A 240 space car park, motel and further plans discussed

Plans for the development of the club were outlined at the October 28 annual general meeting. 

The club showed a profit of $608,663 for the last financial year, with the board donating $358,362 back into the community. Poker machine clearances were $8,559,775 and poker machine tax paid was $1,612,077. 

Club president Tony Dawson said the club had a strong cash flow, but was looking at options beyond poker machine revenue to finance the facility’s future development.

“We need a diverse income from other investments because we can’t rely on poker machines for the rest of our lives,” Mr Dawson said. 

“At the end of the day the club is here for the community and its members first. We need to maintain our charter - it is a sport and recreation club. We need to make sure we are living to the mission, but we also have to grow. That is evident in where we are today, looking at the revenue streams and profits, it is quite a solid result.” 

He said most of the interest from members at the meeting was about the club’s development. He outlined the various planning stages until 2027. 

“Stage one is the refurbishment of the front bar, which is underway now,” Mr Dawson said. 

“In March we will kick off stage two, which will be adding more outdoor gaming and recreation for members. This will develop in the direction of the shop towards Westpac Bank. We own that so so we can branch out. There will also be development in the section encroaching into the back of the car park.”

Stage three adds a 240-space car park at the rear of the club. This DA is currently before the council. 

“With the current car parking spots, we are a bit restricted as to how big we can grow,” Mr Dawson said.

“The members asked me where the car park was up to and I said I could not answer that because at this stage I have not heard from the council about it.

“We are hoping to get that one across the line because that will unlock the side completely for us to move into the future with the addition of a motel down the track.”

Mr Dawson said if the car park was approved, the club would proceed to plans for an on-site motel. 

“This will be somewhere between the 55 to 60-room mark, but where it is going to be located will depend on our restrictions,” he said. 

“We have two options with the motel. We can go on top of the auditorium in McKell St or we can stand it up in the middle where the deck and the children’s area is located. I’d say that would be a better option, but we have not finalised those options."

Mr Dawson said developments beyond this were not known. 

“Regarding what is the future of the Workers Arena, I don’t know. I would not like to make a commitment as to what is going up there at this stage,” he said. 

“Jump Inn is going great. That was a good investment. Regarding the hockey fields, we have not got anything in concrete. 

“You have heard the hockey is moving on. That was their choice. They approached the council to get their water-based fields, but if they unlock that land the club would be foolish not to put something in there that would give us a diverse income because we can’t rely on poker machines for the rest of our lives.

“What that will be, I cannot say. Those discussions will happen once hockey has vacated. Under  our business and strategic plan we hope to have that completed about the end of 2022.” The Club recently granted Goulburn Hockey a five-year extension on the field’s use.

Mr Dawson said the club also owned a shop on the northern side of the building and expansion could be possible there as well, especially as the club wanted to create more dining options for patrons.

“We are seeking to create extra food and dining options in the club apart from just the bistro,” he said.

Mr Dawson said the club had budgeted to move on their development plans as well as continue its support to community groups.  “We have worked out we can maintain both,” he said. 

The club has 14,000 members, employs 100 staff and contributes $4.4m into the local economy in employee costs. They also paid $1.6m to local suppliers for works and goods. 

“In doing all this, we will still maintain our commitment to the community – that is to the sporting bodies and the community at large through Can Assist and the many other groups that we support,” he said. 

Four resolutions were passed at the meeting, including: (1) that directors receive a club uniform, costs to cover attendances at conferences and relevant training courses and the reasonable cost of any meal and beverages before or after Board or committee meetings (2) that the president’s honorarium is $194 a week (3) that the director’s honorariums are be $80 a week and (4) that members approve expenditure by the club not exceeding $30,000 until the next AGM for the purpose of directors holding strategic board meetings, building Committee meetings and workshops to discuss the long-term planning.