Racing Queensland (RQ) and tenants of Albion Park Raceway are in a Mexican standoff over grandiose plans for the historic harness racing course.
Last weekend RQ revealed an extravagant proposal to finance construction of new tracks for the harness and greyhound codes in growth corridors to the south and west of the city through the sale of Albion Park.
The Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club is happy with the RQ proposal, with the club’s chief executive Luke Gatehouse confirming the club would move “with a moment’s notice” if a new, metropolitan standard course comprising two tracks, one of which would be a straight, was constructed.
“We’ve wanted our own stand-alone complex for a long time,” Mr Gatehouse said.
Albion Park Harness Racing Club chairman David Fowler insists Albion Park was harness racing’s best advocate.
He said he was “most reluctant” to leave the track which has been a spiritual home for harness racing since the late 1960s.
“There can be no denying turnover is the lifeblood of the racing industries and the bedrock for this is metropolitan racing,” Mr Fowler said.
“Albion Park has undeniable brand awareness whether it’s for harness racing or the greyhounds.
“This complex hosts seven meetings a week and is the busiest of any metropolitan course in the country.
“What RQ does about new tracks is out of our hands. But we need new facilities at Albion Park and that will boost this industry, because we are doing it tough and our customers have endured substandard facilities for far too long.”
The Brisbane City Council has previously declared its wish that Albion Park, valued at up to $100 million, be retained for sport and recreation purposes.
That was despite numerous rumours it would be developed for residential and retail use.
By Alan Welburn, Quest Newspapers
Reprinted with permission of Quest Newspapers