SOPBiz #22 - December 2008

Sydney Royal Easter Show secures winning trifector

The Sydney Royal Easter Show cemented its reputation as the number one Major Event in NSW, winning two prestigious titles at the tourism industry’s night of nights, plus induction into the Hall of Fame.

The Show was acknowledged as the most successful entrant of the 2008 NSW Tourism Awards, securing Gold in the Major Festival or Event category for the third consecutive year.

Organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS), the win saw the Show inducted into the NSW Tourism Hall of Fame, an accolade presented only to those who win Gold three years running.

“We are thrilled to win such a prestigious award. It’s truly wonderful to see the Show being acknowledged as one of the great events of its kind in the world,” said Mr Peter King, RAS Chief Executive.

But even more encouraging is the Show’s win of the inaugural People’s Choice Award, alongside Sydney Bridge Climb.

“This is great recognition from the people of Sydney as to how much the Show means to them and what a wonderful event it is for all of NSW and Australia,” said Mr King.

Close to one million people flow through the Show gates each year, helping bring economic benefits of more than $500-million to NSW. RAS President Mr Glenn Dudley said not only does the Show unite Sydneysiders with country folk, but it also attracts a significant number of interstate and international visitors.

The recent win will see the Sydney Royal Easter Show represent NSW at the Australian Tourism Awards on February 27, 2009 in Melbourne.

Hockey field gets a face lift

After a competitive tender process, the Sydney Olympic Park Authority engaged Sports Technology International to replace the playing surfaces at the hockey centre that were originally laid for the 2000 Olympic Games.The new turf is be identical to that used in Beijing for the 2008 Games.

The installation includes:
-Over 60 rolls of Poligras Olympia grass surfacing
-In excess of 200 drums of adhesive
-Over 4 kilometres of seaming tape
-Almost 100 man days of technical and labour input.

This project represents yet another example of Sports Technology International being able to reuse the original shock pads – the granulated rubber underlay that protects the players from injury when they fall.Significant savings in time & cost also provides a win for the environment.

Sports Technology International installed the previous surfaces in 1999 and welcomed the opportunity to continue their relationship with Sydney Olympic Park.

The new pitches are being installed ahead of the 2009 Women’s Champions Trophy, scheduled to commence in Sydney in July.

Bulldog's Movember Madness

The Bulldogs Movember madness has finally come to an end!

The Movember team comprised of players, coach, administration and supporters alike.The exercise helped build new relationships amongst many of the new Bulldog's recruits both on and off the field, while raising awareness for prostate cancer research and male depression.

The Bulldog's Movember team effort raised over $4,000 for The Movember Foundation.

Andre Rieu production facts

Who is André Rieu?
He is a Dutch violinist and conductor, an entertainer par excellence, whose artistry took Australia by storm. No other classical artist has sold half a million recordings, most of them DVDs, in the space of less than a year – and this is André’s unmatched record for 2007.

Over three nights 27-29 November, ANZ Stadium saw its most dramatic conversion ever from sporting to entertainment venue.

Here are some of the facts and figures regarding the size of this spectacular production.

Staging
-Largest transportable stage in the world
-Stage set 110m wide by 35m high
-150m2 of LED screens
-2 x Ice rinks, each measuring 240m2
-Grand Ballroom measuring 21m x 15m
-Palace façade measuring 4000m2
-Orchestra pit
-2 x water fountains, each containing 36 tonnes of fresh water
-6 x white horse, carrying golden carriage
-100 bag pipers

Bump in
-183 shipping containers (60 used for U2)
-4 x cherry pickers/scissor lifts
-2 x generators shipped from Europe
-14 x forklifts
-1 x Andre Rieu trailer

Bulldogs support McHappy Day

Sick kids and their families are a little more McHappy thanks to the record-breaking generosity of the public on McHappy Day on Saturday November 15th. Customers across Australia helped raise an impressive $1.9 million.

Customers at the McDonalds store in Campsie were greeted by Bulldogs captain Andrew Ryan and his fellow team mates Ben Barba and Heka Nanai who helped raise money for the many important programs at Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Campsie’s store manager Maria Montalto was thrilled to see the Bulldogs players get behind the initiative, with one dollar from the sale of every Big Mac going directly to helping seriously ill children and their families.

“The Bulldogs players were fantastic. They helped hand out balloons to the children and took orders from the customers”, Maria said.

SOPBA NEW FACES

Quad Cafe

Now here is a man who really needs no introduction. George Kovolos is an unofficial Ambassador for Sydney Olympic Park,expounding the virtures of working in the Park at every opportunity.

Over the 1,500 plus coffees he serves each week, George provides a business networking service, keeps people up to date with Park activities and sometimes solves the world's problems with you - and all for the cost of a coffee or his best selling calamari and Greek salad.

Quad Cafe has a hard-working team of four full-time employees including "Paul the Barista" and up to four part-time employees.

The latest addition to his 'family' is a hand-made, 'Mirage' coffee machine from Holland, one of only five in Australia. From this you can see that George and Paul take their coffee making very serious and only the best will do when it comes to making a great cup of coffee.

Testimony to this is the case of a customer who travels from Ashfield to Sutherland via Quad Cafe each week day.

Quad Cafe has be in operation for four years and operates 6.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. They are also able to provide board room and catering. The can be contacted on 97646699 and are located in Quad 1, Parkview Drive.

Pictured is Paul and George along side the famous 'Mirage' coffee machine.

UPCOMING EVENTS

International Day of People with Disability

On International Day of People with Disability (Wednesday,December 3), Special Olympics Australia is giving you an opportunity to celebrate the skills and abilities of people with intellectual disabilities and learn more about Special Olympics.

International Day of People with Disability aims to promote an understanding of people with disability within the broader community and encourage the support of their dignity, rights and well-being. The day seeks to increase awareness of the benefits of the integration of people with disability in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
To celebrate and be included in the day, Special Olympics Australia is putting on ‘Come and try’ sports at Jacaranda Square during Lifestyle’s December Coffee Club.

Not only will you have the opportunity to play various sports before work, you will also be able to meet athletes from Special Olympics Australia, some of which have represented Australia at the 2007 Special Olympics World Games.

The Coffee Club will run from 8 – 10am at Jacaranda Square, Olympic Park. Lifestyle members will receive a free coffee on presentation of their membership cards.

There will also be presentations made at 8.45am with a speech by Saxon Graham, Special Olympics Athlete.

Celebrate this day within your Sydney Olympic Park community at Lifestyle's Coffee Club and Pablo and Rusty's this Wednesday.

Home court advantage for the NSW Swifts

The State Sports Centre Trust is delighted to announce that the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre will be the venue for all six home games for the NSW Swifts in the 2009 ANZ Championships.

In the inaugural season of the new Trans-Tasman competition last year the NSW Swifts finished as Premiers after a slow start, with home games being split between Olympic Park, Wollongong and Newcastle.

Director of the State Sports Centre Trust, Peter Ross said, “It’s exciting for the State Sports Centre Trust to be able to call the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre home to the ANZ Championship Premiers, the NSW Swifts. With all of their home games here in 2009 we would expect the Swifts to make the most of their home court advantage”.

With a fresh and exciting line up, the NSW Swifts will commence their 2009 campaign in the ANZ Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre on Monday 6th April 2009 against the Canterbury Tactix.

Former No.1 coming to Sydney

Former world number one and Australian Open champion Amelie Mauresmo is the latest star to confirm their attendance at the Medibank International Sydney in January.

Mauresmo, the current world number 24, joins a star-studded field of players that already includes the top four women – Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva.

“Amelie has always been a favourite with the crowds here in Sydney and we love seeing her grace our courts each January,” said Tournament Director, Craig Watson.

Waltzes to wickets in no time

The ANZ Stadium grounds team recently took the first step in preparing for the phenomenon that is Twenty20 cricket with the Stadium’s pitch being dropped in.

With the football season done and dusted, the sound of leather on willow will soon boom from inside ANZ Stadium when the New South Wales RTA SpeedBlitz Blues take on Western Australia in their KFC Twenty20 Big Bash on Tuesday, 30 December.

A StrathAyr designed wicket transporter moved the 42-Tonne ANZ Stadium drop-in pitch which is housed at the Southern end of the playing arena to it’s central location.

Between now and when the first ball is bowled on December 30, world renowned violinist Andre Rieu performed three musical extravaganzas on the world’s largest transportable stage at ANZ Stadium on November 27, 28 and 29.

With his stage taking up over half of the playing surface, the six member ANZ Stadium grounds team will then spin their magic and have the arena ready for play on December 30.

“Once the concert bump-out is completed we will give the surface a light rub and then top dress the pitch to encourage new growth,” said ANZ Stadium Grounds Operations Manager Graeme Logan.

“There is already good turf coverage at the moment while light rolling of the pitch will commence two weeks out from the match.

“The wicket will play hard, fast and true.”

The SpeedBlitz Blues will host two further KFC Twenty20 Big Bash matches at ANZ Stadium this summer – against Tasmania on Monday, 12 January 2009 and Victoria on Saturday 17, January 2009 – and any finals should they qualify.

Entry is just $20 for Adults and $10 for children. For tickets, contact Ticketek on 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au

TRAFFIC,TRANSPORT & PARKING

Update on Traffic and Parking

Proposed on Street Car Parking Arrangements - The SOPA Board approved changes to on-street car parking at its 30 October 2008 meeting. SOPA will review the effectiveness of these changes on a yearly basis.

The changes primarily involve concentrating more free on-street parking around the town centre to help support the growing retail business.

SOPA recently sent a letter to all Sydney Olympic Park businesses detailing the changes and sought feedback by the end November before implementing the changes in early December.

Patrons will be given a two week adjustment period before infringements will be issued. Parking in Figtree Drive, Olympic Boulevard & Showground Rd will be similarly assessed and adjusted in early 2009. Check out the attached pdf which summarises Parking Arrangements in the Park 2008/09

Australia Ave/ Herb Elliott Ave Traffic Lights - Traffic lights are now operational.

Australia Ave / Homebush Bay Roundabout Update - A Stage 1, concept design entails dual lanes around the roundabout with two right hand turn lanes coming from the north.

The RTA requested that the draft roundabout design be submitted for assessment at the respective Traffic Assessment Committees for Auburn and Strathfield Councils (Nov 08). These Committees then provide their recommendations to the Councils in early December 2008.

Stage 2 involves the installation of traffic signalisation, however this is not strongly supported by the RTA due to the cost.

Parking Table 2008/2009

OFFERS

Bacar Restaurant - The Pullman Hotel

Enjoy a 2 course lunch with a glass of wine for $40 per person, or a 3 course lunch with a glass of wine for $50 per person. Bacar is the perfect place for your business lunch.

Bookings essential, phone 8762 7959.

Offer not valid in conjunction with any other special offers or discounts. Valid 11 November 2008 until 30 January 2009, excluding Public Holidays.

FEATURE ARTICLE

New Age Government

Treasury Secretary Ken Henry applies the power of positive thinking to the current economic situation.

1. The economy is an expression of the consciousness of those who create it, all of us. We vitalize the economy with expansive thinking and action, and we deaden it with fear and contraction. You have power over the economy, especially your own, by consciously choosing the thoughts you think, the attitudes you hold, and the actions that proceed from them.

2. The economy is not a fixed entity, but is quite liquid, constantly changing in accord with the thoughts and emotions of those who create it. The economy you see today is a result of the attitudes and actions that sourced it yesterday. The economy you will see tomorrow is a result of the attitudes and actions you think and do today.

3. You have the ability to create a personal economy independent of the one experienced by the masses. There are always people who thrive in a floundering economy, and people who flounder in a thriving economy. The two greatest architectural achievements of the twentieth century, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Empire State Building were funded and constructed at the height of the depression. There is always money out there for people who know how to use it. A visionary thrives under all conditions.

4. Engaging in conversations of lack only adds to the pool of thought that creates lack conditions. Talking abundance creates abundance. Join others in only those conversations that affirm what you want to create.

5. You are wealthy by nature, rich in an infinite number of ways that have nothing to do with money. Money is one thin slice of the greater pie of prosperity. Remember how rich you are regardless of money, and you will attract money to match your wealth consciousness.

6. In the Chinese written language, the symbol for 'crisis' is a combination of the symbols for 'danger' plus 'opportunity.' What opportunity lies before you as an individual and us as a nation?

7. This is a fertile time to check and reset your priorities. If you have been distracted by the quest for money or trapped by your business, you can refocus on your family, loved ones, and activities that truly bring you joy. If you end up being truer to values that fulfill you, this 'crisis' will have served you well.

8. Circulate your wealth. The only antidote to financial contraction is to move energy. When you spend money, you become part of the solution. If you don't have money to spend, be generous in other ways. Give of your time, skill, and love. Even giving compliments is a way to stimulate the economy.

9. Remember that the tide always comes back in. The entire manifest universe functions in cycles. Every wave has a trough and a crest. No wave has ever ended with the trough.There is always a next crest.

10. Don't wait for the economy to get back on its feet before you can be happy. Find happiness right where you stand, and you will be the richest person in the world.