AMP Capital ‘killing off’ Macquarie Ice Rink same way as The Basement
The lawyer who represented Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan in his long and bitter stoush with the tax office will lead the legal fight to save iconic Macquarie Ice Rink from being demolished.
The lawyer who represented Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan in his long and bitter stoush with the Australian Taxation Office will lead the legal fight to save iconic Macquarie Ice Rink from being demolished.
He was a part-owner of The Basement, along with wife Dominique, when AMP Capital pulled the plug on it.
Andrew Robinson, who was in Hoges’ legal corner after the ATO alleged the Hollywood actor owed $150 million in tax, has been engaged for a David versus Goliath battle against AMP Capital to keep Australia’s premier ice rink open for Winter Olympians, Sydney’s two biggest ice-hockey teams and tens of thousands of recreational users each year.
This time it’s personal for Mr Robinson, who has a big bone to pick with the same corporate giant which shut down Sydney entertainment venue The Basement last year.
Indeed, there are similarities in the demise of both sites.
The Basement was a 45-year-old live-music institution which attracted the world’s biggest acts including The Rolling Stones, Prince and Robbie Williams.
The Macquarie Ice Rink has been running for four decades and has been home to former Winter Olympic gold medallist Steven Bradbury, as well as producing American Hockey League sensation Nathan Walker and other big guns in the fledgling sport.
Mr Robinson has blamed the State Government’s push for higher density housing and retail for the loss of “important” community facilities across Sydney.
“A whole lot of our social assets are being crucified in the higher density areas,” the Polczynski Robinson consultant said today.
“Because The Basement couldn’t afford the high rents AMP Capital were charging last year, the last bastion of live entertainment in the Sydney CBD is now gone.
“I hope the guy at AMP who made the decision has walked past there lately because the place looks like a ghost town.
“All these places are going to go if it’s left to a State Government strategic planning group or AMP.”
An AMP Capital spokeswoman said it had been a “strong supporter” of The Basement and live music in Sydney for “more than 10 years”.
“AMP Capital worked with the management of The Basement for more than six months to support them and ensure an appropriate transition could take place,” the spokeswoman said.
“However, The Basement advised the space at 7 Macquarie Place was not workable long-term and they would prefer to find a permanent home and solution that is better suited for the iconic live music venue.
“As a result, we amicably and mutually agreed to end the lease.”
The company’s spokeswoman said it was seeking expressions of interest from interested parties to lease the premises at 7 Macquarie Place.
“A key selection criteria was the operators’ proven experience in supporting live music and the arts. The exciting news of the new tenant will be announced very shortly and will demonstrate our ongoing support for live music,” she said.
Mr Robinson said the banking royal commission last year exposed AMP for running its businesses “based on the dollar and to hell with the consequences”.
However, he says the company is now “so bad reputation-averse that they are in an unusual and vulnerable position where they are probably more likely to take into account the community’s deep concerns”.
“And if areas like Macquarie Park (where building heights were increased from 33.5m to 120m in 2014) can be rezoned like this, does it mean our tennis courts and swimming pools are the next to go?
“(Long-time ice rink owner Dr) Frank Gregg’s real desire here is to get a resolution that keeps everyone running,” Mr Robinson said.
“Our choice is not to be confrontational.
“We want the social asset preserved and Frank’s funds to be returned, because, as it stands, he’ll be turfed out in 12 months’ time.”
The lawyer was referring to Dr Gregg’s $3.5 million upgrade of the Macquarie Ice Rink last year.
He said AMP Capital was “not completely transparent” in their long-term lease negotiations with Dr Gregg five years ago.
“Having spoken to us about a 10-year lease back in 2014-15, they then they sat around and watched us put millions of dollars into this upgrade, which no one in their right mind would do if they knew they were going to be turfed out,” Mr Robinson said.
An AMP spokeswoman said it was “sorry” the operator was “disappointed with the engagement over this proposal”.
“We have been in discussions with him for several years regarding both the concept approval and more recently this specific development application,” she said.
“When preparing the plans for our concept approval, we engaged with the operator regarding our aspirations to increase our recreation and leisure attractions which might involve moving the rink or reducing its size.
“In September 2018, we advised him that the retention of an Olympic-sized rink was unlikely and asked him whether he would be open to operating a smaller recreational ice rink. While the current lease expires in August 2019, in September last year we offered to extend the lease to January 2020 to provide certainty for users during the 2019 competition program.
“As we were developing this current development application, we continued our engagement with the operator, meeting with him several times before the lodgement of the DA. We will continue to engage with the operator in an open and transparent manner as we progress the plans for Macquarie Centre.”
After the Northern District Times lifted the lid on AMP Capital’s secret plans last week, it performed a partial backflip, agreeing to go back out for community consultation.
AMP Capital Shopping Centres managing director Mark Kirkland said that “listening to the Macquarie Centre community has always been the key priority”.
“Our community, customers and retailers are important to us and we have listened to them. We acknowledge the outpouring of support for the ice rink and the special place it has for many,” he said.
“While we had undertaken research with a broad segment of the community in drafting the proposed plans and engaged widely on the Concept Plan in 2016, it is clear that we need to take more time to engage with those who love the centre and incorporate their feedback into the next stage of the development.”
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That clarity for AMP Capital has come in the form of several petitions to keep the ice rink open.
Collectively, they have attracted more than 50,000 signatures as the community vents its anger at the corporate giant planning to tear down a much-loved community facility.
Today, Ryde State MP Victor Dominello met with AMP Capital’s big wigs.
The Finance Minister didn’t get the company to perform a full backflip, but he says it will “consider alternative options” for the rink that are “aligned with community expectations”.
Planning Minister and Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts has been contacted for a response to Mr Robinson’s attack on the government’s high housing targets, and whether he is prepared to get AMP Capital on its skates to saving the highly-treasured ice rink.
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