Review of the Registered Clubs Industry in NSW - Clubs NSW

12 Making it easier for new clubs to be established
Councils also purchase land for community facilities. It is open to clubs and councils
to work together to develop community facilities. One party could provide the land
and the other the facilities and services. ClubsNSW presented the example of
Blacktown Workers Club in a submission (see Box 12.1).
Box 12.1 Blacktown Workers Sports Club
Blacktown Workers Sports Club is located on approximately 50 hectares of land in Blacktown.
The cost of constructing the premises was $8 million and took, from concept to completion,
18 months. Club facilities include:
100 gaming machines and TAB
members’ courtesy bus
bar facility, members’ bottle shop and buffet
outdoor barbecue and entertainment area
lounge
administration.
The sporting complex features two soccer fields, two rugby league fields/cricket ovals, two
bowling greens, five all weather tennis courts and a baseball diamond. Other facilities include
on-site storm water treatment, on-grade and multi-level car park, and a Travelodge motel.
Blacktown Council assisted this development by rezoning the site to make the multiple uses
permissible.
Source: ClubsNSW submission, 31 July 2007, pp 125-127.
Recommendation
63 That councils, in purchasing land for community facilities, make allowance for the
establishment of a registered club. Important aspects of this recommendation are that:
– The land is not provided on a first come first served basis. When an organisation
approaches a local council to establish a registered club on that particular piece of
land, this should trigger a tender process where all local groups and clubs are
invited to bid for the rights to establish a registered club on that land.
– The winning tender for that piece of land would need to be determined on a merits
basis, including financial viability, how well services and facilities meet demands of
the community, and any potential negative impacts that may result.
– The parcel of land should contain a sunset date whereby if after, say, 15 years, no
group has applied for the rights to develop a registered club on that piece of land,
then council should be able to develop it for other purposes.
204 IPART Review of the Registered Clubs Industry in NSW