Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club under threat of closure due to M1 road works

The wheels are in motion to help stop Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club from closing – but are the fixes the silver bullet it needs to survive?

The wheels are in motion to secure the under siege Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club with some short term fixes but the silver bullet that will stop it from closing is still non-existent.

The club held a meeting with members and other stakeholders on Monday night to discuss the threat of its closure within months due to what management believe is a significant drop off in revenue on the back of the $1b upgrade to the M1.

It has lost the bulk of its parking spaces to Transport and Main Roads (TMR) who have used the site to store its equipment.

Club director and former president Nick Cappelleri said his hopes were slightly boosted following a meeting with Gold Coast City Council and Queensland Government officials last week.

Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club.

Cappelleri said it prompted numerous ideas that could be implemented immediately to help alleviate some of the pressure on the club.

“There is a section of temporary fencing that essentially runs from our driveway to the M1 and it could be a giant billboard,” Cappelleri said.

“It is prime real estate that can become signage for our club.

“The other idea is in regards to our parking. Right out of the front of the doors to the club is currently a grassed area with a dismantled playground. We estimate the space could create around 20 car parks but we would need Gold Coast City Council to accommodate that fast.”

Cappelleri said the ideas were short term fixes but the club’s future still relied on a financial injection.

Their bid to get compensation from TMR appears to be unsuccessful while Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said last week Council would “tag along to make sure they are fully compensated”.

“The silver bullet comes from Government funding or a financial injection,” Cappelleri said.

EARLIER

M1 mess: Sports club under threat of closure due to $1bn works

MANAGEMENT at a popular Gold Coast sports club say they could be forced to close the doors within months, claiming their revenue has halved after losing parking space to the M1 expansion works.

The Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club is in crisis talks with Transport and Main Roads (TMR), with the state department using the club’s carpark to store its equipment for the $1 billion project since June of 2020.

Club officials fear they could become collateral damage from the widening of the motorway between Varsity Lakes and Tugun from four to six lanes.

While the state and Gold Coast City Council jointly own the land the carpark is on, Sports Club director and former president Nick Cappelleri said the occupation of the space had resulted in a huge downturn in clientele to use their restaurant and gaming area.

The Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club is having crisis talks and under threat of closing down because Transport and Main Roads are using its carpark to put its equipment while upgrading the M1. Photo of Director and former president of PBC Sports Club Nick Cappelleri at the site.

Mr Cappelleri said revenue had been down at least 50 per cent throughout that time and warned they were close to shutting the doors.

He said the club would have an average of 80 diners come through on any given night and that number reduced to roughly 40, with overall turnover down 30 per cent from 2019 to 2022 as the club also navigated its way through the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s difficult to say how long we have. Months, not quarters,” Mr Cappelleri said.

“TMR are not committing to an end date. Originally we were told it would end in late 2023. “The reality is we feel that it will go beyond that. We can’t survive that without assistance.”

That assistance hasn’t been forthcoming, with TMR failing to address the matter of compensation and Mr Cappelleri says the club has been unable to secure any financial commitment.

If the sports club closes it would place enormous financial pressure on the Palm Beach Currumbin cricket and Australian rules clubs that it supports.

Mr Cappelleri said tens of thousands of dollars of annual running costs, including leases, electricity, gas, lighting and more would be heaped on to the community clubs at the precinct.

“Any profit we make out of the club goes to those clubs,” Cappelleri said.

“We are not insolvent by any means but we are not supporting those clubs. We are not fulfilling our mantra to support them.”

Mr Cappelleri said the council had assisted by enabling the clubs to use surrounding parkland to park on game days, but could do little else.

Palm Beach Currumbin Australian rules Club senior president Anne Cornish said losing the support of the sports club was a financial hit they couldn’t afford.

“The clubs would be really struggling,” Ms Cornish said.

“One of the biggest issues is they cut off one of the entrances so there is one way in and out. It is an accident waiting to happen.”

In a statement to the Bulletin, TMR said: “We appreciate the patience of the whole community while we complete these important upgrades, which will alleviate traffic congestion, increase capacity, and improve safety for all road users.

“The project team will continue to work with the Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club (PBCSC) to investigate additional signs in and around the precinct.

“We have also committed to working with GCCC to investigate any further options that may be available through local parking in the area.”

Gold Coast City Council did not respond to questions

Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club has launched a GoFundMe page in a bid to raise enough funds to save the establishment. To donate visit www.gofund.me/6178a384