$5m plans lodged to upgrade Geelong Racing Club
The Geelong Racing Club’s Breakwater track will undergo a $5m upgrade, complete with new stables and a training pool, if plans lodged with council are approved.
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The Geelong Racing Club’s Breakwater track will undergo a $5m upgrade, complete with new stables and a training pool, if plans lodged with council are approved.
The plans before the City of Greater Geelong mark the first stage of a 15-year masterplan to transform the track and facilities into a multipurpose venue.
Chief executive officer Luke Rayner said the new stables and track would be built as part of a replacement program to upgrade ageing facilities catering for about 100 horses on the southwest corner of the site.
If the plans are approved, the development is expected to take about two years.
“From the club’s perspective, by tackling the training precinct that’ll close the door on our investment (in training facilities),” he said.
The upgrades would follow recently completed track works and lighting upgrades.
“That will close that chapter and then we will look to commence upgrades to our customer facilities,” Mr Rayner said.
In 2022 the club received $730,000 in government funding for a new inside grass track.
Since 2019 the state government has invested more than $1.98m in projects for the club.
Mr Rayner said the club then hoped to invest in trackside facilities for patrons to ensure it had the “best possible amenities”.
He said these upgrades would allow the club to host a wider variety of events and to rent the spaces out for functions, including weddings and conferences.
“There is potential for a few different uses,” he said.
“We’d like to look at potential partnerships with other community organisations like business organisations and sporting groups.
“We could look at re-entering into the non-racing space (by housing conference and weddings.”
Plans for the first stage of the proposed redevelopment are on public exhibition, with no decision expected to be made until February 8.
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