Local business was the big winner of a big weekend of events in Tamworth, with thousands of visitors to the city creating a million-dollar windfall.
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The third installment of the annual Macquarie Sports Foundation National Primary Games, the National Quarter Horse Championships at AELEC, at least two big weddings, and several other smaller events had the town buzzing from Friday afternoon until Sunday night.
Tamworth Business Chamber president Jye Segboer said he hoped that the vibrant weekend was a glimpse into the future for the city and region.
“It was great to see so many events on in Tamworth over the weekend,” Mr Segboer said.
“We are very fortunate to have such amazing facilities here, like the AELEC, to support these types of national events. As the Tamworth Business Chamber, we certainly want to see this continue and to grow, and I have no doubt many local businesses would feel the same.”
The National Primary Games brought a record 1700 athletes to Tamworth from all across the eastern states, as well as their families, friends and coaches.
NIAS president James Cooper said that while the success of the games was a great win for the academy, it was also a big win for the region.
“We estimate that the games bring in somewhere between 3500 and 4000 people for two and a half days, which is worth over $1 million to the local economy,” Mr Cooper said.
"We are very lucky to have facilities like the Sports Dome and Riverside fields, as well as the restaurants, accommodation and everything else that the town and council offer.”
Post Office Hotel owner Andrew Coutts said that big crowds walked through the door all weekend.
He said while he had been expecting another good turnout because of the primary games the popular pub was bursting at the seams due to the influx of visitors for other events.
“We did well last year with the primary games crowd, although I didn’t really get the chance over the weekend to see if they came back, but there were plenty of people here,” Mr Coutts said. We had a big crowd Friday night and then on Saturday we had another huge crowd come in, lots from a wedding at Goonoo Goonoo Station.”
New owner of the Best Western on Goonoo Goonoo Rd, Ann Scarra, said that the big weekend “came out of the blue for them” after a few quiet weeks.
“We were all but full with the primary games, the mini trotters and a funeral,” Mrs Scarra said. It was great.”
