Gold Coast Council making $550,000 saving by using Turf Club for staff parking

Council is getting subsidised car parking for its staff at the Gold Coast Turf Club in a secret deal which saves it a huge sum of money each year.

Black Swan Lake after fill was delivered across a large section of it. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

THE council is getting subsidised car parking for its staff at the Gold Coast Turf Club in a secret deal which saves more than $550,000 each year.

The Bulletin can reveal the council pays $25,000 annually under the current arrangement when the commercial rate for the Bundall precinct would be about $576,000 a year.

Council staff park their cars at the Gold Coast Turf Club at Bundall.

A Turf Club source said: “The current short term agreement with the Gold Coast City Council for their staff is heavily subsidised by the Turf Club. The GCCC currently has access to 250 car parks. Even if we discounted this by 50 per cent, it would still be $280,000 a year.”

The car parking arrangement along with the future of Black Swan Lake or the so-called “borrow pit” will be discussed when councillors meet in a closed committee session later today at the Evandale Chambers.

A report earlier this week detailed how the council was seeking to sign off on a deal where all of Black Swan Lake will be filled in and the city no longer pays for parking.

Negotiations have been sparked by an application by the Turf Club for a new lease for council freehold land in the equestrian precinct.

Black Swan Lake at Bundall. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN FOR $1 A WEEK FOR THE FIRST 8 WEEKS. (MIN. COST $4)

The club wants to redevelop its Traintech stabling facility next to the “borrow pit” and needs the security of a much longer lease with the existing agreement due to expire in 2029.

Turf Club sources suggest the Traintech lease is currently costing about $200,000 annually.

“We are not aware of any other non-for-profit club that pays full commercial retail rates anywhere,” a turf club source said.

“We took this lease over a few years ago because the property was so run down, we have cleaned it up but it needs a major capital investment. We want to put in new horse rolls and exercise machines for the benefit of the horses and there fitness and welfare.

An aerial shot of the Gold Coast Turf Club car park which on weekdays is used by council staffers.

“Once the upgrades are complete we can attract more trainers and this will help industry employment numbers.”

Under council’s leasing policy a sporting, recreational or non-for-profit organisation which does not require a liquor licence on the land can obtain a lease for 20 years at $350 annually.

Given the Turf Club is seeking a lease of up to 50 years, council could consider looking at a starting rental of up to $65,000 annually.

Proposed upgrade of Gold Coast Turf Club’s Traintech facility. Photo: Supplied.

MORE NEWS

Former bikie’s fashion label hits the skids

Gold Coast smile kings soar up Rich List

$100m plan to see off second casino

Council in the negotiations can argue the land in the area is prime real estate with its value likely to be up to $4 million, not considering any improvements on the sites.

But the talks will require sorting out the future of the “borrow pit”, the council car parking and location of the Gold Coast’s Show Society’s administrative area which is in the grandstand section at the racecourse.

The club pays $1 on a peppercorn lease for Black Swan Lake but after the expense of filling in some of the “borrow pit” it is still unusable for walking horses or car parking.

“We simply want the area green open space for exercising the horses and they can pick grass and the area would be open to the public,” the turf club source said.

But the Turf Club remains open to a “third party offer” which would enable the remaining section of lake to continue as a habitat for birds if funded at no cost to the racecourse.