The Rockhampton Jockey Club will be commencing an exciting $2M redevelopment of the Members’ Grandstand at Callaghan Park Racecourse in late November 2011.

The Rockhampton Jockey Club in August 2010 entered into a joint partnership with Racing Queensland Limited which has seen RQL take over the management and responsibility of the racing and training facilities at Callaghan Park, with the RJC responsible for a number of key revenue areas including admission, membership, sponsorship and catering both raceday and non-raceday.

The new partnership has been a great success for both parties and the RJC, despite losing 11 race meetings earlier in the year due to the floods, recorded a profit in 2010/2011 of $364,456 - the highest operating profit in the Club’s history.
The Club as part of the joint partnership received an immediate capital injection of approx $2M. The RJC Committee has for the past 12 months worked closely with Tony Madden Architects to develop a plan to redevelop the upper level of the Members’ Grandstand which is used for all 47 thoroughbred race meetings conducted at Callaghan Park and by both the Public and Members for 37 mid week race meetings.

The Club’s main aim of the redevelopment was to maximise the available space for race patrons. In addition the Club will build a lift to provide disabled access to the upper level of the Members’ Grandstand. The Club is delighted with the proposed plan which will see the Club’s Administration Office and the RQL Stewards Office relocated to the lower level. 

-2-

8 local builders were invited to tender and Bell Thomasson Builders were successful in securing the project. Work will commence in late November 2011 and the project is expected to take 16-20 weeks with the aim to resume use of the Members’ Grandstand for St Patrick’s Day Races on Saturday, March 17, 2012.

The Club is confident that the new redeveloped Members’ Grandstand will be popular for non race day functions with the new area capable of seating 150 guests comfortably.

During the redevelopment the Public Grandstand will be available to both the Members and Public. The Club is keen to complete the redevelopment on time and on budget with minimum discomfort for racegoers.

The $2M Members’ Grandstand redevelopment come on top of the new $6.5M grass track which opened in January 2010 and improvements to the greyhound facilities.

The Rockhampton Jockey Club is certainly living up to its tag line of ‘racing into the future.

END
For further information please call Denis Cox, Chief Executive, Rockhampton Jockey Club on 0407-332-156.