Work begins to move LIV Golf tournament from Grange to North Adelaide
The premier has outlined his plan to Adelaide City Council on how to lure the world’s best golfers to North Adelaide and the council has shared what it wants as part of the deal.
SA News
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Adelaide City Council wants the state government to lease the North Adelaide Golf Course from it and to pay for all costs to turn it into a world-class venue.
Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said it was important the council “had a voice at the table” as the government pursued its plan for the LIV Golf tournament to move to the city.
“It’s important to us as the custodians of the parklands and with constituency of residents that we work with the government to minimise any harmful impacts,” Dr Lomax-Smith said.
“We’d like to lease the land to the government and have it operate as a top-notch golf course, but we want to continue to have oversight.
“Importantly, we want income streams and we’re mindful very often when the government takes activities we lose an income stream.
“We don’t get any benefit from car racing, any benefit from Adelaide Oval or the aquatic centre.”
The council on Tuesday night voted for the mayor and chief executive to begin formal negotiations with the government over relocating the tournament from Grange.
This included developing a Memorandum of Understanding for all costs to be covered by the government and for it to enter into a long-term lease of the parklands occupied by the course.
Premier Peter Malinauskas previously announced that South Australia had secured the hugely-successful LIV Golf tournament until 2031.
Mr Malinauskas said he welcomed the council resolution and looked forward to working with the mayor.
“We want to get this project done as soon as reasonably possible,” he said.
“We know it will deliver significant economic and social benefits for South Australians.”
Mr Malinauskas said the tournament would move from the Grange Golf Club – which attracted 102,000 spectators this year – to the redeveloped North Adelaide course in 2028, possibly as early as 2027.
Grange has held the long-term contract to host the event until 2026 and no formal agreement has been struck for a possible continuation in 2027.
LIV Golf founding commissioner Greg Norman would help design the new 18-hole North Adelaide course, which was expected to cost tens of millions to build.
Mr Malinauskas confidentially briefed the council on the plan on Monday night, which included the course remaining publicly owned and operated.
“The premier has also assured us that any fencing will be temporary and would only be related to the staging of the tournament,” Dr Lomax-Smith said.
“Importantly, the premier is also keen to see only a modest loss of significant trees.”
Dr Lomax-Smith said the golf course was part of a larger tourism precinct that included Adelaide Oval which had “obvious” amenities for a LIV concert and carparking.
The LIV tournament has generated $136m in its first two years and broadcasted to more than 500 million viewers.
It attracts the world’s best players, including Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.
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Originally published as Work begins to move LIV Golf tournament from Grange to North Adelaide
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