The development of a new Sydney Metropolitan Racing Precinct (SMRP) has today received a major boost with the announcement from the NSW Government of a commitment of an additional $10 million to the project.
The Minns Labor Government and the Minister for Gaming and Racing the Hon. David Harris announced in December last year a $10 million package to assist the sport in transitioning away from racing at Wentworth Park after their decision not to renew the lease on the historic racing venue.
On Monday, the Government committed an extra $10 million. This commitment brings the total additional funding to $20 million to assist the transition of Greyhound Racing from Wentworth Park, ensuring that future race meetings are conducted at racetracks that meet safety standards.
"We've committed this extra funding to ensure the welfare of greyhounds remains a top priority as greyhound racing transitions from Wentworth Park,” Minister Harris said.
“The NSW Government will continue to support a competitive, responsible and sustainable greyhound racing industry, with the highest standards of animal welfare and integrity.”
Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) Chief Executive Officer Steve Griffin said his organisation and the sport as a whole was delighted by news of the additional $10 million in funding and thanked the Minister and his Government.
“We have been in ongoing discussions with the Minister and the Government around funding to help the sport transition from Wentworth Park to a new metropolitan racing facility that we can all be proud of and we thank Minister Harris and the Minns Government for supporting us with the additional funding,” Mr Griffin said.
With the assistance of Deloitte Australia and after extensive assessment of potential sites located in Western Sydney, GRNSW announced recently that the existing Richmond Club site had been selected as the site for the new SMRP.
The options being pursued by GRNSW will see a multi-purpose facility built either on the existing Richmond Club footprint or expanded footprint, and it will be multi-purpose to ensure that it is utilised by the community 24/7 and provides revenue streams for the sport from outside of racing.
The proposals being considered by GRNSW include the building of three new tracks, new club facilities (under a jointure venture arrangement), 24/7 attended boarding kennel and training facilities in addition to a veterinarian practice. The proposals also contemplate a joint venture for the construction of Motel Accommodation on site.
“We have been able to make some savings over the last couple of years, and we do have quite substantial funds which we can commit towards the SMRP development,” Mr Griffin said.
“With those savings we've made internally that we can put towards it, this additional assistance from the Government will go a long way to get us to where we need to be in funding the new metropolitan racing precinct.
“In addition, we're not going to build this on our own. We're going to be looking at joint venture partners particularly in relation to the club that we intend to build. It will be a joint venture with people who operate clubs, particularly in Western Sydney.
“Also, in terms of any hotel accommodation, again we're looking to joint ventures to do that. It's not as if we'll need to have all this money to build the precinct on our own. We simply won't be doing that.
“We certainly will have the money to commit to building the tracks and the infrastructure and the kennel facilities and the veterinary facilities, we are going to commit ourselves to that, but this precinct can be built through joint ventures, so it's just not the industry building on its own.
“With joint venture partners this is where we can create something that will be there for the community, just not the sport. I think the days of building stadium infrastructure just for sports alone are gone. We really need to build these for the community, so they are coming and using the infrastructure.
“But more importantly, it's giving the sport a revenue stream outside of racing.”
