Bathurst and Orange vying for proposed Centre of Excellence greyhound facility

Following the closure of Bathurst's greyhound track - Kennerson Park - the decision has been made to build a multi-million-dollar facility in the Central West, however both Orange and Bathurst Regional Councils have put their hands up to host the venue.

Not only is the Central West Centre of Excellence expected to generate greater job opportunities right through from construction to running the complex, but the extra economical benefits are huge and worth fighting for, according to Bathurst mayor Robert Taylor.

Bathurst Regional Council representatives met with members of NSW Greyhound Breeders Owners and Trainer's Association (GBOTA) on Thursday, January 19, to put forward why the city would be the best location for the centre.

"We've just concluded a meeting with NSW Greyhounds and it was constructive conversation and the conversations are still occurring at this stage," Cr Taylor said.

"We'd like to retain it as we had Kennerson Park. Kennerson park is one of the few tracks that NSW Greyhounds actually owns, so it would be nice to think that they'd select Bathurst to continue that association with greyhounds.

"We're hoping there's a successful outcome, we don't want to lose it but it's up to Greyhounds NSW, not us."

READ MORE: 'We've got to have another track': Buttsworth disappointed Kennerson Park won't reopen

GBOTA chief executive officer Allen Hilzinger said both Orange and Bathurst locations have been ticking the boxes, and ultimately it will be a decision made collectively with Greyhounds NSW, based on a number of different factors.

Government funding, the location of other tracks and construction timeframes in the respective cities are all going to contribute to the final outcome, with decisions expected to be made in the next two months.

Mr Hilzinger said one factor that will play a significant role in the outcome is the future of Lithgow's track.

"So little things like that could make a difference," he said.

"If Lithgow ends up becoming a TAB track and gets an upgrade and all the rest of it, Bathurst is only 45 minutes from Lithgow. So then you might want to be in Orange because there's a bit more of a gap between each track.

"It's not the be all and end all, but it's a key factor."

Up until now, Bathurst has been one of the only cities outside of the metropolitan region that's home to all three racing codes - thoroughbreds, harness racing and greyhounds.

READ MORE: The fate of Kennerson Park staff members unknown following closure announcement

While the decision is out of council's hands, there's no questioning that the loss of an industry would have a huge impact on the local economy.

Mr Hilzinger said the Centre of Excellence will not only inject a greater number of jobs into the community, but would also help the local businesses.

"Let's say we build this new centre in Bathurst, then as people decide they want to become greyhound trainers or they want to expand their greyhound training business, then what do they do, they want to be closer to the tracks," he said.

"So then they're purchasing land out here and the vast level of that is unbelievable ... because now they're buying their meat here, now they're buying their petrol here, now they're shopping here, now they're living in this economy.

"That's the reason that the councils want to keep us here, is that economical impact. It's huge for the region, not just the dollars that we spend initially, but the far-reaching five-figure impact is huge."

Mr Hilzinger said from a GBOTA perspective, the support and cooperation from both councils has been brilliant.

However, only one town will be afforded the opportunity of being the future hub of greyhound racing in the region.

"It's not like it's a two-year deal, we're coming in with a legacy view, we're here for good. This is the Central West hub and it's a really important decision to get right."

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