GRNSW Unveils $900,000 Gosford Upgrades
Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) Chairman Professor Percy Allan AM last night unveiled the second and final stage of upgrades in the redevelopment of the Gosford greyhound racing track grandstand.
Alongside Minister for Gaming and Racing The Hon. Kevin Greene MP, Allan officially opened the new grandstand as part of GRNSW's ongoing commitment to redevelop and improve its Premier racing venues.
Stage one of the project, a $615,000 upgrade funded by the Greyhound Racing Industry Development Fund (GIDF), was completed in August 2007 with a further $250,000 contribution from GIDF and $80,000 from the State Government enabling the final upgrades to be completed.
“Late last year GRNSW also contributed almost $20,000 to the new slipping track alongside the Gosford track,” Allan said.
“Overall, just under $900,000 has been spent at Gosford in the last two years alone.
“In the six years GRNSW has existed the Greyhound Racing Industry Development Fund has spent more than $19 million redeveloping and improving greyhound facilities across the state.
“It has been a serious investment which clearly demonstrates our commitment to the long term sustainability of greyhound racing in NSW including our many regional communities.”
In addressing the crowd at Gosford last night, Allan stressed that similar upgrades were being placed in jeopardy if the Government failed to implement the recommendations of the Cameron Report which identified inequalities in the current TAB funding distribution structure.
“We do not own a money tree and eventually the funds for large scale developments such as this will dry up,” Allan said.
“That is why it is so important that the recommendations of the Cameron Report which will reward greyhound racing for its financial contribution to the racing industry are implemented in full by the Minister.
“If they are, it will allow us to continue to grow the sport and improve our facilities without the expectation of government handouts. If nothing is done, the NSW racing industry will continue to battle in an environment that does nothing to reward innovation or growth for our sport.
“We can only hope that the Government sees the benefits in adopting the Cameron Report in full because without change developments of this kind may be a thing of the past.”