Royal Randwick plans 172-bed hotel, club facilities in fresh push to entice tourists
A section of a leading Sydney racecourse would be turned into a 172-bed hotel with a gym and day spa in a move designed to cater for a growing trend of ‘equine tourism’.
Wentworth Courier
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Racegoers at Royal Randwick would have a new way to take in the sights under major plans for a hotel and entertainment facility at the site.
A seven storey hotel with 172 rooms would be built on the northern end of the racecourse as part of a state significant application proposal lodged by the Australian Turf Club.
Plans stated the development would cater to a growing trend of “equine tourism” and would also include a new club facility – to be known as The Jockey Club – with indoor and outdoor gaming areas.
Other features of the proposal include 18 serviced apartments on the top floor of the building, a gym and day spa, function centre, pool, restaurant and bar, landscaping works, and 24 on-site carparking spaces.
The plans are a revived version of an earlier proposal by the club to build a hotel on the racecourse which was approved by the Department of Planning back in 2014 but never eventuated.
The current proposal stated the new design would “better align with the current market demand in the tourism sector”, noting the racecourse attracts more than 1.2 million visitors per year.
An Australian Turf Club spokesman said the early proposal could support tourism and jobs in the rebound from the impacts of Covid-19.
“It would be an amazing addition to racing in Sydney and would bring revenue, jobs and tourism to a world class venue,” he said.
Plans by the Australian Turf Club show the venue would be built on the site of The Oaks Lawn Marquee.
Despite the impacts of Covid-19, the plans stated there was a “current shortfall” of accommodation in the Sydney metropolitan area.
“There is a need to ensure the industry remains competitive and relevant when domestic and international travel returns bounces back to normal,” the plans stated
“The development of complementary tourist and visitor accommodation at Royal Randwick will not only boost the current operation of the site, but also provide accommodation for tourists visiting the surrounding areas.
“It will (also) provide a unique equine tourist and visitor accommodation offer that is not currently available in the eastern Sydney district (and) service an emerging sub-sector of the tourism industry known as equine tourism.”
Some nearby hospitality businesses have questioned the demand for the proposal including George Calopedos – the general manager at the Avonmore on the Park hotel in Randwick.
“We’ve been virtually dead for the last two years and while business is picking up we’re still not getting the same level of international tourists coming into Sydney,” he said.
“It’s nowhere near pre-Covid levels and I don’t think it will be for some time.”
The hotel proposal is the latest in a long line of development plans for Royal Randwick which also includes a recent bid to allow commercial skydiving at the site.
There is also a current proposal for night racing to be accommodated at the racecourse, hosting up to 15,000 patrons.
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