The creation of a new Australian Football League team on the Gold Coast will lead to an additional $34 million in spending and generate an additional 121,000 visitor nights each year.

An independent economic report conducted by Queensland economist Dr Christopher Hunn said Gold Coast businesses will be the main beneficiaries with more than 90% of the spending benefitting organisations not directly aligned to the new AFL team.

The key beneficiaries are likely to be accommodation and tourism providers, food and beverage businesses, fuel retail and hire cars, sport and recreation businesses, taxis and local transport and retail businesses.

The report states that in combination with the spending by the football club on operations and spending by day trip visitors, this equates to an additional $33.9m a year in spending on the Gold Coast (present value), which has an associated economic value of $33.4m a year (equivalent to 428 full time equivalent jobs).

The “likely” scenario suggests there will be 221,175 attendees to GCFC games in 2016. 55% are likely to reside locally and 45% (99,628 persons) will be visitors to the Gold Coast.

Dr Hunn, who has previously been involved in preparation of the economic impact report for the Gold Coast Indy 300 on behalf of the Queensland Government, says the Gold Coast has adequate tourism capacity to absorb the extra demand created by the club with the AFL season embracing a seasonal low on the Gold Coast, a time when the region has surplus tourism capacity.

This will occur in an environment where AFL has witnessed a dramatic increase in participation at all levels (club, social as well as elite) since 2000, particularly evident on the Gold Coast, with a participation ratio of 7% of the local population which is considerably higher than the average of 2% for the Queensland population. It says the establishment of a team on the Gold Coast will also lead to further expansion of local sport infrastructure and participation.

The report states GCFC will also play an important role in fostering, implementing and supporting government strategies for the Gold Coast area and Gold Coast community.

“In the process, GCFC will deliver substantial economic and community benefits to the region. It will distribute those benefits widely across the supply chain, and strengthen the regional economic base.”

Dr Hunn says GCFC will assist in taking the Gold Coast to a position of leadership in sport through powerfully reinforcing and communicating an image for the Gold Coast region (and by implication, for Queensland) as a sport destination.

“Through media attention, GCFC will subtly promote local tourism locations and local productive capabilities. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the extent of place marketing generated by GCFC is expected to be significant, and will exceed that of the other football codes.

“GCFC will, in addition, enhance social welfare in the region because of its emphasis upon societal values such as communities, health and sport themes. GCFC will present an opportunity to local residents for leisure, social or sport experience beyond everyday experience.”

GCFC Chairman John Witheriff said the report strongly backed the assumptions his bid team had of the value a Gold Coast AFL team will create for the local community.

“When we set out on this journey we wanted to prove to the AFL the Gold Coast would provide the foundations for a strong and successful AFL club.” he said.

“We were equally as passionate about how an AFL team would return significant economic and social - as well as sporting - benefits to the community through increased jobs, greater economic and tourist activity and greater opportunities for local families.

“To think that over a decade, more than $330 million of economic activity will be created on the Gold Coast from this AFL team of which more than $300 million will directly benefit Gold Coast local businesses and create new jobs.

“Dr Hunn’s report has provided a greater understanding of the economic benefits the AFL team will provide to the Gold Coast and most importantly demonstrates the significant return to the local community. This football club will be an important part of our community fabric for many generations to come.”