Greyhound Racing NSW to reduce number of racetracks

Deloitte Australia recommended cutting the number of racetracks in New South Wales.

Australia.- Greyhound Racing NSW intends to close 11 of its 26 tracks in the state of New South Wales by June 30, 2026. The move follows a report by Deloitte Australia, which recommended reducing the number of racetracks to 15, with a potential further reduction to 12.

In May this year, GRNSW consulted with stakeholders at the Industry Future Summit, where it was agreed that optimisation was critical to the industry’s future and sustainability. Deloitte was commissioned to review tracks and clubs, and its report recommended a three-stage plan to reach an optimal footprint based on supporting the current number of race meetings and ensuring that each region has at least one track to support the demand.

GRNSW chief executive officer Steve Griffin said: “Greyhound Racing NSW has been in contact with all of the clubs which will be impacted by the optimisation recommendations. We have spoken at length about the process and why their respective clubs sit where they are in the optimisation recommendations.”

The first tranche of implementation will see Non-TAB tracks at Coonamble, Kempsey, Moree, Potts Park, Tamworth, Wauchope, and Young close by the end of 2025. There is an opportunity for each to become a trial track if desired by the club.  Many of these clubs have either already closed, merged or transitioned to trial tracks. Lithgow, which has been a Non-TAB club, will be upgraded in 2026 to become part of the 15 remaining tracks.

The second tranche, to be completed by June 30, 2026, will see three TAB clubs close – Broken Hill, Maitland and Wagga Wagga. With the recent end of racing at Dapto, this will bring the number of TAB tracks to 15.

Deloitte’s report suggested a potential third tranche closing three further tracks. It recommended that GRNSW monitor the performance of all tracks in the network and the demand for racing, to ensure the number of tracks supports the financial viability and sustainability of the industry.

“As everyone can see from the Deloitte report, which we have made public on our website, it is a comprehensive body of work, and it had to be if we are to embark on such a monumental change to our industry,” Griffin said. “We thank Deloitte for their efforts and work. While this was never going to be an easy task, they ensured that as an industry we can make accurate and measured evidence-based decisions, for the future betterment of the industry in NSW.”

GRNSW is awaiting a response from the government in relation to its request for an extension to the lease at Wentworth Park.

“It’s never easy having to make decisions such as this. However, for the future of the industry, everyone unanimously agreed at our Industry Future Summit that we have too many racetracks in NSW and we need optimisation, and the Deloitte report confirmed this,” Griffin said. 

He concluded that with optimisation, they will be able to lower costs and maximise returns and profits to participants and clubs. “Optimisation will allow clubs to be autonomous and financially independent, as well as allowing clubs to realise the non-racing potential of their capital assets,” he said. 

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See also: Greyhound racing industry contributed US$1.62bn to the Australian economy in 2023, study finds

Deloitte Australia recommended cutting the number of racetracks in New South Wales. Australia.- Greyhound Racing NSW intends to close 11 of its 26 tracks in the state of New South…