Aussie to lead facelift

 AN Australian firm, SGL Consulting, will provide expertise and guidance in assisting with the implementation of legacy plans for venues being built and modified for the 2015 Pacific Games.

The firm with offices throughout Australia has 25 years experience in developing and operating business plans for sporting venues throughout the world.

The venues include the Sir John Guise Stadium and Sports Complex, the Bisini Parade sports grounds, the Rita Flynn Netball Courts and the Taurama Aquatic Centre and Gymnasium.

In this project, SGL will team up with Victorian State Sports Centres Trust, the organisation that runs the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, the State Netball and the Melbourne School of Sport and Recreation Management.

To add to the team of experts SGL has also teamed up with ETS, a multinational firm who has offices in Port Moresby, while local consultants will also be engaged to assist.

Over the next 14 months the firm will assist the Pacific Games Legacy Committee to determine costs and revenue opportunities of the venues, requirements for management and maintenance of the facilities, and the ongoing governance and management model required by the PNG Sports Foundation to operate these facilities.

SGL will meet with all applicable sporting codes to assess their needs and requirements for their sports, as well as the need for public access to these facilities.

The Minister for Sports and 2015 Pacific Games, Justin Tkatchenko is fully supportive of this.

“The investment that our Government is making in these venues is for all the people of PNG. These facilities must be well maintained and managed for the next 30 years. The venues will not only support our developing and elite athletes, but will also host important national and international events. It must provide an affordable base of recreation and other community needs for all our citizens. The work that SGL Consulting will do is an important step that we are taking now to ensure that immediately after the Pacific Games conclude in July 2015, that they will be ready to support the needs of the men, women, and families of PNG,” Tkatchenko said.

Mike King, SGL Consulting’s chief executive officer thanked  the National Government and the Pacific Games Authority for allowing his company to handle the post games facilities planning.

“SGL is thrilled to work with the PNG Government and sport authorities to assist with this critical part of the venue development programme. We understand the unique nature of this rich and diverse country, and our planning models will reflect a ‘Made in PNG’ approach that will be sustainable here,” King said.