By Jordan Gerrans
Those that call the shots at the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club refer to it as the decision that shifted the fortunes of the sport.
As the dog industry in South East Queensland prepares to celebrate 50 years of racing in Brisbane this week, club officials have reflected on a key move that has set up the code to flourish into the future.
To celebrate 50 years of greyhound racing, the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club will showcase an anniversary event on Thursday evening.
The gala night will celebrate the legacy of greyhound racing in Queensland, which commenced at The Gabba Greyhound Racing Club in 1972 to 1993, before crossing to the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club from 1993 until today.
While the move from the Gabba to Albion Park is a well-publicised, it was another piece of land in the Woolloongabba area that might be just as important.
Long after the greyhounds had stopped running around at the Gabba, the club still owned a piece of land near the ground, which at one stage was costing the club money to hold on to.
Eventually, through consultation with the club’s members and committee, the difficult call was made to sell off the land in 2013.
BGRC Chairman Les Bein believes it was a turning point to establish a sustainable future for the entire industry in the Sunshine State.
“The club has been going ahead in leaps and bounds since then,” Bein said.
“We put in a strategy of investing very, very wisely with a broker – with low risk – and it has really powered us along.
“Our bank balance has really improved over the years, everything has worked for us.”
Following that bold call, the BGRC now run their own bar and restaurant at Albion Park – Pacers and Chasers – as well as managing and preparing their own track.
When current BGRC CEO Luke Gatehouse started at the club, they did not manage those aspects of their own club and he feels it has been a game-changer.
“We have really secured our future at the club over the last ten years, in terms of our finances, which is a great credit to the founders of the Gabba club, who purchased the land that we were able to sell in 2013,” Gatehouse said.
“We have been able to invest that money to ensure we are financially sound organisation, with no debt, which puts us in an excellent position every year.
“These are really big advancements for the club being able to prepare and provide maintenance to our track at Albion Park.”
Chairman Bein has been on the board for the last nine years after decades in the industry as an owner, sponsor and punter.