The Warriors' return to town has meant one business has almost recouped the month's financial losses brought on by the cancellation of the town's flagship festival.
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When the Tamworth County Music Festival (TCMF) had to be canned, Wests Entertainment CEO Rod Laing said the Mercure went from fully booked to sweeping vacancies almost overnight. But the Warriors' return has done the same thing - in reverse.
"This is really good news for us," he told the Leader.
"There are seasonal staff that come in to work for the festival, so this allows us to put more staff on to cater for the Warriors' needs, like a 24 hours food station, three meals a day."
It has already been a very different experience for the players, with the Scully Park Precinct locked up like a fortress last May.
For die-hard fans, spotting players out and about in between their summer camp training won't be off the cards this time.
It's a good facility, so it's good to get this kind of use, especially with the cancellation of the festival, to have plenty of work and commitment of work over full January period.
- Rod Laing
"We're allowed to be engaged in the community here," CEO Cameron George explained.
"Everything as it stands now is really good for us, so we're very excited ... it's very different to that so we're happy with that."
No quarantine pressures thanks to the New Zealand and Australia travel bubble means the team is getting ready to see our sights, ready and raring to get out and put some tourism dollars into the capital missing out on country music mania
Organised pretty much overnight last year, Mr Cameron said logistically it hasn't necessarily been easier this time round.
However they knew "who to ring this time".
"Last year we didn't know who to ring but this time we know who to ring," he said.
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"But trying to fly a club over into regional NSW is never easy and then accommodation and then further accommodation when we relocate to the Central Coast but it is what it is, we've just got to move on with it now and enjoy it."
There's already been talks about pop-ups stalls and community events, with a farewell dinner in the works.
"We are going to see plenty more activities with warriors, as that relationship is rock solid between us right now. We could even see another game here," Mr Laing said.
"It's a good facility, so it's good to get this kind of use, especially with the cancellation of the festival, to have plenty of work and commitment of work over full January period."
Now, he hopes to host the Tigers' summer camp in February.
