MORE than 1000 people will flock to Orange this June long weekend for the NSW Junior Rugby Union under 14 state championship, and Orange City Council sport and recreation committee chair Jason Hamling anticipates the rugby-reverent bevy to spend up big.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tourism Research Australia figures reveal the 400 players - accompanied by supporters, parents and coaching staff - from across Sydney and the ACT will inject upwards of $450,000 into the Orange economy.
That’s a figure on par with the kind of dollar injection the NRL and City-Country fixtures, chased by Dubbo and Bathurst over the last two winters, have drawn.
However, the financial carrot council has to dangle to secure the junior event pales in comparison.
It is understood Bathurst Regional Council has, and will continue to for the next three years, forked out at least $200,000 a season to the Penrith Panthers to host one of their regular season games at Carrington Park - that equates to $1million over the course of the five-year agreement.
Cr Hamling said thanks to council’s Major Sporting Event Attraction Program, Orange has been able to foster a long-term relationship with Rugby NSW which has brought an age division of the state championships to Endeavour Oval for the last five years.
The beneficiaries are Orange businesses.
“From previous events, we expect the city to experience a busy weekend with solid accommodation bookings and cafes, restaurants and local attractions all benefiting,” Cr Hamling said.
“As many of the teams generally stay together and are supervised by coaching staff, many parents take the opportunity to explore the region including wineries in between games which adds to the experience and hopefully leads to return visits.”
He said it was hard to directly compare junior championships to NRL games, but said the economy boost a series of events, like the junior rugby state championships, can provide was hugely beneficial.
“Certainly there’s value in having a regular succession of sporting events of this size scattered through the year,” he said.