'They're one of us': Calls grow to make Panthers relationship a forever thing

Hopes of making Bathurst a permanent home away from home for the Penrith Panthers have started to prosper, after Bathurst Regional Council Mayor Jess Jennings shared his thoughts post-match.

It came after the club's CEO Brian Fletcher said during an interview with ACM that the Panthers have "no reason not to be here forever" once their 2028 deal with council expires.

"I completely concur with the Chief Executive of the Panthers who said he hopes this relationship lasts forever. So does Council, so do I," Cr Jennings said.

"I'm keen to make sure the Panthers get the message of just how much we love it. They're one of us."

The overwhelming response to Saturday afternoon's (April 20) round seven NRL fixture at Carrington Park between Penrith and the West Tigers - which sold out ahead of time - was proof of Bathurst's growing reputation as a premier host.

But the success that brought a record crowd of 12,000 people to town is not without calls for an upgrade.

Doubling of the seating and standing room, and an "out of sight" improvement of the grandstand is on council's broader agenda, Cr Jennings said, but it's not as easy as "waving a magic wand".

"The event has reached its immediate capacity given we're constrained by the size of Carrington Park," Cr Jennings said.

"It would be really valuable to have a decent sized stadium west of the Great Dividing Range that you could host finals football or even a State of Origin at ... with a capacity of 40 to 50 thousand."

With hotels across the Bathurst area having been booked around the 85 per cent mark, the event is a welcomed boost to business owners.

For Bathurst Motor Inn, who were completely booked out, their rooms were mostly snapped up by those hailing from outside of the 2795 postcode.

"Most of them were from Western Sydney, a lot from Penrith and a few scattered. You can tell who were Penrith and Tigers supporters," Bathurst Motor Inn owner Dean Meredith said.

"We had a family book in for an occasion and they decided to go to the football just because they were in town. People are making the most of what we have to offer while they're here.

"We've also got a lot of return guests who come back each year for it. It's good to see, we can't complain with events like this."

One thing Mr Meredith noticed from this year was guests wanting an early check-in so they could make the most of the 3pm fixture that allowed time for a wander around town.

"It's good having it during the day because a lot of the people want to check-in early so they can go out for lunch and then go for dinner," Mr Meredith said.

The re-match between the clubs was nothing short of a perfect Saturday for footy fans, with the nail-biting game drawing to a close with a 22-6 result, Panthers' way.

As for the economic side of things, with last year's injection around the $2.2 million mark, Cr Jennings said 2024 would likely be "that and then some".

While a date for the Panthers' return is yet to be picked, one thing remains for certain; Bathurst "is well and truly their home away from home".