Wagga Wagga greyhound racing club saved from closure in Australia
Greyhound Racing NSW has approved a proposal for the local greyhound racing club to remain open under the operation and financial backing of the state’s breeders, owners and trainers association.
Australia.- The Wagga Wagga Greyhound Racing Club will remain open. Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) has approved a proposal from the NSW Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) to operate the club and fund upgrades to its existing track.
Wagga Wagga had previously been identified for closure under GRNSW’s Racing Footprint Optimisation strategy. However, following the GBOTA proposal, Deloitte Australia reassessed the venue using the same criteria as in its original review.
The reassessment lifted Wagga Wagga’s score from 12 to 21 points and improved its ranking from 20th to seventh among NSW greyhound racing clubs. The review considered factors including tenure, commercial viability, injury data and the investment required to meet Minimum Track Standards (MTS). GRNSW approved the upgrade of the existing circle track to meet MTS, but rejected a proposal to build a new straight track.
Deloitte also found that the Riverina region, where Wagga Wagga is located, could support no more than 111 race meetings annually based on its current greyhound population and nominations. GBOTA has agreed to operate Wagga Wagga and Temora within the region’s existing allocation of 104 meetings and will not seek additional fixtures.
“This is exactly what we wanted,” said GBOTA president Geoff Rose, who said the organisation wanted to support participants and the local community. Wagga Wagga Greyhound Club president Ben Talbot also welcomed the decision, thanking GBOTA for following through on its commitment to support the club.
