THE question those who still attend the races on a regular basis want answered is will they be able to use the new grandstand to be built at Eagle Farm?
The current members’ only John Power grandstand has been condemned and was used for the final time during the Winter Carnival that concluded on Saturday.
Demolition of that facility has been ordered by engineers for health and safety reasons and construction of the long overdue new grandstand will begin early next year.
For those who no longer subscribe to the daily fish and chips wrapper (and there are tens of thousands of them), here’s what was reported:
The demolition process of the existing grandstand, built in 1957, will begin in August and is expected to take four to six months. The good news is that the Brisbane Racing Club is confident there will be no disruption to their racing schedule during the reconstruction period.
LGHR CONFIDENT NEW GRANDSTAND WILL NOT BE MEMBERS’ ONLY USE
LGHR understands that the new facility will not be entirely for the use of Members and that a section will be available to the general public. That needs to be the case as $25mn has been allocated to the project by the Government (or by the taxpayers). Negotiations are continuing with the State to lock in the remaining $50mn needed for construction.
The Murdoch Media reports that with the 2023 Brisbane Olympic Games drawing significant competing demands on infrastructure funding across the city, the BRC is pressing its case as a significant economic contributor to the Sunshine State.
“I think it’s important to note, this isn’t a Taj Mahal, it won’t be like Randwick or Flemington in terms of scale and size, but nor does it need to be,” BRC CEO Karl deKroo said (which makes plenty of sense).
“The main thing we want to be able to deliver is a facility that gives racegoers a great race-day experience each and every Saturday.”
The BRC has already fielded inquiries from nations seeking a base of operations during the 2032 Games, with Eagle Farm being flagged as a potential hospitality hub to entertain sponsors.
Eagle Farm will operate under a significantly different model when it hosts its next Saturday meeting on July 25.
Both the John Power Stand and the adjoining heritage stand, which will also undergo upgrades, will be closed to the public.
The BRC has spent months planning the transition, with deKroo stressing that continuity of racing remained the club’s top priority throughout the construction period.
A Members’ Information Night will be held at Eagle Farm on July 14 to address questions and concerns about the changes ahead.
Hopefully the situation concerning public access to the new grandstand will be made clearer when that is held as the proposed four-level grandstand will feature bars, a restaurant with tiered seating and five private suites that can be reconfigured into a large function room. That is much more than what is needed by those members who loyally attend regular meetings.
