Did Bathurst fight hard enough for greyhounds development? Mayor, state MP at odds

"Bathurst Council made excuses and Orange Council made it happen," Mr Toole has told the Advocate.

He was speaking after the news that the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) had entered into a contract with Orange City Council to buy that city's old Highlands Paceway.

It has been earmarked for a $15 million greyhound racing track and centre of excellence that has been up for grabs since Bathurst's Kennerson Park track was damaged beyond repair in November 2022 flooding.

And though the news about the contract would seem to have settled the matter on whether Bathurst or Orange will get the $15 million development, Greyhound Racing NSW declined to say so when contacted by the Advocate last week.

A Greyhound Racing NSW spokesperson said the organisation "appreciates that there is a significant public interest in further investment in the Central West", but said an updated track strategy is yet to be finalised.

Bathurst's mayor and state member have regularly been at odds as Bathurst and Orange have spent more than a year fighting to secure the proposed greyhound racing centre of excellence.

Mr Toole has, on a number of occasions, publicly urged Bathurst Regional Council to lobby harder for the development, while council has consistently said that it has been doing all it can to secure the project.

Cr Jennings told the Western Advocate in recent days that council had "removed all the roadblocks that were perceived in terms of investing in Bathurst in terms of multiple different sites, some on private land, some on council land".

"And we've met all the expectations that Greyhound Racing NSW had and the ball was in their court to come back and do their due diligence on the various options and they haven't," he said.

"It's ultimately their decision and what they decide is up to them."

Cr Jennings also said the Highlands Paceway site at Orange "is known to be somewhat of a stranded asset for the council".

The Highlands Paceway is a now-abandoned trotting track off Bathurst Road at Orange, while Bathurst Regional Council had suggested the site of the old drive-in cinema at Mount Panorama as a possible local location for the $15 million development.

"The main point is we met all their [Greyhound Racing NSW] expectations and the key criteria that they had and they never followed up to investigate Bathurst as a viable destination," Cr Jennings said.

THE Advocate contacted Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) to ask whether the organisation believed that it had properly investigated Bathurst as a destination and whether or not the latest developments at Orange meant the race for the proposed development was now over.

"GRNSW is in the throes of statewide consultation on various subjects, including a NSW track optimisation strategy," a Greyhound Racing NSW spokesperson said.

"When that is completed, and GRNSW have taken into account and considered all stakeholder views, an updated track strategy will be released.

"We have five stakeholder consultations still to go in this round.

"GRNSW appreciates that there is a significant public interest in further investment in the Central West, and will be responding to those expressions of interest through the current stakeholder consultation."

MP Mr Toole, meanwhile, pulled few punches when the Advocate asked him about the contract being signed to buy the old Highlands Paceway at Orange.

"We're talking about 20 jobs and a $20 million injection into the economy each and every year that has now gone down the road," he said.

"When you're talking about businesses of this magnitude, you cannot sit on your hands and expect them to come to you.

"You have to go to them to continually show that you are interested in wanting to attract the business in your backyard.

"We've missed out here on an important opportunity to have a centre of excellence in Bathurst."

A sticking point during the centre of excellence negotiations had been whether there was room for a greyhound racing development to be located next to a proposed go-kart track at Mount Panorama.

Mr Toole noted that the old Highlands Paceway at Orange is next door to that city's existing go-kart track.

"It seems okay for Orange to have a go-kart track and greyhounds next to one another, but Bathurst seemed to feel as though it wasn't able to happen," he said.

"It's now going to be a market space, there's going to be fairs and the go-karts are there and we're going to miss out on all that opportunity that was sitting right there in front of us."

IN a Facebook post in February, Orange Kart Club said having the "neglected grounds" next to the club redeveloped into the centre of excellence would "improve the appearance, usability and security of this entire area".

"We believe this almost certainly guarantees our existence for decades to come, building on our 60 year history at this site," the club said.

"We are looking forward to a great relationship with the greyhound community to ensure this whole facility meets everyone's needs."