Echoes remain from Foo Fighters in Geelong, spending stats revealed

ECONOMIC data highlights the Foo Fighters Geelong concert at GMHBA Stadium helped inject a record $1.3 million spend into the region’s dining and entertainment sectors.

Spendmapp data shows that travel related spend increased by 10 per cent and dining and entertainment spend increased by 26 per cent on the Foo Fighter’s March 4 concert compared to the previous Friday.

Fans travelling to Geelong drove the increase, with a $1 million rise in spending in Geelong and South Geelong suburbs.

“Geelong and South Geelong recorded the highest night-time spending we’ve seen since our records began in 2018,” deputy mayor Trent Sullivan said.

“The Foo Fighters gig surpassed the spending we would typically expect to see in the days leading up to Christmas.

“Hosting one of the world’s biggest rock bands before 30,000 fans was a night to remember, and a sign that Geelong is going through a real renaissance.

“The brand benefits for Geelong were enormous, with packed restaurants on Pako and Little Malop Street and hotels and Airbnbs booked out across the region.

“It wasn’t just travellers from Melbourne, the city was buzzing with Foo Fighters fans from across Victoria and Australia.”

Arts, Live Entertainment and Hospitality chair, councillor Eddie Kontelj, said Geelong’s October events will kick off a bumper month of entertainment.

Events include Geelong’s White Night, the T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup, the Royal Geelong Show and the Geelong Cup.