By Brendan Rees
A new hotel will be built at the Cranbourne Racecourse – creating hundreds of jobs and boosting local tourism.
The Andrews Government is calling for expressions of interest from the development sector on the size, type and location of the complex on the popular racecourse site.
The development is expected to create up to 450 local jobs during construction and 230 ongoing jobs once operational.
Located at the gateway of the South Gippsland and Mornington Peninsula tourism regions, the development will leverage Cranbourne Racecourse’s status as a major event hub and the City of Casey’s fast-growing population.
It’s part of a suite of proposed developments outlined in the precinct masterplan including an expanded horse training facility, a major veterinary hospital, a cinema complex and a 1,000-seat function and conference centre.
The project has an approved planning scheme amendment permitting non-racing activities at the Cranbourne Race Complex and is endorsed by the City of Casey in its masterplan for the precinct.
Cranbourne Turf Club chief executive Neil Bainbridge said the project was exciting and would be a “great boost for the area.”
“At this stage we’re very confident the expressions of interest will bear some very good fruit.
“Importantly, this will be potentially a significant asset and drawcard for the wider Casey community,” he said.
“It will be significant for Cranbourne – it will create enormous economic activity and be a wonderful employer of jobs throughout the region.”
Mr Bainbridge added: “It will be quite exciting to see what level of interest has sparked from developers.”
The development will also call for better connections between the racecourse and the Cranbourne town centre as well as local attractions such as the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Expressions of interest open today with submissions closing on 24 September 2018.
Mr Perera said the proposed hotel would mean” serious business for our region” – creating hundreds of new jobs, boosting businesses and attracting more visitors.
“The Racecourse already hosts more than 200 events drawing 430,000 visitors every year. This is a fantastic opportunity to help grow those numbers and strengthen our community.”
For more information visit tenders.vic.gov.au.
