“OH we’re from Tigerland …”
Just imagine what it would feel like hearing the reigning AFL premier Richmond’s theme song being booming through the PA system at Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct.
That dream came a step closer this week after I met Richmond officials to discuss the Tigers bringing a pre-season game to Mildura next year.
I am planning to have more meetings with AFL officials over the coming weeks and months to drive home the message – Mildura is primed to host pre-season footy at our brand-new, state-of-the-art sporting precinct.
Richmond has a long association with Mildura and the north-west, with Sunraysia having been its recruitment zone until the late 1980s.
The club’s subsidiary Allied Leisure manages the Colignan Swimming Pool, Irymple Swimming Pool, Merbein Swimming Pool, Mildura Waves Aquatic and Leisure Centre, Murrayville Swimming Pool, Ouyen Swimming Pool, Red Cliffs Swimming Pool and Underbool Swimming Pool.
Our meeting this week was extremely positive and it’s clear Richmond is serious in wanting to bring a game to our region.
Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct hosting the Tigers for a pre-season community camp and pre-season game would shine the national spotlight on our region, at a time when our economy needs a kick start for its post-COVID recovery.
We are already starting to see the potential Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct will have for our region.
It was last week reported that Mildura was in the box seat to host the Volleyball Victoria Country Championships next year.
The three-day tournament, which would bring 1000 players and coaches from across the state to Mildura over the June long weekend, would pump an estimated $500,000 into the local economy.
Attracting these sorts of events were part of the reason why I fought so hard to ensure the Victorian Government invested the final $10 million needed to complete the Mildura South precinct in full.
The economic benefits of that investment are starting to become clear. Let’s hope we can convince the AFL and Richmond to bring a pre-season game here – the sky would be the limit from there.
