Coast demands action
FRUSTRATED Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Steve Lines says any incoming Racing Queensland chief must prioritise the approval of major upgrade plans that have been ignored for more than a year.
The resignation of Eliot Forbes as Racing Queensland chief executive this week in the wake of botched Eagle Farm track redevelopment has left Gold Coast officials in the dark on whether they will receive state funding for lighting, a tunnel and track upgrades.
Racing Queensland filed a development application to Gold Coast City Council for the installation of lights in January but is yet to sign off on all the work with the turf club.
Lines said the state body’s failings extended beyond Eagle Farm, with Gold Coast anxiously waiting on an answer on development plans.
“The Gold Coast Turf Club has been stifled with the lack of action from Racing Queensland with regards to their submission for racing infrastructure,” Lines said.
“Bar an application for lights, we are yet to receive a response from RQ with the exception of a couple of meagre meetings challenging us on track sizes and other things.
“Nothing is happening and at the end of the day we need movement.”
The turf club wants to install a synthetic training track and upgrade its B-grass track and main track.
The installation of lights would allow the club to host night races and shift the showpiece Magic Millions race day to the evening.
Lines said his club was happy to have the developments spread out over multiple years but was adamant all the work needed to be signed off on to secure the funding.
“What we do want is the commitment to the funding to make it happen,” Lines said.
Racing Queensland has started a national recruitment process to find a replacement for Forbes.
General manager of racing Simon Stout will be the interim chief executive.