Cowboys Community, Training and High Performance Centre

NAIF’s $20 million loan to North Queensland Cowboys’ Community, Training and High Performance Centre in Townsville will retain and attract sporting talent and inject more business and social activity into the city.

About the project

NAIF’s loan will support the Cowboys’ Community, Training and High Performance Centre which will provide a range of wider benefits to the North Queensland community, including through:

• A sports medical and allied health service – James Cook University will host a sports science and research facility at the site, boosting its diverse array of courses on offer. Medical sports consulting and rehabilitation services will also be provided at the Centre.
• Multi-sport high performance training spaces – As well as providing high-performance training facilities for the Cowboys, the Centre will also provide access to the same facilities to the Townsville Fire Women’s National Basketball League Club (the only professional women’s sports club in Northern Australia). It will also be available to other clubs and is expected to attract touring sports teams to Townsville.
• Community spaces – The Townsville City Council will have rights to provide the facilities for general community purposes.

Infrastructure

Construction of multi-user social infrastructure comprising multi-sport high-performance training spaces, sports medicine and sports science laboratories, community spaces and will incorporate a full-sized training field and administrative offices.

Construction of the facility is now complete.

Indigenous engagement

• Respectful engagement with Gurambilbarra Wulgurukabba Traditional Owners ensuring appropriate acknowledgement of Traditional Owners in the facility itself, participation in and observance of cultural protocols and ongoing engagement.
• Commitment to a 6.6% Indigenous participation rate during construction, across employment and procurement, during operations a commitment to a 20% Indigenous employment target in the merchandise and hospitality outlets;
• Contractors to employ an Indigenous Liaison Officer; develop a preferred Indigenous business supplier register and establish two commercial relationships with Indigenous business;
• An Indigenous Economic Participation Committee will be established with Traditional Owners and key State and Federal Indigenous, employment and training agencies.

Indigenous Engagement Strategy public summaries provide a short version of the IES and are available here:

• NQ Cowboys