Gold Coast Harness Racing Club still without home after six years

The Gold Coast Harness Racing Club has called on the State Government to show some “integrity” and end the “ridiculous” charade of finding the sport a new home.

THE Gold Coast Harness Racing Club has called on the State Government to show some “integrity” and end the “ridiculous” charade of finding the sport a new home.

It is six years since the club was turfed out of the Parklands complex to make way for the Commonwealth Games athletes village, and despite countless promises of compensation and relocation president Barry Grimsey says it is still being used as a “political football”.

He said the club was due to meet Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe in May, but he cancelled.

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Gold Coast Harness Racing Club president Barry Grimsey pictured at Parklands before the venue’s closure. Picture: Supplied

Racing Queensland’s (RQ) Annual Report 2017/18 stated one of the Queensland Government body’s own key performance indicators was delivering a “new or replacement harness racing venue by 2020”.

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The Bulletin revealed last week that the State Government’s plan to introduce night racing to the Glitter Strip by 2020 was stuck in the starting gates and a business case had not been finished, despite an outstanding RQ KPI.

Mr Grimsey said his club had a rich history and he had lost track of the number of meetings he had had with the government and Opposition since it was kicked out of its home.

One of the last races on the Parklands track. Picture: Supplied.

“When we lost the Gold Coast (venue) we were told we would be looked after (by the Newman Government),” Mr Grimsey said.

“We’ve had no assistance. Politicians just make promises and don’t keep them. Nothing ever happens.”

Mr Grimsey claimed the club “lost about $40 million” after it was kicked out of Parklands.

“If someone was to come along and take your house away from you and gave you no money, you wouldn’t be very happy, would you?

“Where’s the integrity? It’s just ridiculous.”

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Gold Coast Harness Racing Club’s dream venue, as proposed in 2017. Picture: Supplied

On his scheduled meeting with Mr Hinchliffe, Mr Grimsey said: “We had a meeting organised with the Minister’s office on budget day. I didn’t think we’d see a minister on budget day, and he rang up later and cancelled.”

Mr Grimsey said RQ committed to providing $10 million towards a new venue in September 2013, but the club remains in limbo.

In 2017, there was speculation the club would be housed in a newly built facility, potentially near Bundall.

RQ CEO Brendan Parnell did not return calls for comment.