubai once again opens up to tourism. Aiming to further enhance visits, D’Souza adds that later this year Bollywood Parks Dubai plans to open the Bombay Express - the region’s first wooden rollercoaster. Commenting on the re-opening and the launch of the new rides and attractions at Bollywood Parks Dubai, Ahmad Hussain Bin Essa, DXB Entertainments’ Chief Operating Officer, added “after extensive enhancements, the park has a whole new offering for 2021 that includes new food and beverage outlets, shopping experiences and world-record holding rides. “The addition of the nine new and exciting rides will make the Bollywood Parks Dubai experience a day out like no other. “Each new ride has been designed to give our guests an authentic and immersive experience which will transport them to the very heart of India, without having to leave Dubai.” While ready to welcome visitors, during March DXB Entertainments also won approval from its shareholders to transfer AED4.3 billion (US$1.17 billion) debt to UAE developer Meraas Leisure and Entertainment in exchange for 53 billion ordinary shares. Founded in 2007, and listed to capitalise on Dubai’s booming tourism sector in 2014, DXB has struggled to hit targets for visitor numbers with its troubles increased by lockdowns put in place to combat the Coronavirus during 2020.

In late December 2020, its majority shareholder, statecontrolled Meraas Holding, offered to acquire DXB’s debt and convert it into new DXB Entertainments shares, boosting its ownership to more than 90%. Having not posted a profit since listing, in November last year the company advised that its accumulated losses (as of the end of September 2020) stood at 78% of capital. In urging other shareholders – who include Qatar’s sovereign fund and the Kuwait Investment - to accept the offer, DXB’s board said in view of the company’s current cash position and liabilities, and near term general economic conditions, the terms of the offer were “fair and reasonable”. DXB Entertainments has projects in attractions, entertainment, hospitality and retail in Dubai. Its entertainment portfolio includes the Coca-Cola Arena, Laguna Waterpark, The Green Planet, Dubai Safari, Hub Zero, Hawa Hawa, Mattel Play! Town, Splash Pad, and Ain Dubai (which is set to take the title of world’s tallest Ferris wheel when it opens later this year). A separate Dubai development has seen what its owners say is the “biggest waterpark expansion in history” at the Atlantis Aquaventure waterpark on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The massive ‘Phase 3’ extension at the Middle East’s largest waterpark sees it now offer 79 rides, with ProSlide Technology Inc. having installed 17 water rides including two state-of-the-art water park towers with multiple RallyRACERTM mat racers, a new WaterKINGDOM featuring the world’s first KidzADVENTURE TowerTM, and multiple ProSlide Water Coasters, including the world’s longest family rafting Water Coaster. In Dubai’s neighbouring Emirate, construction of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, the latest attraction on Yas Island, is on target to be finished in 2022. In China, the largest opening of the year is seeing Universal Beijing Resort moving ahead in preparation for the highly anticipated grand opening in May this year. First conceived over a decade ago, the collaboration between Universal and local partners, including the Beijing Tourism Group has involved over 500 designers and artists, more than 500 suppliers and global partners, and over 100,000 construction workers. With the major phase of construction ended, Universal Beijing Resort is currently testing its rides, putting detail into its seven themed lands and completing staff recruitment and training. In Australia, Gold Coast theme park Sea World opened its $50 million New Atlantis precinct, in which the first ride, Vortex, opened before Christmas. The other attractions in the new precinct - The Leviathan a wooden rollercoaster and the Trident tower - are set to open in June. At Dreamworld, its new triple launch rollercoaster, branded as the Steel Taipan is also scheduled to open this year. Nigel Benton is Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management

Universal Beijing Resort is set to open in May.

50 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

SYDNEY APR 21, 2021 MELBOURNE MAY 5, 2021 GOLD COAST MAY 12, 2021

www.aalara.com.au

Indoor 25 metre pool with ramp.

Designed for Inclusivity

The Centre’s hydrotherapy pool with hoist.

Collette Holland describes how all abilities access is at the heart of the new Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre

he City of Sydney’s new Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre in the inner-city precinct of Green Square is the largest aquatic centre built in Sydney since the 2000 Olympic Games. Opened in February and managed by Belgravia Leisure, the Centre’s design, inspired by Sydney’s famous ocean swimming spots, includes an inclusive physical activity hub with all abilities access. Sited within the 278-hectare Green Square urban renewal area, in 10 years, the area will be home to more than 62,000 residents, and one of the most densely populated spots in Australia. The state-of-the-art $106.5 million facility features a 50 metre outdoor pool set within recreational paddling areas, an indoor 25 metre pool with moveable floor, a children’s water playground, hydrotherapy pool, gym, creche, café, sports field and outdoor training circuit. Introducing the Centre, City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore stated “this is the City’s sixth and largest aquatic centre right in the middle of one of Sydney’s fastest growing precincts. From children splashing and serious swimmers improving their lap times to gym-lovers and sports teams on the field, this terrific centre has something for everyone.”

All abilities access The Centre has been carefully designed to suit all members of our diverse community. The Centre has a Changing Places facility to meet the needs of people who cannot use standard accessible toilets. It is equipped with a height adjustable adult-sized change table, a constant charging ceiling hoist track system, a centrally located toilet, adequate circulation space, an automatic door and a privacy screen. The hoist can lift someone from the accessible space and carry them along a track on the ceiling through to the hydrotherapy pool. Anyone from the community is welcome to use the Changing Places facility to change and use the bathroom. The complex is also the first in NSW to include an Access Key. The Access Key is an online guide that provides visitors with information to help visitors with Autism, cognitive disability, intellectual disability, dementia and Alzheimer’s familiarise themselves with the facility and plan their journey ahead of time, online. The 25-metre heated indoor pool with a moveable floor means we can change the pool’s depth for programming for all abilities including water polo, underwater hockey and The Centre’s aquatic playground.

52 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

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The Centre’s hydrotherapy pool with hoist. Credit: Brett Boardman Photography.

Outdoor 50 metre pool with ramp. Credit: Brett Boardman Photography.

children’s swimming lessons. It is the largest moveable floor in the Southern Hemisphere. All pools have ramp access with a shallow decline, so no matter a person’s ability, access to the pools is provided. There are two pool hoists that can be moved to different parts of the centre. The hydrotherapy pool is available for physiotherapy needs. A hearing augmentation system has been installed. It covers all pools and concourses, with receivers available from reception. A hearing loop system works in the foyer, café and creche. Visitors can switch their hearing aid cochlear implant processor into T switch position to tap into the system. An infrared hearing augmentation system covers rooms and workout areas. A charging point for mobility scooters and other electric mobility devices is in the foyer area so people can recharge their devices and avoid running out of battery mid-journey. The facility is a member of the Welcome Here initiative. Rainbow stickers and a charter are displayed in a prominent place to let everyone know that LGBTQI diversity is welcomed and celebrated within the facility.

The Green Square urban water recycling centre is used to irrigate the surrounding parkland and flush toilets. Rainwater captured from the centre’s roof supplements the pool top up supply. Earth berms made from excavated material surround the aquatic centre to insulate internal spaces during warm Sydney summers. The Centre’s timber and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof adds to the building’s sustainability rating by reducing the building’s reliance on artificial lighting. These innovative features also make the Centre significantly cheaper to run. Collette Holland is the City of Sydney’s Aquatic and Leisure Services Manager.

Sustainability features Design features, including waste, water and energy initiatives, have contributed to the centre’s 5-star design rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. The building uses a combination of more than 400 rooftop solar panels and cogeneration system to produce electricity for the centre and park. The heat by-product of the cogeneration system warms the pool water. Surplus electricity will power neighbouring buildings in the Green Square community and cultural precinct. Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre. Credit: Brett Boardman Photography.

54 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

Access KeysTM give careful consideration to the diversity of disability and the diversity of people’s needs to ensure experiences are more inclusive by providing a range of helpful and predictive information about visiting new places. The audience for an Access Key is wide and can include people who live with disability; physical/invisible/ temporary, sensory impairment, autism spectrum disorder, mothers with prams, carers, educators/schools, disability service providers, people who speak languages other than English as well as the general population that would like accurate and convenient information about accessing venues, events or programs. For more information contact 0403 670 942, www.accessabilityaustralia.com The Centre’s indoor 25 metre pool. Credit: Brett Boardman Photography.

AUSTSWIM

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Twisters Northcote (above) and Ross Gage (below).

Focus! Focus! Focus! Ross Gage introduces Gymnastics Clubs Australia Limited

ocus! Focus! Focus! was the cry coming from a strong section of the ‘gymnastics’ provider community in Australia, that led to the establishment of Gymnastics Clubs Australia Limited (GCA) with a common sentiment being “we want help with our business, management and related operational needs.” While understanding that Gymnastics Australia and the state associations are the rightful custodians of the sport of gymnastics - driving activities such as accreditation of officials, championships and liaison with the likes federal and state sporting departments and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), the Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association - what GCA sought to deliver was a peak industry body to focus needs around workforce development, customer

experience and business compliance. For over 10 years, a core group of club owners and managers operated the Gymnastics Professionals of Australia (GPA), which, as resources permitted, provided forums, seminars, networking functions and webinars. It was the vital webinars while the pandemic was at its most devasting during 2020 that fully brought home the critical need for a fully functioning industry body, as nobody knew the business of the providers, like the providers themselves. A taskforce from the GPA engaged my business - RG Social Enterprises Club to aid in conceptualising and establishing what was to become GCA, based on my experience in conceptualising, establishing, developing and driving similar industry bodies including Swim Australia, in 1998, and the Australian Swim Schools Association in 2016. The taskforce put in place the inaugural Board of Directors, lead by Chair, Sarah Reid of Twisters; and with James Devlin, Jets; Vicki Flamsteed, Allstar; John Mitchell, Delta; and Natalie Rutsche, Balance Brisbane. As the formation process unfolded, the Board offered me the position of Chief Executive. I didn’t hesitate in accepting as it suited my skill-set perfectly and the prospect of helping make a significant difference for the providers and consequently gymnastics and associated activities, was enormous. Importantly, the Board were successful,

56 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

expert, experienced, passionate ‘true believers’ … and had already brought on strong supporters. One of the Board’s first actions was formulating its purpose and associated reasons for being. The starter was provided by Mitchell, who explained “GCA’s focus is on helping clubs be the best version they want to be of themselves. “Helping the Members - the Clubs with their various needs is what GCA is about. Great, sustainable, enduring Clubs is the goal.” In communicating the target membership, quotations marks (‘ ’), particularly with ‘gymnastics’ and ‘clubs’ is regularly used. This is to bring attention to GCA’s commitment to help its members in all their operations (such as, those who also teach the likes of cheer, dance and ninja, also belong); and whether they operate under a traditional ‘club’ structure or not. To be clear, GCA is not focused so much on helping the providers’ staff be better teachers/coaches of skills to their students/athletes. The initial success of the association was ensured with a much better than anticipated take-up of the Foundation Membership opportunity. Clubs, small and large, single and multi-site, regional and metro, and for and non-profit, took up this option - resulting in an even sounder financial foundation. While enjoying the exclusive benefits

Balance Brisbane.

that come with Foundation Membership, the overwhelming sentiment was that they felt like they were helping make a significant difference in the positive reshaping of Australia’s Gymnastics Clubs landscape by getting in on the ground floor with this innovative Association, as it raises the bar. In welcoming the Foundation Members and other Club Members into the Association, GCA Chair, Sarah Reid stated that “clubs are to be commended for such dedication to enhancing the experience of its people - staff and customers alike. “As movement is the essence of life and that gymnastics should form the foundation of all children’s development, it is reassuring to know that Clubs are more devoted than ever to provide this essential service at such a high level.” This investment of time and funds by Clubs will primarily take the form of participating in a range of high-quality educational events, accessing specialist curated information and engaging with a first-class network of industry and sport professionals. Current projects include: 1.Pulling together the next stage of the webinar program, with monthly ‘masterclasses’, various series on focused topics and facilitated user groups on the likes of iClassPro and Live Meet. 2.Convening the National Congress, with Darwin the venue favourite. 3.Filling the Members section of the website with curated resources, including the recordings of the webinars. 4.Tuning the Officer and Committee requirements to best fit the needs of the Clubs in their Industry setting. 5.Developing data analysis protocols to bring valuable insights in workforce participation and customer retention. 6.Bringing together a range of Partners to provide Members with access to special services and products. 7.And on the particularly innovative front, development of a highly focused professional and business development program - with inbuilt networking - ‘GCA On Rounds’. Partners, at time of publication, include My Gym Is Online, Employsure, SportzSort Solutions, True Blue Migration, NovoActive, NovoFit, iClassPro and the International Association of Child Development Programs. As for the future of GCA, its success will mirror how well the core values are followed. These being: We Believe We believe that movement is the essence of life and that gymnastics should form the foundation of all children’s development. We Embrace We embrace that our industry is stronger when the entire pathway and sport is aligned; by collaborating with all stakeholders, gymnastics can be a preeminent activity and sport in Australia. We Understand We understand that Clubs, as the frontline operators, are the fundamental building blocks on which Gymnastics can thrive. We Recognise We recognise that the fastest and foremost path to a better, bigger, brighter gymnastics industry is for the frontline operators - the Clubs - to help each other be the best version of themselves that they can. Ross Gage is Principal of RG Social Enterprises Club and Chief Executive of GCA. For more information go to www.gymnasticsclubsaustralia.org.au

ONE MUSIC. ONE LICENCE. OneMusic Australia controls the rights to use the vast majority of all commercially-released music from around the world. So if your ﬁtness and leisure business is using music, there’s a pretty good chance that music is ours. Show your business respects and supports our cultural creators those amazing songwriters and recording artists - and read about OneMusic licences online. Our e-commerce website allows your admin team to sign in, transact online and review all your music use details in one place, at any time. Curious about music copyright and the law? Have a read through the Copyright Act (1968).

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Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 57

Sport threatened from

climate change The Climate Council has released a report on the impacts of climate change on Australian Sport

he Climate Council has released a new report, ‘Game, Set, Match: Calling Time on Climate Inaction’, which describes how climate change is affecting sport in Australia, and how sport can also be a powerful force for change. The report highlights that while sport is a major part of Australian culture, Australia’s summer of sport is under threat from climate change. Driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), climate change is worsening extreme weather events and disrupting Australian sport. Australia’s summer sports calendar, which includes Big Bash League (BBL) cricket, AFLW games, the Tour Down Under cycling race, the Australian Open tennis, A and W-League football and community sports is threatened by climate change. The report states that by 2040, heatwaves in Sydney and Melbourne could reach highs of 50 degrees celsius, threatening the viability of summer sport as it is currently played. Climate Council Head of Research and lead author, Dr Martin Rice notes “if global

58 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

emissions continue to increase, Australian sports will have to make significant changes, such as playing summer games in the evening or switching schedules to spring and autumn. “No athlete, whether an elite professional or a community player, is immune to our increasingly hot summers, which are a health hazard for those playing and watching sport.” The report finds that although Australian sport is worth $50 billion to the economy and employs over 220,000 people, governments are not adequately prepared for escalating climate risks. Sport in Australia is identified as not only being affected by climate change but as a contributor to climate change. The report suggests that Australian Sport can be an integral part of the solution with athletes and other sporting leaders becoming powerful advocates for change, both within sport and outside of it, by using their star appeal to educate and influence others. Dr Rice highlights “Sporting clubs and codes can rapidly cut their own greenhouse gas emissions by changing the way they build venues, power events, travel and by cutting waste. “Professional and community sports can also switch sponsorship from fossil fuel-backed companies to ones that invest in climate solutions.” Some of Australia’s most high-profile athletes have responded to the Climate Change Report’s call for greater climate action. Vice Captain of the Australian cricket team, Pat Cummins; swimmer and Olympic Gold Medal winner, Bronte Campbell; former Wallabies captain, David Pocock; surfer Adrian Buchan; former Australian netballer, Amy Steel; and AFLW Collingwood player, Sharni Layton are among those demanding greater climate action. Pat Cummins is concerned about the threat that climate change poses to both professional and community sport and notes “like all Aussies, I was devastated to see the impact of the (2019/20) bushfires and the multiple coral bleachings on the Great Barrier Reef. “I’m used to competing in a battle between bat and ball. The battle for climate change is, of course, a lot more important than just a game of cricket. “We’ve seen athletes forced out of their events due to extreme heat and fire, and community cricket clubs forced to end their seasons early. Former Wallabies captain, David Pocock who wrote the foreword to the Climate Council report adds “Australia punches above its weight in sport, winning gold and topping podiums, but we’re falling behind on climate action. “We don’t have a credible climate policy. We could easily be a leader in clean technology, but our federal government is clinging to and subsidising fossil fuels, like coal and gas.” Amy Steel played professional netball for 10 years, but her career ended in 2016 when she suffered heat stroke while playing indoors during a national pre-season tournament. “I was physically the fittest and strongest I had ever been. I never could have imagined this would be the last game I’d play, that it would end my netball career. “That incident left me with lifelong health issues, including chronic inflammation and fatigue. If this could happen to me an elite athlete - then what are the risks for community sporting clubs, as climate change makes heatwaves longer, hotter and more frequent?” Ace Buchan began surfing when he was five years old and has competed on the World Surf League professional tour for the past 15 years. Buchan is aware of the effects of climate change on Australia’s coastlines and adds “greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of coal, oil and gas are altering the coastline we call home. Not only are regular wind and wave patterns being disturbed, but we are bearing witness to devastating coastal erosion, rising sea levels and bleaching and destruction of the reefs that we surf and swim over.”

Swimmer and Olympic gold medallist, Bronte Campbell said her home state of Queensland was especially vulnerable to climate change, concluding “Queensland is on the frontline of climate change impacts. But, like (our state does in) sport, we can also lead the charge with solutions like renewable energy. “That is why I am coming together now with my fellow athletes, to use my platform, beyond the pool, to inspire and push for climate action.” Key Findings 1. Australia’s summer of sport is under threat from climate change. Climate change, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), is worsening extreme weather events and disrupting Australian sport. Australia’s summer sports calendar, which includes Big Bash League (BBL) cricket, AFLW games, the Tour Down Under cycling race, the Australian Open tennis, A and W-League football and community sports is threatened by climate change. 2. By 2040, heatwaves in Sydney and Melbourne could reach highs of 50oC, threatening the viability of summer sport as it is currently played. Heatwaves are becoming hotter, lasting longer and occurring more often. While 2010-2019 was the warmest decade over the past century, it is also likely to be the coolest decade of the century ahead. 2019 was Australia’s warmest year on record, with 33 days that exceeded 39oC – more than the total number between 1960 and 2018. If global emissions continue to increase, Australian sports will have to make significant changes, such as playing summer games in the evening or switching schedules to spring and autumn. The eﬀects of a king tide on Queensland's Gold Coast. Credit: CSIRO/Bruce Miller

3. No athlete, whether an elite professional or a community player, is immune to our increasingly hot summers, which are a health hazard for those playing and watching sport. Climate change is driving longer and more intense bushfire seasons, exposing athletes and spectators to dangerous air pollution, for which professional players are a particularly sensitive group. Many athletes and spectators have fallen seriously ill following exposure to extreme heat in recent years. For example: Tennis: Temperatures at the Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne have repeatedly hit +40oC with games suspended and players taken to hospital. In 2014, almost 1,000 spectators were treated for heat exhaustion. Triathlon: On 2nd March 2016, temperatures reached 34oC in Penrith during the NSW All Schools Triathlon Championships at the nearby Sydney International Regatta Centre. Paramedics were called following reports of nine people suffering from heat exposure during the event. Cricket: In January 2018, at the Sydney Ashes Test, England’s captain Joe Root was hospitalised as air temperature hit 41.9oC. In December 2019, New Zealand cancelled part of a warmup match in Melbourne because the temperature was forecast to reach 45oC. Prolonged drought in Australia has resulted in an increase in shoulder injuries due to sport being played on harder, rainparched grounds. For example, shoulder injuries increased by 23% in 2001 (during the Millennium Drought), compared to 1994 levels. 4. Australian sport is worth $50 billion to the economy and employs over 220,000 people, but governments are not adequately prepared for escalating climate risks. None of Australia’s major sports plans, including the Federal Government’s first national sports plan, discuss or tackle the

implications of climate change on sport. Climate disruption is a growing cost for sport in Australia, including infrastructure maintenance and rising insurance premiums. Elite venues may be able to afford expensive upgrades, but local venues will not. Australia can help protect sport by becoming part of the global solution to climate change by rapidly and deeply reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to renewable energy and storage. 5. Sport is a contributor to climate change, but it can also be an integral part of the solution. Sporting clubs and codes contribute to climate change but can rapidly cut their own greenhouse gas emissions by changing the way they build venues, power events, travel and by cutting waste. Athletes and other sporting leaders can become powerful advocates for change, both within sport and outside of it, by using their star appeal to educate and influence others. Professional and community sports can switch sponsorship from fossil fuel-backed companies to ones that invest in climate solutions. All sporting codes and leagues should have science-based, regularly updated policies that cover heat, bushfire smoke and other extreme weather events to protect athletes and spectators. The Climate Council report Game, Set, Match: Calling Time on Climate Inaction was compiled by Martin Rice, Ella Weisbrot, Simon Bradshaw, Will Steffen, Lesley Hughes, Hilary Bambrick, Kate Charlesworth and Nicki Hutley. Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 59

People

Aquatic and Recreation Institute NSW announces organisational and staff changes

Josephine Sukkar becomes first woman to Chair the Australian Sports Commission

The Aquatic and Recreation Institute NSW (ARI NSW) has announced operational changes with Louise Magee resigned as Events and Sponsorship Coordinator and Colin Kane stepping down as Chairperson. Nichole Edsall has subsequently been elected the new Chair of ARI NSW. Edsall, who is currently Key Venues, Chief Operations Manager at Blacktown City Council, joined as a Director of the Board in August 2020.

Businesswoman and President of Australian Women’s Rugby Josephine Sukkar has been appointed as the new Chair of the Australian Sports Commission. The first woman to the role, Sukkar brings 30 years of business experience to the role, as the co-founder and principal of Buildcorp Group, while also having a strong understanding of Australian sport. Sukkar will oversee Sport Australia and its responsibility for driving the broader sport sector, including participation and the Australian Institute of Sport, charged with the ongoing improvement of the nation’s high performing sport sector.

Jonas Leisure names Alissa Lim as General Manager Jonas Leisure has appointed Alissa Lim as General Manager to oversee the day-to-day running of its business across Australia and New Zealand. The move will ensure continuity and leadership for the leading leisure management software provider following the appointment of Chief Executive Mike Henton to Jonas Software Portfolio Manager. In his new role, Henton will be Chief Executive of hair and beauty software specialists Kitomba, in addition to Jonas Leisure and marina management software solutions business Pacsoft. Lim joined Jonas Leisure in 2011 as a customer support consultant for its Gladstone MRM brand.

New appointments at TEG Entertainment and ticketing firm, TEG, has made a series of appointments with Glen Rainsbury becoming Ticketek General Manager - Australia and New Zealand and Lee Jones taking on the newly created role of Director - Ticketing Solutions. Cameron Stone has also been named Chief Technology Officer, leading a team charged with evolving and executing the global live entertainment, venue and ticketing company’s technology capability and investments.

Gold Coast chief lifeguard Warren Young retires after 48 years of service Warren Young, the City of Gold Coast’s Chief Lifeguard, has retired after 48 years of protecting swimmers. 71-year-old Young, believed to be the council’s oldest employee, spent most of his adult life patrolling some of the busiest beaches in Australia and coordinating the nation’s largest unit of professional lifeguards. Appointed Chief Lifeguard in 1975, among the many achievements throughout his nearly five decade-long tenure was the implementation of the now-iconic lifeguard surveillance towers. 60 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

FILEX makes General Manager appointment FILEX has appointed Anthony Reed as its General Manager, tasking him with delivering post-pandemic growth and a long-term brand vision for Australasia’s leading fitness events. This will include creating new opportunities for existing partners, creating brand new mutually beneficial partnerships and utilising his extensive knowledge in expos to grow that part of the FILEX business.

Tony Shepherd confirmed as GWS Giants Chairman for further three years Sydney-based businessman Tony Shepherd has been confirmed as Chairman of the GWS Giants for a further three years, following the AFL club’s most recent Annual General Meeting (AGM). The arrangement sees Shepherd, who also Chairs the Venues NSW agency, continue his role at the head of the Giants board, a role he has filled since the club’s inception and entry into the AFL Premiership almost a decade ago. Shepherd formerly chaired the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust.

People IN BRIEF Destination Queenstown has appointed Paul Abbot as its new Chief Executive. Experienced fitness executive Gavin Aquilina has joined group fitness operator RE:Union as Chief Operating Officer. Ross Bidencope has taken on the role of Chief Executive at Sport NSW. The LK Group has retained the services of former Glenorchy City Council employee Renee Brown as Venue Manager of the Derwent Entertainment Centre. Damien De Groot has taken on a new role as Precinct Director at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Arvid Ditchburn has been appointed Business Development Manager at Belgravia Leisure. Tain Drinkwater is the new Chief Executive at Netball NSW. FIFA has appointed Australian and New Zealand-based Chief Operating Officers for the 2023 Women’s World Cup with Jane Fernandez and Jane Patterson taking on the roles in their respective host countries.

People IN BRIEF

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In addition to being appointed to the inaugural Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council, Margot Foster has been elected Chairman of the Sports Environment Alliance. World Gym Australia has announced the promotion of Amanda Fraser to Chief Operating Officer of World Gym Australia and Proarc International, World Gym’s master franchise in Australia. Giulio Gasperini has been promoted to the role of National Sales and Marketing Manager - Home Wellness at Technogym. Todd Greenberg, the former Chief Executive of the NRL, has been named as the new Chief Executive for the Australian Cricketers’ Association. The Darwin Entertainment Centre has welcomed Mike Harris as its new General Manager. Kakadu Tourism has appointed highly experienced hotel and tourism professional, Samantha Hartley, to the role of Sales and Marketing Manager. Consultancy firm Fitness Business Sales has expanded with the appointment of Paul Harvey to its staff team. YMCA Victoria has named Shayne Holt as the new Manager at the Oak Park Sports and Aquatic Centre. ASM Global has announced the appointment of experienced venue professional James Irvine as General Manager Commercial for Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park development. Tom Kimball is the new General Manager of the Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville. The Aquatic & Recreation Institute (ARI NSW) have named Adam Lloyd, Director of International Quadratics Australia, as a Fellow of the Institute for his dedication to the industry. Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, Director of Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art for more than two decades, is to step down from the role in October.

ProSlide launches new website showcasing 35 years of innovations ProSlide Technology Inc has launched a new website designed with improved navigation and functionality allowing customers to see the full product portfolio ProSlide can offer. The new website showcases 35 years of innovation, advanced technologies, best-in-class international projects, and high-performance water rides. ProSlide Chief Operating Officer, Ray Smegal advises “we can’t wait to reconnect with our valued clients and partners in 2021. The new ProSlide website is a showcase of our newest water ride technology and the global projects that are transforming water parks. It’s a celebration of our industry and a roadmap to expanding and developing the next, great water parks around the world.” Created with the user experience in mind, the new ProSlide website aims to provide a valuable resource for existing water parks looking to expand and get support, as well as for owners and developers looking to build their new water park. For more information go to www.proslide.com

SANZAAR have announced the promotion of its current Chief Operating Officer, Brendan Morris, to its new Chief Executive, replacing the former postholder Andy Marinos who has moved to become Chief Executive at Rugby Australia. The Adelaide Football Club has announced the appointment of former Hawthorn Football Club Chief Operating Officer, Tim Silvers as its new Chief Executive. Visit Sunshine Coast has welcomed Matt Stoeckel to the role of Chief Executive. The Otium Planning Group’s new arrangements in Western Australia (see page 64) has seen it appoint Wayne Stuart as Senior Consultant. Kimon Taliadoros has relinquished his role as Chairman of Football Victoria to become the body’s Chief Executive. Also at Football Victoria, Anthony Grima has moved into the newlycreated position of Head of Futsal, in addition to his existing role of Head of Commercial. Mel Tempest, Chief Executive and the founder at Ignite Fitness Business Events and founder of The Gym Owners Fitness Business Podcast has been named 2020 influencer of the year by the US-based Fitness Business Association. The NRL’s Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have appointed Aaron Warburton to the position of Chief Executive, replacing Andrew Hill, who left the club in January. Amanda Watson is the new Centre Manager at Mill Park Leisure Centre. A partnership between Quayclean Australia and Weatherill Leadership will see venue manager Simon Weatherill head the new Quay Academy, with a focus on leadership and culture.

Send your people news to leisure@ausleisure.com.au

New Sunshine Coast bouldering gym welcomes all levels of climbers The recently opened The Flow bouldering gym at Forest Glen on the Sunshine Coast is already welcoming a range of users - from adventurous climbers to first timers. Equipped by Brisbane-based climbing facility supplier ICP, the gym presents over 50 problems to suit all abilities, along with yoga, fitness and assessment classes. Commenting on the project across its 1,000 metre² space, Silvia Febres, ICP’s Head of Design, explained “it was a real pleasure having a larger space to develop the project. It allowed us to use ICP’s high-quality walls and boulder matting to their full potential by building grand, flowing angles. It also gives more room for socialising, chilling out, and a yoga area. “The daylight streaming in through skylights in the roof was also a big plus. It helps to make it feel lighter and brighter inside, giving the indoor environment a natural connection with the outdoors while really showing off the space.” Contact 0455 559 592, E: info@climbicp.com.au, www.climbicp.com.au Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 61

Products

Metra Australia shares details of Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre locker installation

The P.A. People provides upgraded stage management system for Sydney’s City Recital Hall Audio-visual experts The P.A. People have provided an update of their work in upgrading the stage management system at Sydney’s City Recital Hall. For 20 years, the venue has been a beacon to music lovers, nestled in the laneway precinct in Sydney’s CBD, hosting a rich program of concerts and events, covering a broad range of genres from the contemporary to the classical. As the venue enters its third decade of operation, time and heavy usage meant that the original stage management system, the essential control centre of every performance, was past its serviceable life and needed to be replaced. After winning a public tender, The P.A. People installed a new system based around Crestron control, an ETC CueSystem, QSC Q-SYS audio processing, and Clear-Com FreeSpeak ll comms. Contact: 02 8755 8700, E: info@papeople.com.au, www.papeople.com.au

Leading locker supplier Metra Australia has shared details of its installation of 280 lockers at the City of Sydney’s newly opened Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre (GPARC). Highly experienced in delivering locker technology and solutions, the lockers and pigeonholes within the facility are High-Pressure Laminate (HPL), providing robust security and damage resistance. A Metra Australia spokesperson advised “HPL is durable, moisture, bacteria and corrosion resistant. Inside the lockers there are full length aluminium hinges, offering structural stability in a range of vertical and horizontal applications.” GPARC includes areas within the facility that are accessible only to their members, for which the City of Sydney sought a locking solution that gave members access to lockers via the use of their 360 membership card. Metra Dot Technology provided the solution for this. Casual visitors are able to purchase a locker directly at a locker bank via the Metra Kiosk. The kiosks have a payWave cashless payment terminal installed and are linked to the Metra ELS Technology. Via the use of a pin code, casual visitors are able to self assign themselves a locker for a set amount of time. Having the ‘self-serve’ kiosks installed within the locker banks removes the inconvenience for customers having to return to the front desk to purchase a ticket or wristband and in return freeing up staff for other duties. All the casual transactions and membership access is controlled by a seamless integration with the facility’s management software. Contact 1300 638 722, E: sales@metraaus.com.au, www.metraaus.com

MSL Solutions releases new software to help venues navigate constantly changing trading conditions Aerial view of PerfectSwell® Shizunami under final construction. Credit: Surf Stadium Japan.

American Wave Machines reveal near completion of Surf Stadium Japan facility American Wave Machines, Inc. has announced that construction of its PerfectSwell artificial wave pool is approaching completion at Surf Stadium Japan. Located in the beach and surf town of Shizunami, 250 kilometres south west of the nation’s capital of Tokyo, American Wave Machines (AWM) has advised that the PerfectSwell pool “has been constructed in record time” despite the disruptive business conditions that have affected world travel and challenges to productivity. In cooperation, Surf Stadium Japan (SSJ), the licensee, and AWM overcame supply chain and logistics challenges to deliver the thousands of components required with civil works completed in 389 days. Contact + 1 858 755 1497, E: info@AmericanWaveMachines.com, www.americanwavemachines.com 62 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

SaaS technology provider MSL Solutions Limited has released SwiftPOS Version 10 to help venues adapt to the new COVID-19 normal and beyond. After a transformative year in 2020, the release of SwiftPOS Version 10 is focused on providing solutions to help the hospitality sector successfully navigate constantly changing trading conditions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Version 10 builds upon the foundations successfully set in Version 9, enhancing functionality and usability for front-end users and developing secure connections for venues and back of house management. The rapid changes in consumer behaviour as a result of the pandemic became a key focus for Version 10. New ordering capabilities means a simplified and streamlined process for mobile and contactless ordering and payment solutions, creating a succinct point-of-sale channel for delivery, take-away and in-house order at table solutions. Contact 1800 679 701, E: marketing@mpowermsl.com, www.mpowermsl.com

Products

Hyclor Commercial launches Advanced Open Cell Filter Media Following on from their launch month in December, Hyclor Commercial have announced the arrival of a new product from the leaders of aquaculture innovation and developers of open cell filtration media in the UK. Evolution Aqua have appointed Hyclor as the exclusive Australia/New Zealand distributor of the latest additions to their ‘K’ range of filter medias. Engineered and manufactured in the UK, ‘K+’ open cell media is designed for faster filter maturation, which is made possible by the advanced manufacturing technologies developed by Evolution Aqua. During the extrusion process, a proprietary blend of minerals are added, along with magnesium, calcium, enzymes and salt to the raw material that is used to manufacture K+Media. The result being that K+Media will mature much faster than many other, less advanced, types of media on the market today. The expansive surface area and improved design also means that, as a mechanical filter, K+Media also benefits from the class leading protected surface area to become a filter media with tremendous potential. K+Media is available in both floating and sinking versions and the sinking version has already been awarded climate care certification, independently attesting to its ability to save on water and energy costs. Contact 1800 625 123, E: help@hyclor.com.au, hyclor.com.au

TSG launches PerfectMind business management platform Global software and payments provider Transaction Services Group (TSG) has launched PerfectMind, a cloudbased, all-in-one business management platforms for aquatic, recreation and sport facilities. Introducing the platform, TSG say that PerfectMind can help providers save up to 20% of time spent on administration and processing payments and member fees, facilitate online bookings, manage facilities efficiently, and deliver an improved experience to customers. Private equity firm Advent International, the owner of TSG, has announced TSG’s merger with another of its companies, Clearent, the US-based payment solutions provider. The combined entity is to be relaunched as Xplor Technologies The combined business will work together to continue serving over 82,000 businesses that processed over $27 billion in payments, operating across 158 countries in 2020. Contact 1800 098 338, E: ausales@perfectmind.com, www.perfectmind.com

New PerfectGym Self-Service Kiosk enhances fast booking function with mobile interface Leading aquatic, fitness and recreation software provider PerfectGym has released an enhanced Self-Service Kiosk. With self-service kiosks popular in aquatic, fitness and recreation facilities and their benefits having been seen, experienced and proven over many years, to date, they have offered little outside of the basic functionality of booking and printing a ticket for activities such as gym and group fitness classes. With the industry driving further towards customers administering their own membership, and the demand for efficiencies relating to member signup, PerfectGym saw the opportunity to further utilise the application of their branded ClientPortal and online sign-up with is purpose built SelfService Kiosk. Maintaining fast booking and printing functionality of current industry kiosks, PerfectGym’s Self-Service Kiosk builds upon this concept by also allowing members to print receipts for previously booked classes via mobile app or mobile responsive member portal, giving facilities accurate date on booked vs attended statistics. Select kiosk models deliver payment functionality via integrated credit card/payment terminals, that enable members to book and pay for casual classes, outstanding arrears, renewal of contracts, or simply complete a brand-new end to end sign up, complete with PARQ (physical activity readiness questionnaire), contract signing, member photo and seamless capturing of payment details. All kiosk models enable members to process suspensions, update details and manage child swim lessons if required via a multi-lingual interface; addressing the needs of the various demographics utilising recreation, fitness and aquatic facilities. Advising of a surge in uptake of Self Service Kiosks, PerfectGym Country Manager, Matt Inglis stated “we have had a steady uptake over the past five years for our clients to extend the self-service functionality from member portal and app to a ‘bricks and mortar’ in facility offering; but post COVID, where operators are requiring a greater need to emphasise the customer self-service experience, and faced with the likelihood of a reduced staff head count, self-service kiosks are a naturally appealing option.” Contact 1300 088 922, E: info@perfectgym.com.au, www.perfectgym.com.au Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 63

Products

Yellowbox installs smart locker system at BlueFit-managed Mosman Swim Centre Mosman Swim Centre has completed the installation of new Yellowbox self-serve smart lockers, as part of a $2 million refurbishment of its new pool, change room and facilities. The Yellowbox smart locker technology will allow the centre’s 160,000 annual visitors to store their valuables away safely while enjoying their aquatic activity. Users can use a locker by simply scanning the QR code, directing them to the Yellowbox app on the App Store or Google Play Store. Through the app, users can open up their locker and set up a four digit code, allowing them to store their phone. Since launching in 2019, Yellowbox has installed its Australian smart locker technology across a range of aquatic centres, beaches and offices in Sydney. Contact 0426 292 533, E: adrian@yellowbox.app, www.yellowbox.app

Cisco and WaitTime announce partnership to deliver crowd intelligence solution Cisco, the global IT, networking, and cybersecurity solution business and crowd intelligence company WaitTime have announced a global partnership designed to support the reopening of large-scale entertainment, event and sports venues following the global pandemic. The partnership will integrate WaitTime’s technology, operated by entertainment venues around the world for crowd intelligence and crowd management, with Cisco’s solutions to provide venues with real-time information about crowd capacity, movement and social distancing that are necessary for venues to operate as they reopen. While many venues were previously leveraging WaitTime and Cisco to create better fan experiences, the pandemic has forced major sports organisations, large public venues and many other industries to rethink their crowd management strategies in light of new rules and regulations surrounding social distancing, as well as in the interest of the health and safety of their guests. In partnership with Cisco, WaitTime has already deployed at the Sydney Cricket Ground, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay area (both in the USA). For more information go to thewaittimes.com or www.cisco.com

Dave Lanfear Consulting partnership brings Otium Planning Group to Western Australia Building on a successful strategic partnership established in 2017, Dave Lanfear Consulting and Otium Planning Group have formally joined forces with Otium to welcome Dave Lanfear as a Director in the new financial year. Perth-based Lanfear will transition to his new role over the next three months while continuing to provide expert advice to his many clients in Western Australia. Contact Dave Lanfear on 0477 708 891, E: d.lanfear@otiumplanning.com.au

UK’s Serco Group completes acquisition of Australia’s Facilities First UK-based service company Serco Group has completed the acquisition of cleaning, maintenance and facility management company Facilities First. Agreed before Christmas and now approved by the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board last month, the deal sees Serco’s Australian subsidiary, Serco Group Pty Limited take over Facilities First Australia Holdings Pty Limited for a reported sum of $76.5 million. Facilities First’s revenue for the year ended June 2020 was $282 million with an underlying trading profit of around $11 million. Contact 1800 857 737, www.facilitiesfirst.com 64 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143

S.R.Smith announces acquisition of assets of Stark Bulkheads Leading swimming pool equipment supplier S.R.Smith has announced the acquisition of Composite Aquatic Innovations (Stark Bulkheads). Following the acquisition of the Washington, USA business, S.R.Smith Chief Executive, Rich Laitta advised that Stark will operate as a standalone product business within S.R.Smith’s commercial construction products business. Laitta stated “our 2015 Australian acquisition of All Fiberglass Products was our first entry into construction products for commercial swimming pools. The acquisition of Stark Bulkheads is a perfect fit, adding to our global portfolio. “Stark’s category leading position in bulkheads, global installation footprint and approach to commercial construction fits well with our strategy and is a welcome complement to our SwimWall Systems.” Ron Privrasky, President, Chief Executive and owner of Stark Bulkheads added “S.R.Smith’s longevity in the market combined with their expertise in pool deck equipment and commitment to commercial construction products makes for a perfect fit for the long term.” The USA-based, Composite Aquatic Innovations DBA Stark Bulkheads has been the leading supplier of custom designed composite bulkheads for over 50 years and has been led by Privrasky since 2001. Contact 07 3812 2283, E: info-au@srsmith.com, www.srsmith.com/au

Products

Vivaticket announces major enhancements to kiosk facility Vivaticket has revealed the latest enhancement to its leading ticketing and CRM solution - this time to the Kiosk facility - with enhancements to allow clients to provide their patrons with an easy, visually appealing, and reliable way to purchase tickets online. Vivaticket’s ticketing solution can customise the kiosk functionality to enhance the customer experience at their venue with the new functionality allowing patrons to access more information about the events and performances. Most importantly the kiosk enables the easy purchasing of tickets and upsell items, as well as the streamlined process to collect their tickets. The new enhancements provide clients with a touch screen optimised version of their ticketing solution, specifically designed for kiosks and, with a clear lay out, makes it easy for patrons to select shows, dates, prices, and successfully purchase tickets. For more information, contact John Godwin on 0411 470 205 or john.godwin@vivaticket.com

Technogym secures agreement to supply equipment for 138 clubs and 70 new openings in Saudi Arabia Technogym has announced they have signed an exclusive agreement with Fitness Time - the largest fitness club chain in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)- for US$50 million over five years, to supply its state-of-the-art equipment and digital solutions. Fitness Time has more than 2600 employees and 138 active clubs and a pipeline of at least 70 new openings in the next five years. Fitness Time facilities will feature Technogym’s products and digital solutions, such as Artis Line - Technogym’s unique connected smart equipment range dedicated to cardio and strength training that joins ease-of-use and comfort with the highest level of performance and user engagement - and Excite Line Treadmills, Varios and Bikes. To offer their members the possibility to “train like an athlete”, Fitness Time have chosen Skill Line created thanks to Technogym’s experience as official supplier to the Olympics and to the best athletes in the world. Contact 1800 615 440, E: info.au@technogym.com, www.technogym.com

New Jonas Leisure Change Campaign looks to ease facilities’ Envibe transition Leading industry facility management software provider, Jonas Leisure, has launched a Change Campaign to help aquatic, fitness, health recreation and sport businesses make the switch to its premium Envibe solution. With Envibe fast becoming the go-to solution for councils and businesses operating facilities in Australia and New Zealand, the new campaign introduces limited-time competitive pricing for new users and a fresh approach to training and onboarding to make it simple for people to future-proof their leisure management solution. Dushayant Dhar, Jonas Leisure Head of Sales and Customer Success, explains “the environment we all operate in has changed. The requirements have changed. How we do our work has changed. So, Jonas Leisure is changing with it.” Locally created with the Australian and New Zealand gym and leisure market in mind, the Envibe system boasts an attractive layout, intuitive functionality and is workflow driven, making it easy for new users to dive straight in. Customers have access to local 24/7 support from Jonas Leisure. The company also offers a comprehensive onboarding process for new clients to make sure they have a thorough understanding of the system before it goes live.

This includes an ongoing access to state of the art e-learning platform for ‘super user’ staff involved in configuring the system as well as and ‘end user’ staff who will use it on a daily basis to manage bookings, memberships and other details. Contact 02 9906 7522, E: sales@envibe.com.au, www.envibe.com.au

Send your product news to leisure@ausleisure.com.au Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 65

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Glass digital sports floor revolutionises arena concepts

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A digital sports floor made of glass – in which the lines are not permanently marked on the floor, but are incorporated underneath the glass surface as LED lines - has been developed by the German company ASB GlassFloor. At the touch of a button, a wide variety of sports game lines can be individually displayed, or many small training fields. Gone are the days of great line confusion. Many cities yearn for a modern multifunctional arena, yet their implementation is quite the challenge. A suitable floor must be available for every type of sport. And when staging concerts or other events, another floor is required. The different portable floors are expensive, and set-up and conversion times laborious and long. More and more municipalities and private investors are relying on the floor by the Bavarian company when building a sports hall. Sustainability, digitalisation, new training and marketing possibilities as well as enormous flexibility in the creation of the entire surface gives venue operators many reasons to decide for the ASB MultiSports, which, due to its joint-friendly properties, offers even more added value for the athletes. The glass floor is also available in a full-LED version, where the entire surface is underlaid with LEDs that transform the playing field into a giant screen. For the first time, sport, entertainment and advertising are intertwined in the focus of the spectators. In the battle for Olympic relevance, which is vital for survival, this model opens up a unique opportunity for many sports to position themselves for the future. ASB MultiSports are distributed in Australia by Aura Sport. Contact 07 3817 4777, E: sales@aurasport.com.au

Tickets.com helps Australian Baseball League achieve a successful 2020/21 season Technology solutions provider, Tickets.com, has helped the Australian Baseball League (ABL) with the modified conditions experienced throughout its 2020/21 season, ensuring there was a solution for all of the challenges this unpredictable season presented. With sudden changes in border closures due to COVID restrictions, cancelled games, and changes in opponents, Tickets.com and ABL were ‘covering all bases’ throughout the season. The ABL began doing business with Tickets.com during the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in 2016, and the pair signed a league deal shortly thereafter. In 2020, the ABL renewed a five-year deal with Tickets.com. The ABL utilises Tickets.com’s ProVenue® suite of products and services offerings, including the administrative support in creating events on behalf of the participating teams, provided by Tickets. com staff. Australian Baseball League General Manager Commercial and Marketing, Shane Tonkin notes “unlike other ticketing platforms, Tickets.com is willing to step up to the plate and offer more kinds of customer service experiences to meet the unique needs of each client.” Contact 1300 785 851, E: apacsales@tickets.com, provenue.tickets.com

Priava release new ‘Scheduled reports’ feature for venues Priava has announced the release of their new feature – ‘Scheduled Reports – allowing venues to schedule core and custom reports to be shared via email or Files Transfer Protocol (FTP) as often as required. Priava acknowledge that creating reports can be a time-consuming process and that venue professionals rely on accurate and upto-date information about events, bookings and business performance. As such, their decision to develop and release ‘Scheduled Reports’ was to provide a tool to automate the reporting process for venues. While previously users could only run reports on an ad-hoc basis, now Priava can generate and share the reports you need daily, weekly, or even monthly. From Event Sheets to Financial Revenue Summaries and everything in between, you can schedule core and custom reports to be shared via email or Files Transfer Protocol (FTP) as often as required. Contact 02 8383 4333 (in Australia) or 03 667 0950 (in New Zealand), E: sales.au@priava.com, www.priava.com

NEW MODEL

Australasian Leisure Management Issue 143 2021

Articles inside

Products

People

Focus! Focus! Focus

Digital Ticketing: Benefi ts Beyond Hygiene

Designed for Inclusivity

Ready to Thrill

The Show can now go on

10 Years On

Flexible Venue Design

Fit to Franchise

Inspiring Future Movement