Roof garden racing part of $128 million VRC Stand revamp

EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: A sky-high roof garden will give Flemington racegoers sweeping 360-degree views in a major change to the home of racing.

An artist impression of the new VRC Stand.

A SKY-high “roof garden’’ will give racegoers sweeping 360 degree views in a major change to the home of racing.

New architectural plans obtained by the Herald Sun show the world-class entertainment and sports venue to be built on Flemington racecourse’s home straight.

The $128 million Victoria Racing Club Stand will be topped by the roof garden, inspired by Flemington’s garden setting, with indoor and outside precincts taking a day at the races to a new level.

A view from the roof of the new $128 million Victoria Racing Club Stand.

An artist’s impression of the new Flemington VRC Club stand.

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The roof garden will feature two permanent bars with barbecues and pizza ovens outside and an indoor dining area seating about 200 people opening to a weather-protected deck.

VRC chair Amanda Elliott said the development would “raise the bar’’ for racecourses globally and offer an “unrivalled race day experience’’ to ensure Flemington remained a global giant.

“It really is a spectacular new addition,’’ she said.

“We need to give people a memorable race day experience that isn’t just picking a winner ... the rest of the world is very interested in this development.’’

The weatherproof roof garden interior will house bars, betting facilities and a DJ booth aimed at the young and young at heart and be hired out for private functions outside the racing season.

A sculptured roof modelled on the hats and fascinators women wear to the Spring Racing Carnival has also been designed to provide cover from the rain or heat.

An artist impression of the new $128 million Victoria Racing Club Stand.

An artist impression of the new $128 million Victoria Racing Club Stand.

An elevated members’ bar in the heart of the Club stand will look over the Flemington lawn and mounting yard. And an upgrading seating deck will feature premium viewing platforms and undercover terraces over three levels.

Mrs Elliott said the development, five years in planning and the 10th grandstand to be built at Flemington since 1865, was different to any in the world.

She said the club would reveal different levels and venues of the massive new structure as construction continued.

“This staggered kind of reveal of different levels is to give people time to take it all in because there are so many parts,” she said

Construction work is expected to finish in time for next year’s Melbourne Cup.

The five-level stand, now under construction, will be completed in time for next year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival but could be finished by August next year. The development is being jointly funded by the VRC, state government and commercial partners including Tabcorp.

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