Harness racing eyes a return to Moonee Valley
Could this be our last hope?!
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/raci...28-p5klse.html
You probably need to be an Age subscriber but this is the majority of it:
Racing Minister Anthony Carbines said: “The government will support anything that continues to grow harness racing and secure its long-term future.”
He said there had been some “informal conversations”, but it was “really a matter for HRV and Mooney Valley committees to determine what proposals they want to bring to government, and any announcements they want to make”.
“There’s obviously a lot of discussion about what they [Moonee Valley] may choose to do on the infield,” Carbines said.
“We’re always open to proposals from the Valley. They’re doing a great job, and we have a lot of discussions, but there’s no formal proposals to us at this point.”
Moonee Valley is still tinkering with final designs for its new grandstand, which would form part of a total project cost between $200 million and $250 million. One of the discussions revolves around whether to incorporate a hotel.
Carbines said the government had not been asked for any financial support for the Moonee Valley redevelopment, which will feature 2000 new dwellings around the racetrack by 2037.
“We’ve had many conversations, though, on the progress of the development and particularly any work that we could do,” he said.
“I’m always open to discussions, but that redevelopment is going from strength to strength. They’re doing very well.”
Moonee Valley Racing Club is self-funding its renovations and has an ongoing residential development agreement with Hamton/Hostplus and ISPT.
The sport of harness racing in Victoria has been in financial freefall for several years.
Sources said any potential move back to Moonee Valley would need to be bankrolled by a sale of the Melton land - an outcome that would clear the site for housing.
A commercial developer has already made a $90 million offer for a third of the 93-hectare Melton land.
“Anything at Melton is really a matter for the Department of Transport and Planning to make determinations about whatever happens to the land,” Carbines said.
“But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. Nothing may come to pass.”
