GREYHOUND racing bosses remain adamant that both a greyhound and go-kart track can fit at the one site in Bathurst.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Greyhound Racing NSW CEO Rob Macaulay told the Western Advocate last week that the site of the old drive-in cinema at Mount Panorama had been floated by Bathurst Regional Council as a potential host for a centre of excellence.
But council has prepared a development application (DA) for the go-kart track at the same site, with Bathurst mayor Jess Jennings saying that vacant land at Mount Panorama will not be big enough for two sporting facilities.
However, Bathurst MP Paul Toole and Macaulay are adamant that is not the case.
"When you see the amount of land out here, there's plenty of land for both of them," Toole said.
"Let's get serious, let's start looking at what the designs might be and how it can proceed.
"This is too good of an industry to lose to this area."
Macaulay, who toured the proposed site alongside Toole and NSW Greyhound Breeders Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) interim boss Daniel Wiezman, described the site as "fantastic" and said it was a "fair block of land".
He believes greyhound racing and go-karts can coexist in the same area.
"We coexist in lots of places around NSW with all sorts of other sports," he said.
"At our track at Nowra we have a speedway right beside us."
Macaulay said Greyhound Racing NSW is keen to come to a decision as to whether Orange or Bathurst will house the new centre of excellence.
"We want a council that is fiercely supportive of the development of a centre of excellence in their town," he said.
"It's been nearly a year since Kennerson Park was wiped out by floods.
"The process has taken some time. We're very, very keen to move it to a conclusion as quickly as we can.
"We've looked at a few other sites in Bathurst, which are still on the drawing board. We're also looking at a site at Orange.
"We're just pleased Bathurst Regional Council has nominated this site up on Mount Panorama.
The centre of excellence, whether built it Bathurst or Orange, would be funded by the industry through a combination of GBOTA capital, the Greyhound Capital Grants Fund and the Greyhound Industry Future Fund.
Macaulay said there is enough funding available already, that work could hypothetically start tomorrow.
Neither Bathurst or Orange councils have given a deadline for when a centre of excellence would have to be built.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.
