WAGGA City Council hope the NRL's return to the city will give them more ammunition to campaign for further redevelopments to the Equex Centre which would make it capable of hosting big events across three codes.
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Huge volunteer hours have been devoted to getting the facility ready for Saturday afternoon's clash between the Canberra Raiders and Penrith Panthers, the first NRL game in the city since its sole fixture thus far in 1998.
Around $400,000 in state government funding has transformed the precinct into one of the best in regional NSW.
The upgrades include expansion of seating at both ends of the grandstand to around 680 seats, a new block of female change rooms, between the grandstand and the existing dressing rooms, while a new scoreboard was installed midway through last year.
The Raiders will shift another home game to Wagga next season, giving council a golden opportunity to show they can accommodate a regular NRL fixture, similar to Penrith's long-term deal with Bathurst.
Wagga City Council Strategic Recreation Officer Peter Cook hopes the NRL games will improve their case to apply for future funding for more redevelopments, in the hope of luring Super Rugby or A-League games here.
"The Wagga Rugby League have done a magnificent job with the new change rooms, they've extended the grandstands, we've some some road base going on top of the hill, and we've sealed the back of the building and the pathways to make it a better experience coming in," Cook said.
"We've got a two year deal at the moment and I suspect after this year we'll review things with how the game goes.
"Longer term the Raiders are trying to develop that footprint in the Riverina so these kids as they get older see a natural progression to the NRL.
"We're pretty happy with the relationship at the moment, I'd like to think we could get into a longer term deal."
The ground's capacity for this weekend is around 10,300 and the Raiders are confident of a sell-out, which would eclipse the 9,127 that attended the City-Country clash in 2015.
"Getting these major events helps when your talking to the state government about grants. It helps those arguments for further funding to develop the ground, so the more we can use it the better," Cook said.
"Although it's a rugby league facility, Wagga Rugby League are very keen to see more than just rugby league played here, they want elite games from all codes."
Tickets to the game can be purchased at the visitor information centre or the Oasis aquatic centre.
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