Mega Fast Karts Richmond facing closure due to Torrens to Darlington upgrade, calling on government for funding

An iconic Adelaide entertainment business says they’ll have to shut up shop after being forced to relocate by the state government.

A popular amusement business that’s operated near the Adelaide CBD for nearly 40 years says they’ll be forced to close down due to a government road upgrade if they’re not properly funded, leaving fans devastated and local sporting teams out of pocket.

Aaron Thompson, owner of Mega Fast Karts and Laser Skirmish Richmond, told The Advertiser his 35-year-old generational family business could cease to exist if the state government doesn’t fund their move to a new location after notifying them their current venue would be demolished for the Torrens to Darlington upgrade.

Mega Fast Karts Richmond owner Aaron Thompson at his business, which is facing closure due to the Torrens to Darlington upgrade. Picture: Dean Martin

He said his business – which offers go karting, laser skirmish and dodgem cars – has until November this year to relocate, but without funding to do so, he’ll have to say goodbye to his income, let go of 20 staff members and end his sponsorship of a local football club.

“We’re really encouraging people to come out before we have to close – if we do close,” he said.

“If anyone wants to help out, come and then buy an extra gift voucher. We’re really trying to get as much as we can so we can afford to keep going, but if we don’t get the help, we won’t have a choice.

“At the moment though, we just don’t have the money to keep going. It’s really gut wrenching.”

Mr Thompson said it would cost more than $1m to set up shop somewhere else – including kitting out a new workshop with a bitumen track, and setting up laser skirmish – but the government won’t pay for the business to relocate.

“The government has a ruling when it comes to business acquisitions – they’ll do whatever is cheaper, whether that’s to relocate you or to close you down,” he said.

“The cost to close us is a lot less than it is to relocate us.

“I’ve had multiple people – including other ministers and council members – write to the infrastructure minister to say he needs to look after us. We always get the same response back, that we need to deal with the acquisition team, which we have been dealing with from the get go.”

Mega Karts fan Darcy Needle, 20, said he visits the venue whenever he can get some free time and loves racing with mates there.

“I think the impact would be losing yet another entertainment branch close to Adelaide,” Mr Needle said.

“My favourite part about go karting in Richmond is how close it is to home compared to other tracks. I’d hate to see the place move or shut down.

“I feel like with it shutting down it would ruin a lot of future plans for groups to have a unique and fun experience.”

Mr Thompson said it would cost more than $1m to relocate his business. Picture: Dean Martin

Mr Thompson has called on infrastructure minister Tom Koutsantonis to “please, please give us the money to move, because venues like this are so rare in SA now”.

“The whole point of the business is that it brings smiles to people,” he said.

“We don’t have a lot of entertainment centres in Adelaide because people don’t realise how expensive they are to run.

“We’re here to make people happy, they come to have a great time and people need that. “We’re in a world where everyone is stressed, and here you get to come out and do something fun.”

A government spokesman said the Department for Infrastructure and Transport “continues to engage constructively and sensitively with business tenants who are leasing property on land impacted by the River Torrens to Darlington Project”.

“We continue to work with this business and have offered to relocate their plant and equipment from the existing site when they have a new leased premises,” the spokesman said.

“Under the Act and established case law, costs paid for relocation cannot substantially exceed the value of the business.

“This is a difficult process and the Government is committed to handling these matters sensitively and constructively, as we get on with the job of delivering the nation’s biggest infrastructure project.”