Biggest ‘transformational’ year for Alexandra Park ever, says chairman
The business and property model that served Alexandra Park for 125 years has been completely turned on its head in
recent months, in what have been described as the biggest changes to the home of Auckland harness racing since racing
began there in 1890.
Chairman of the Auckland Trotting Club, Kerry Hoggard, says after years of Alexandra Park holding its own, his board of
directors have opted to take some major transformational steps to secure the park’s long-term future as well as help
grow the sport.
“We’ve locked in three strategic pillars we are primarily focused on: Repositioning harness racing in the region,
growing Alexandra Park’s business and attracting new audiences, and lifting the value of the club’s existing property
portfolio,” says Hoggard.
Deriving more from its asset in hugely valuable Epsom has seen Alexandra Park this year become a property developer,
transforming part of its “dustbowl car park” into a high-end mixed use urban village dubbed “223 Green Lane West”.
The club is now negotiating leases for the development’s prime ground floor retail, hospitality and commercial space. At
the same time it’s selling beautifully-appointed apartments above on freehold unit titles, which are going well helped
by the double grammar zone location and plenty of registrations viawww.apliving.co.nz
Another coup for the board in maximising the park’s returns was confirmation earlier this year that a dedicated training
centre on the far side of the track near Campbell Crescent will be constructed for the Super 15 rugby franchise The
Blues. Construction has now begun with The Blues new base set to open by the end of this year. A practice field will
also be developed in the middle of the track.
“We’ve actually played the role of landlord for some time. Our tenants include Cirque du Soleil. Grand Park Chinese
restaurant, Sport Auckland, Lollipops day-care, an IT company in the old Epsom Stand, Caltex and Burger King on Manukau
Road. Then there’s the car-parking income we get which is not insignificant. What’s more the Alex Eatery is owned by the
club and the Park’s TAB has the biggest turnover of any in the country. So there’s already a lot happening within the
Park, but we still want to do better.”
While the club, prior to these developments, boasts a total annual revenue stream of $21m and a $60m asset base, it’s
determined to keep lifting those numbers and that includes ongoing improvements to the likes of its conference
facilities in addition to any new development projects.
Hoggard and his board also want to take a lead in rebuilding and repositioning harness racing in the northern region.
Last year Alexandra Park’s merger with the Franklin Trotting Club was completed with the number of horses now using the
Pukekohe training facilities up 40%.
“We’re taking quite a holistic approach. We want to reduce the costs for people in the sport and attract young trainers.
Ideally we’d probably like to establish a training centre out there and that includes doing a master-plan for the
Pukekohe site.”
The third pillar the board has asked its chief executive Dominque Dowding and her staff to focus on is attracting new
audiences and lifting harness racing’s image, which Hoggard describes as traditionally having a three-star reputation in
the modern world of professional sport.
“Harness Racing hasn’t had a terribly glamorous image but when we get people into the likes of our Top Of The Park
lounge overlooking the track under lights on a Friday night, with great hospitality and all the comforts, they
absolutely love it. Our conference facilities are also really well received by many and provide an important income
stream for the club. But again we need to keep improving our offering.”
Hoggard describes the Special General Meeting late last year as the club’s most important, when it made its biggest
financial decision ever. There members signed up to the board’s proposal to borrow nearly $200m to fund the initial
stages of developing the new urban village.
He says a deliberate move in recent years to recruit a lot of commercial acumen around the board table has been critical
to transforming the club’s focus and securing the confidence of many long-time members to make the big decisions.
“Our members know that if we want to keep growing harness racing in Auckland, things have to change and so
overwhelmingly, they’ve been hugely supportive. This is not about flogging off any of our land, as we’re retaining all
of it. This is all about securing the club’s long-term viability and people are very encouraging of that.”
Hoggard says ensuring a quality built environment and world-class urban design and planning is at the heart of any
change at Alexandra Park, noting the club will have to live and work among the new developments.
“Rest assured ‘223 Green Lane West’ will actually give the suburb of Epsom a heart, something it has lacked for so long
despite it being such a popular residential and family suburb here in Auckland.
“The shift in mindset we all need to make is that in the near future people will come to Alexandra Park not just for
harness racing or a conference, but to experience some great urban residential living, high-end boutique retail stores,
top food and beverage and lovely public spaces. Alexandra Park will be a real lifestyle destination. That in itself is a
massive change.”
Hoggard says the past 12 months have been hugely exciting for the club. He hopes his board will one day be remembered
for making the hard commercial decisions at the right time to ensure future generations could also enjoy a key Auckland
asset which is Alexandra Park.
ENDS