The Ipswich greyhound track, which has been operating at the showgrounds for four decades, is facing closure over a tenancy dispute
It comes after Racing Queensland said they were given an ultimatum by the Ipswich Show Society to pay more rent and a $12 million one off fee to redevelop the showgrounds if they want to extend their current lease for a year.
The lease, which has been held by the Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club for decades, is due to expire on January 31, 2024.
It’s understood the local greyhound club was hoping to have another year to continue racing until the the new state of the art $40 million track ‘The Q’ opens at Purga in late 2024.
The complex, once built, will merge Brisbane and Ipswich Greyhound racing together.
In a statement, Racing Queensland said while it wishes to see greyhound racing continue at Ipswich Showgrounds throughout 2024, its preference is for the lease arrangements to continue to be held between the Club and the Show Society, having previously negotiated and mutually accepted a $400,000 ‘make good’ payment as part of the current lease.
“RQ has requested the Show Society resume lease negotiations with the Club, and if an appropriate agreement cannot be reached, it will explore alternate alternate programming options throughout 2024 including reallocating race meetings to other venues”.
Meanwhile, The Ipswich Show Society President Darren Zanow has hit out at Racing Queensland in relation to the greyhound track’s tenancy agreement.
“Racing Queensland has six tracks across the state with a turn over of $1.6 billion per year,” he said.
“Surely they can find some money to bring the standard of the facilities back up to something every person in Ipswich will be able to use.
“The paint is peeling off the walls, off the ceiling, the carpet has had it, there are so many things to fix and that facility is specifically for greyhounds,” he said.
Mr Zanow said the Ipswich Show Society has carried the financial burden for the Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club for years.
“We not only built the complex at $1.8 million but also gave them 20 years free rent when they declared they were broke in the 1980s and have never been able to recover water costs, which is $100,000 a year alone.
The Ipswich Show Society President Darren Zanow said that they are still in negotiations and as early as Tuesday night they’d agreed to the new terms of the lease with the financial contribution the only sticking point.
“If we can sort that out they’ll continue racing, if we can’t then the last racing will be on the 31st of January next year,” he said.
