Wolf Blass announces $1.4m donation for new Morphettville Racecourse redevelopment centrepiece

Details of a new event centre as part of the multimillion-dollar Morphettville Racecourse redevelopment have been revealed – with Wolf Blass chipping in $1.4m. Take a fly-through.

Wine maker Wolf Blass AM will invest $1.4 million into the South Australian Jockey Club Morphettville Racecourse redevelopment centrepiece – a world-class event centre.

Mr Blass has donated $1 million to the SAJC plus an additional $400,000 sponsorship to SAJC in return for naming rights of the $20 million Morphettville Event Centre.

The venue will be renamed the Wolf Blass ‘The Man’ Event Centre and cater for up to 1150 guests, almost double the capacity of the Gerard Pavilion, and will be used for events ranging from boardroom lunches to large corporate events, race day functions and weddings. The trackside building has been designed without internal pillars, providing guests with uninterrupted panoramic views of the racecourse, city and Adelaide Hills.

Designed by Cox Architecture, the MEC will accommodate up to 300 seated guests on the ground floor and up to 600 seated guests on an upper level.

The new $20m Wolf Blass Event Centre.

An artist impression of the $350m Morphettville Racecourse redevelopment.

Mr Blass said he had “full confidence in their management to position the SAJC and Morphettville as a competitive and driving force to elevate racing in South Australia”.

SAJC Chairman Bob Holton said Mr Blass’ support was a vote of confidence in the long-term outlook for Morphettville.

“The building will be a valuable asset not just for racing and our members but for the wider community of Adelaide’s southwestern suburbs.”

The SAJC would seek to raise an additional $1 million through the foundation towards the event centre’s construction.

Construction has already started on the new event centre with the project expected to be finished late this year.

Details of the $350m redevelopment of Morphettville Racecourse were announced in February, including up to 700 construction jobs.

Developer Villawood Properties and superannuation company Hostplus will redevelop the 7.5ha of rezoned land between the racetrack and Anzac Highway.

Other key features of the redevelopment include mixed-use apartment buildings with more than 150 residences, a supermarket, shops, hospitality outlets, a new The Junction tavern and SAJC office, with 250 townhouses and low-rise apartments.

Planning for the project began in 2016 with new residents expected to be able to move in from 2026.