Steve Romer Exiting SEC

During his four years in the top job, the arena was ranked in the Top 5 of global venues of its size, received the Arena Excellence award from the International Association of Venue Managers (the first time it was awarded outside North America) and two Australian catering gongs.

“I leave the SEC with an overwhelming sense of pride and satisfaction and wouldn’t have swapped the experience for anything in the world,” Romer said. “I wish the venue and staff every success under the new management arrangements.”

With a 20-year background in Gold Coast theme parks, Romer was in Sydney for 12 years, heading sports and entertainment venues.

He was also president of the Venue Managers Association for Asia and the Pacific.

He is returning to the Gold Coast for an unspecified job. As part of a billion-dollar makeover of the Darling Harbour precinct by the New South Wales Government, the SEC will be demolished and replaced with an 8,000 convention centre.