Club Wyong RSL in merger talks with Mounties Group
Club Wyong RSL has confirmed it is in merger talks with southwest Sydney powerhouse Mounties Group after the struggling club sought potential buyers at the start of the year.
Central Coast
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Mounties Group could add Club Wyong RSL to its existing portfolio of seven registered clubs and four resorts if takeover talks are successful.
It comes after Club Wyong RSL advertised for expressions of interest from other clubs to take over the under pressure venue in the heart of Wyong’s CBD.
Eight clubs responded but Club Wyong’s board has gone with Mounties Group citing “synergy” and “values”.
Mounties Group operates five registered clubs in south western Sydney along with Hardboard Diggers and Manly Bowling Club.
Club Wyong RSL CEO Angela Sanders said as a smaller community club operating in a competitive market, it had been facing increased pressure to consistently grow and improve its services and facilities in order to attract members and retain support within the community.
“Like many other clubs across the state, we strive to keep pace with community expectations and with this comes an increase in costs and a push to become a more financially viable operation,” Mrs Sanders said.
“In order to explore ways for Club Wyong RSL to continue to operate in a financially sustainable way, while maintaining our focus on supporting and looking after our members, we released an EOI and are pleased to progress discussions with Mounties Group, a leading Group of community clubs in NSW.”
The Board of Club Wyong RSL and Mounties Group commenced amalgamation discussions in March 2020 and are working towards the development of a Memorandum of Understanding.
She said Club Wyong RSL saw the amalgamation with Mounties Group as one that brought together two like-minded organisations.
“Our Board, together with the Board of Mounties Group, is focused on discussing what is important to each club and our respective members. We see great synergy between our two organisations — both being member-based, sharing similar longstanding values and a vision to generate a profit for purpose,” Mrs Sanders said.
“Mounties Group is dedicated to supporting the communities in which its clubs operate, and we are excited by the opportunities that can arise from this partnership.
“An amalgamation with Mounties would see our club retain its identity and personality yet be able to secure a future that can support our members with the backing of a reputable and experienced club operator.”
Both clubs have issued a notice to members that, prior to the signing of any Memorandum of Understanding, they will be provided with details of the other clubs which expressed an interest and why Mounties Group was chosen as the preferred party.