Belmont GrandstandWest Australian Racing

Ngawyni

I'm surprised there's been no reaction on this forum to Perth Racing's announcement on the weekend that it has scrapped plans to redevelop the Belmont Grandstand because it doesn't have the money.  

PTT members may recall Perth Racing in 2014 announcing its intention to begin demolition of the Grandstand that year.

Here's this week's article in case anyone missed it:

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/perth/perth-racing-scraps-landmark-grandstand-project-at-belmont-park-c-18209994

Here's a Business Review article from 2021 which sets out some of the history:

https://www.businessnews.com.au/article/One-deal-10-years-no-development

I have 2 questions:

1. Where did the $51m or more the club received for the sale of the land go?

2. Given the whole thing including the sale of the land has been a complete debacle, can we at least get rid of the Ted Van Heemst Stakes?

Rodent

spinking

Also the on course stabling at Ascot. Another pie in the sky. Why did they even waste the money to put the sign up by the float car park outlining the bold new venture

DamienWyer

Anyone who knows me or has read this site for the last decade or more, knows I have an extensive history on this subject. Perth Racing sued me without success, like they did to a lot of people during this era. It was shortly after this period that Perth Racing moved to changed term limits on any future Chairman. The CEO at that time thankfully departed for Melbourne after a couple of years, only to be subsequently fired and was last seen in New Zealand involved in a small regional Club.

It's difficult to put into words just how damaging these people were to the future of the Industry. Not only did they fail Members, they failed everyone who ever walked behind a horse holding onto a dream. 

For them to be immortalised with races named after them is appalling. It is a constant reminder of who is at fault here.

It's no use asking where the money went, I warned the Racing Minister during that visit to the yearling sales, that if they gave Perth Racing the $400M that was being floated, that they would **** it away. I was assured that it was only going to be money in kind, Perth would get a new Racing complex in the Southern corridor that would be a tri-code facility and there would be a little cash leftover for boosting stakes races etc. 

Well that was too far for the elite to travel and they scoffed at that idea. They knew better and they went with the Malaysian deal, building 4,000 apartments around the Belmont site. Nobody mentioned the 25 year timeline waiting for demand to catch up to reality. 

So now the deposit has been wasted on God knows what and the Industry is on "facility life support". Projects such as on course stabling at Ascot has been floated, no cash but float the idea so it looks like we are doing something. Ted's gymnasium and squash court, the roof top bar and all the other grandiose ideas have become nothing more than rantings of someone's grandad who can't figure out how to use a mobile phone. 

Winter is almost upon Belmont Park and that can only mean one thing, someone needs to go buy a few dozen large buckets to sit under the leaking roof to catch the water flow over the concrete cancer.

RWWA have facilitated this collapse by simply sitting back and drip feeding Perth Racing cash to keep the doors open. They simply should have withdrawn funding until the Board gave up, then walked in and run it like a business not some shop front window for a few entitled small business people looking to increase their profiles.  

It's not like you were not warned. Perth Racing chose to try and silence anyone who spoke out and that largely succeeded, but ultimately like all those who seek to dictate, they fell to their own stupidity and greed. What WA has now is the almost the end result of the ineptitude and incompetence of a few fools.   

If someone can let me know when Ted Van Heemst goes to that great grandstand in the sky, I would like to fly over and pay my respects. I mean this in all sincerity, with no malice in my heart.  

warrenrobinson

Nothing in changes in the racing industry in WA been listening to the propaganda for years. Gloucester Park for example must be some 30plus years since Ernie Manea stated that GP was to be developed with offices, apartments etc and1000 Metre track,.Then 2010 President John Burt reported GP will be developed with a 960 metre track plus residential suits, commercial/retail space and 1800 parking bays for race meeting customers. Three years ago President Burt comes out again saying GP will be developed again with a 24.7 million grant from RWWA plus the deal of a life time with the Fini Group and here we are today not one shovel of sand has been dug , all propaganda from a industry with very poor leadership.

JayJay

Well said Damien and Warren. If anyone dares to challenge or question the wisdom of the management who makes these calls, they are metaphorically "sent to Coventry", painted as a disruptive crackpot or even worse, a "cancer on the industry".

Heavens knows where the $51 million from the Belmont sale went, and RWWA's allocation of $24.7 million to GP for works not really specified or detailed would, as anyone in the construction supply channel will confirm, be possibly even double the initial allocation. RWWA hasn't got any surplus money floating around in the middle of a very predictable turnover decline, in spite of Shanghaiing the government into some "Infrastructure Funding" in the election run up, using regional clubs to do their bidding for them, and has properly withdrawn from any "new or refurbished Belmont grandstand/golf driving range" commitments, along with the much trumpeted "On Course Stabling" et al proposition at Ascot.

Why it would commit to a quasi redevelopment of Gloucester Park resulting in facilities for 4,500??? on the wrong side of the track on a flood plain involving flogging off a large chunk of the real estate for apartments it won't own (History repeating itself), for the retention of an 800m circumference track (the smallest of all principal metro tracks in Australia or New Zealand, and probably the most inaccessible) remains a mystery that few in the Industry, including multiple Hall of Fame members down to one horse hobby trainers, can understand.

Throughout these processes, one elephant remains firmly in the room. Where is the Minister for Racing and Gaming and what has he done or is likely to do to resolve the conundrum that the sport finds itself in? This is Papalia's second go at the gig and publicly at least, he remains equally as invisible second time around. 

I hope he is not a Dockers supporter as he will be torn between going to Optus Stadium on Anzac Night, Friday April 25 or heading to GP for what shapes as a ripper $1.25 million Nullabor and the Parliamentarians Cup meeting, or he may take the family fishing for the long weekend. As an aside, even taking into account the positioning of Easter a week earlier, what a most peculiar piece of scheduling. A double banger, no football parking money for the club and even fewer patrons than normal. Pray to the good lord it doesn't rain.

Buddy123

So who got the money for the land around Belmont race track.. wa racing? The government? Or local government..or no one n they got scammed..!
Beggars belief we can’t even scratch up enough money for a bit of a revamp for Belmont.
A couple of billion turnover n the same ol..
I will dead n buried n Belmont will be same it was the day I was born till the day I die..
Well they did paint it a couple of years ago.

GLAMOUR

Buddy123 said:

So who got the money for the land around Belmont race track.. wa racing? The government? Or local government..or no one n they got scammed..!
Beggars belief we can’t even scratch up enough money for a bit of a revamp for Belmont.
A couple of billion turnover n the same ol..
I will dead n buried n Belmont will be same it was the day I was born till the day I die..
Well they did paint it a couple of years ago.

They did say the lift would be finished in 2025 :)

Vincent_vega

Money from the land spent on architects and studies from Deloitte. Whole lot pissed up, but as someone else said on another thread, at least the lift is fixed!!!!! $51 m well spent then!

Manchild

I think there was a few " consultants " paid to do some studies .  I use the term consultants very loosely.

thefalcon

a forensic audit would not go astray.

warrenrobinson

A Parliamentary Enquiry into RWWA wouldn't go astray.

JayJay

Yes Minister? Paul Hacker at your service?

bookielover

warrenrobinson said:

A Parliamentary Enquiry into RWWA wouldn't go astray.

Do they ever get anywhere? I can see the conclusion now. So and so, as well as so and so, aided and abetted by so and so, fkd up. They have promised to do better next time. Thank you for your attention and the 26 million it cost us to have this enquiry. Have a lovely day everyone. 

Next!

DamienWyer

Political portfolios became too diverse for them to be effective. I think I am correct in saying that the Minister for Racing and Gaming in several States, had little else to do. Then they got Sport, then Tourism etc etc and then they set up organisations like RWWA and put the entire Industry at arms length

For example:

The current NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing is David Harris, who also holds portfolios for Aboriginal Affairs & Treaty, Veterans, Medical Research, and the Central Coast.  

In Victoria it is Hon Anthony Carbines MP, Minister for Police, Minister for Community Safety, Minister for Victims, Minister for Racing.

my point being, they couldn't find the racetrack if you asked directions

warrenrobinson

RWWA must be held to account, the Minister has a responsibility to ensure RWWA is following legislative charter to  administer and grow all three codes as per the act. Past failed inquires should not deter the calling of any future action.

JayJay

Racing And Wagering act 2003

Responsibility under the Act (amongst other functions)

Part 35.

"to foster the development, promote the welfare and
ensure the integrity of metropolitan and country
thoroughbred racing, harness racing and greyhound
racing, in the interests of the long term viability of the
racing industry in Western Australia."

JimmyPop

JayJay said:

Racing And Wagering act 2003

Responsibility under the Act (amongst other functions)

Part 35.

"to foster the development, promote the welfare and
ensure the integrity of metropolitan and country
thoroughbred racing, harness racing and greyhound
racing, in the interests of the long term viability of the
racing industry in Western Australia."

Interesting

Manchild

Jim Hacker , JJ

AbbysAce

JayJay said:

Racing And Wagering act 2003

Responsibility under the Act (amongst other functions)

Part 35.

"to foster the development, promote the welfare and
ensure the integrity of metropolitan and country
thoroughbred racing, harness racing and greyhound
racing, in the interests of the long term viability of the
racing industry in Western Australia."

:))

warrenrobinson

The camels are on the horizon.

JayJay

Down from the dunes they cometh, ETA on Wednesday according to the jungle drums. Gecko's to completely takeover the caravan, major feast of Camel stew, many villagers will either leave of go hungry.

JayJay

Camels spotted grazing on sumptuous pastures surrounding Herdsman Lake. 

Villagers spotted packing up their tents and preparing the caravan to begin the exodus. 

The Emir parting the waters to allow for a silent departure never to be seen again.

Frog

With updates on Ascot and Belmont coming out in the past few weeks.

I haven't seen in the papers our heard anything about Gloucester Park

redevelopment ???

warrenrobinson

Good question frog, look back at my post on the 2nd April it has the answer.