Ipswich Club to remain in area.

The Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club (IGRC) will not be relocated to a multi-million dollar track complex being considered in Logan City.

However, the club based at the Ipswich Showgrounds could move to another site within the Ipswich area.

Greyhounds Queensland (GQ) board member and former IGRC president Chris Williams yesterday angrily countered recent rumours about the Ipswich clubs longer-term base.

We will assure the future of greyhound racing in Ipswich and its definitely not going to Logan, Williams said.

We will not shift a greyhound track out of Ipswich, its just too good an area. Greyhound racing is too strong up here.

If we have to shift from the Showgrounds, we are looking for an alternative site in Ipswich.

Williams said GQ wanted to avoid a repeat of what happened when the Parklands track at the Gold Coast was closed to build a new hospital.

With the Ipswich Showgrounds also a potential future hospital site, Williams said it was important to consider future options for Ipswich.

However, he ruled out Logan, where the State Government has offered a significant piece of land and $10 million for a possible new greyhound facility.

That is ridiculous. Its just not going to happen, Williams said, confirming he had discussions with key people from Ipswich City Council, the State and Federal governments and the club.

Ive explained to everybody that there is a possibility at some stage in the future the Health Department is going to want the Showgrounds for a new hospital or whatever.

When they closed the Coast (track), we didnt have any chance to do anything and all we could do was transfer the Gold Coast meetings to Albion Park and Ipswich.

Ive laid our cards on the table and the fact that we dont want to be stuck in a same situation.

Williams said GQ was currently checking the suitability of the Logan land.

Everything is looking very good as far as the potential to build there is concerned, he said.

Williams said Wulkuraka and Ripley were possible future locations for a new Ipswich greyhound complex.

We are in the process of looking for some land in this general area, the Flinders View administrator said.

Nothing has been done officially. We are just trying to protect our future.

Williams has been on the GQ board for six years.

He was previously involved with Ipswich greyhound racing, being a passionate long-standing president and general manager since 1986.

The Ipswich committee at the moment are doing a very good job. Theyre doing everything that is expected of them, Williams said.

We (GQ) dont have any problems with Ipswich.

21 Dec, 2009.
The Bligh Government is considering a major capital injection for the racing industry, Minister responsible for Racing Peter Lawlor said.
Senior government officials met with the Chairs of the three racing control bodies, Greyhounds Queensland Ltd, Qld Racing Ltd and Qld Harness Racing Ltd to look at ways to strengthen and unite the industry through an integrated control body.
"A number of racecourses are in urgent need of capital expenditure if the industry is going to remain competitive and grow in Queensland," Lawlor said.
"The racing industry is worth more than $2 billion in Queensland, which helps support local economies, tourism and jobs.
"We want to help revitalise the industry's ageing capital stock and provide a much needed confidence boost for the racing industry as a whole.
"The industry is committed to ensuring it is efficiently and effectively conducting its business and the Chairs of the three control bodies have agreed to work together for a united industry."
GQL chair Kerry Watson said she would work with the government and the other codes to ensure a positive outcome for the greyhound industry and the Queensland racing industry as a whole.
Chair of Qld Racing Bob Bentley said the foresight of the Bligh Government in facilitating and bringing forward a commitment to deliver an integrated Control Body is a great initiative.
"It will bring enormous benefits to all racing codes in Queensland, especially the Harness and Greyhound codes.
"This initiative will deliver superior infrastructure and will lead to increases in prizemoney and growth across all codes.
Chair of Qld Harness Racing Bob Lette said he welcomed the fact the Government has acknowledged the importance of the racing industry to the Queensland economy.
"This proposal will lead to major benefits for all three racing codes," he said.
"The details still need to be worked through but I am sure there will be significant good will by all three codes to make it work which will form common ground for the benefit of the Queensland racing industry.
"The racing industry (particularly Harness) requires significant capital investment in infrastructure and this is a very positive approach from Government to achieve this end."
The three control bodies will meet with the Treasurer and Minister Lawlor at the start of January to present a combined governance proposal for the future.

Not trying to be negative, but there must be an election coming soon.
I've been around a few years now so I'll believe it when I see some signatures on the dotted line.
They could have raised this topic last year when it was more beneficial so lets just wait a see.............STEVO

With the shrinking number of tracks in Qld, the similarities are obvious

Victorian "talking heads" just came back from a junket over there but have apparently taken the "holiday" and ruled out any changes on return.

Dan im not about to defend this or any other GOVT of the day, but we seem to be overlooking a few factors we surely cant be blaming them for

CLOSURE OF BEENLEIGH- Not to sure the reasoning behind this, as i was initialy told it was because they needed to widen the roundabout and the project was iminate. 4-5 yrs down the track and nothing has been done at that site, and all bar some dressing up we could have still been racing there.

CLOSURE OF GOLD COAST- This didnt just happen over night, there lease wasnt renewed which the writing was on the wall they had to look elsewhere. We were given fair warning b4 they actually gave us a date that it was going. 2yrs down the track and we are still no closer to finding an alternative for one turn racing in STH EAST QLD. Something could have started 4yrs ago but like most things its left until the fire hits.

10 MILLION FUNDING- This was probably not the compensation the industry was looking for to build an empire but was ample to create a stand alone track for immediate one turn racing. To date this money is still sitting there waiting to be utilised and we still dont no where it will be used

RELOCATING FROM ALBION- We are still no closer to striking a fair deal with the trots in regards to selling our half of ALBION and creating wat could have been the 2nd stand alone track in STH EAST QLD. We have supposedely been fighting to get out of ALBION, we do not have reserve funds, but borrowed $2mill to help demolish a grand stand on a premises we dont want to reside in.

LOGAN TRACK- Without any consultation with product holders it was decided LOGAN was going to be best possible location for future one turn racing. Now even though it is imperiative we get a one turn track up and runing, it was decided that a site that was going to take a long term solution as the best appropriate solution. We have used pretty much all our cash reserve in getting this site approved to this stage, from wat ive been told no one even checked with state govt wat the site had been zoned for. My understanding it is zoned PARKS AND GARDENS and not SPORT AND RECREATION, which we now have to hope it can be reallocated for us to be able to progress.

CLOSURE OF MACKAY- This is the start of a program to faize out certain country tracks, which i cant see helping future growth in the industry in QLD, but it will go along way to making sure we can repay the debts we are incurring by pushing on with LOGAN.

INTRODUCTION OF THE FOL- The FOL was introduced at ALBION on wat should have been a trial basis and has since been dictated into a permanent fixture. Ipswich had a vote amongst members, where all members were sent a ballot form and voted unamiously against its introduction and were forced to introduce it. It has never been voted on, and has never been proven to be any benefit to the welfare of our racing animals.

REMOVAL OF SPRINTERS FROM ALBION- with the new restructure of grading p/money we have left the sprinters out in cold once again. GOLD COAST closed so all sprinters had to come to corner racing. We now have canned all CLASS2 racing for sprinters at ALBION and have once again belittled sprint dogs in this state. Instead of abolishing CLASS3 tracks and offering one class across the board we have resorted to making dogs like PINK CHARACTER, BLACK FRAMED, ROYAL SURFER etc etc to race for $680 if they wish to race at ALBION.

STATE OF THE TRACK AT ALBION- Our main track in QLD is not maintained by greyhound personnel and has been under prepared for sometime now. This problem has been addressed by many of the leading trainers in this state and has all been resorted to paper trails goinging nowhere. When we cant even CONTROL or our own maintenance of our premier track then we have bigger problems than whose going to be voted into power next time around.

The worst part i find is it makes so much sense to get input from the people that keep this sport alive in this state, but i for one feel we are frowned upon for wanting to see things go forward in this state.

Mal how the hell do you think i can get voted on to the board, its not a case of bandying support from product holders and them elect me into office. The process has changed and there is very little chance of anyone with differing views ever being appointed onto the board. The problem is MAL you see these comments of mine as negative, but the current board actually see them them as positives or else they would have gone down a completely differant path. Im not having a 'pick on the board day', all im saying is if these points are negative as people say then we cant go blaming the current GOVT for them.
MAL besides the FOL and the situation with the ALBION track i dont have any serious grief with the board at all.
The actual location of LOGAN imo is great, and i for opne hope that it doesnt become a pie in the sky. But i think we were better of looking at another site for utilising the $10 mill so as to get a track up and runing quicker. They could have then gradually worked towards LOGAN at the same time as negotiating a deal with the HARNESS BOARD to exit ALBION. We need to make sure we have an out and if for some reason ALBION closed for an interim period we would then rely on one track to accomadate our product.
The board surely know wat there striving for and the reasons behind it, but the only problem is it is dividing participants when they cant see the same LIGHT.

Mal that all sounds good in theory but the Logan land (10 hectares) is to be gifted, if we had to purchase land elsewhere could we still build a track?

And I think it is common knowledge that GQL have been negotiating with the trots for the sale of Albion Park since before the closure of the Gold Coast, the trots just aren't interested in selling and as we are co-owners both have to agree, they can't be forced to sell under current conditions. Maybe the Government have a plan in this regard because they know the non-sale of Albion Park has been stopping the greyhounds from going ahead.

If the three codes merge so will their assets and that will include Albion Park which will then be under the control of a new combined Board. I have a feeling they will want to sell AP and share the proceeds between the three codes.

Kerry Watson was interview by Steve Hawkins on 4TAB this morning, it ws quite a lengthy interview and it did appear that she told all she knew about what is going on. I don't know if a transcript is available from TAB but it's well worth listening too.

Check out the recent 'rejects list' for Maidens & 5th Grades at Ippy ... not pretty reading, especially if you're the one digging deep into 'the wad' to keep 'em all fed in the meantime!

isn't 11% out of 80 million more like 8.8 million???

Cheers

either way, its awesome news for QLD greyhounds and racing overall....from listening to Racing Retro, it sounds like Greyhound is in strong with the thoroughbreds and the harness is on the outer.....apparently they want more respresentation for their 9% of turnover and sounds overall a bit of sour grapes where by greyhounds r now thought of better, in way of turn-over and business approach.....

well done again QLD......