Ipswich greyhound track may close before The Q is ready
Racing Queensland has received an ultimatum from the Ipswich Show Society regarding a lease for the Ipswich greyhound track, which could potentially lead to the early closure of the well-known facility.
The current lease is set to expire, and there are now reports that the Ipswich Show Society has proposed a significant increase in tenancy fees.
However, Racing Queensland is keen on continuing racing at Ipswich until the state-of-the-art Q-Track greyhound racing facility under construction opens next year.
It was highly likely, although not confirmed by RQ; that both the Ipswich and Albion Park greyhound tracks would close once The Q was fully operational.
But for now, the immediate future of greyhound racing in Ipswich will remain uncertain if an agreement cannot be reached.
RQ and the Ipswich Show Society are currently engaged in negotiations to resolve this dispute.
Adding fuel to the fire, local Labor State MP Jennifer Howard has come out strongly opposed to greyhound racing has voiced her displeasure with the $40 million Q proposal.