Cranbourne Turf Club chairman Robin Daley, Country Racing Victoria (CRV) chief executive Scott Whiteman, president of the Australian Trainers Association Colin Alderson and CRV chairman Michael Caveny at a strategy meeting with local council representatives.
By Sarah Schwager
CRANBOURNE Turf Club chief executive Neil Bainbridge has stressed the importance of racing’s economic benefits to the local community.
Mr Bainbridge said that as a non-profit organisation, the money made through the racing club remained in Cranbourne, with an annual $86.2 million economic return to the community.
As part of a strategy meeting held by Country Racing Victoria (CRV) in Cranbourne on Tuesday, senior racing officials from Pakenham, Mornington, Cranbourne and Yarra Glen met with local council representatives to help forge a closer partnership with their local governments.
Mr Bainbridge said that Cranbourne racing together with Fountain Gate Shopping Centre and the City of Casey itself were probably the biggest businesses in Casey.
“If a business went to the City of Casey and said it would generate $86 million locally, council would say ‘what can we do to make sure they come to Casey?’” Mr Bainbridge said.
“We think council does an outstanding job and all we’re asking is that they continue to support us and perhaps increase that support.
“Despite common public perception, we don’t have a lot of money.”
Mr Bainbridge said if racing continued to have the economic impact it was having at the moment, combined with another two or three events it could only benefit the community even more.
He said the racing club not only brought more people to Cranbourne, helping local business, it also employed an enormous amount of casual staff during its feature events, such as the Cranbourne Cup and the Tri-Codes race day.
CRV chief executive Scott Whiteman said the meeting gave the racing clubs a chance to highlight the importance of racing in the local economy, and how viable the industry was and how important it was to the community.
“We now want to see how we can grow the industry even more and look to the councils for support,” Mr Whiteman said.
