Stand and deliver – funding crucial to BRC’s Eagle Farm plans

A Brisbane Racing Club plan to replace an outdated Eagle Farm grandstand remains in abeyance despite a possible breakthrough in a funding solution.

As the BRC prepares for the second of three meetings that are the centrepiece of its season, the John Power Stand remains a political focal point for the next stage of a BRC master plan.

A deadline is looming for the ageing facility to be decommissioned after an engineering report confirmed it has already passed its natural lifespan with a safety certification for the grandstand expiring soon after next year’s winter carnival.

BRC chief executive Karl deKroo said there was an urgency attached to the start of any new construction to ensure Eagle Farm can operate during its peak racing season with minimal disruption during redevelopment works.

“As we know the Eagle Farm spectator precinct is in desperate need of significant investment,” deKroo told The Straight.

“Our main facility, The John Power Stand will be condemned in August 2026, and without a clear path to a replacement, our ability to deliver an on-course experience befitting of the headquarters of thoroughbred racing in Queensland will be severely compromised.

“This will, unfortunately, have a direct and dire impact on the BRC.

‘But it will also impact the Queensland racing industry, and particularly the multitude of regional and country courses which are sustained through the wagering turnover that occurs at Eagle Farm and Doomben.”

Central to the uncertainty surrounding the BRC’s plans is the matter of how the project is funded.

The BRC has historically paid for its capital works improvements, including a $50 million spend on a training facility that directly supports the racing industry.

However, the BRC is adamant the grandstand redevelopment needs to happen with financial assistance from the Queensland government because it says it will be creating an asset for the broader community.

According to deKroo, the latest talks with the state government have been positive.

“While the clock is ticking, we have been very encouraged by the level of engagement from the Queensland government and in particular Racing Minister Tim Mander,” he said. 

“We feel there is a shared understanding that Eagle Farm and a strong metropolitan club is fundamental to the future of racing in this state.

“As we lead into three crucial days at Eagle Farm .. we are confident of finding a path forward that will ensure a course with 160 years of heritage will continue to thrive for many decades to come. ”

The grandstand was opened in 1958, built for £450,000 and named after former Queensland Turf Club president Dr John Power.

It has undergone several modifications in its lifetime but its deteriorating condition has earmarked it for demolition with engineers telling the BRC that it is only “safe for now”. 

While the BRC has been lobbying for a new grandstand at Eagle Farm for several years, the latest plans unveiled in 2024 reveal a scaled-down version called “The Terraces”.

A development application was lodged last year under Ministerial Infrastructure Designations with the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works.

The project will also involve the removal of existing trees and a stewards’ tower.

Conceived as a series of shifting landscape terraces that rise from track level as a collection of horizontal plates that capture views of the parade ring, video screen and winning post, the proposed new grandstand will be located towards the end of the home straight.

Architects from Hassell and RWA Sports Architecture have designed the grandstand to include glazing on all sides.

It would be a four-storey building that optimises racetrack views and includes a ground-floor plaza, public and patron areas on the first two floors, and a rooftop restaurant and bar. 

“Our main facility, The John Power Stand will be condemned in August 2026, and without a clear path to a replacement, our ability to deliver an on-course experience befitting of the headquarters of thoroughbred racing in Queensland will be severely compromised” – Brisbane Racing Club chief executive Karl deKroo

As part of the development bid, a public consultation process took place between September and December.

“The location of the new facility has been chosen in relation to the best possible viewing areas for racing at the site, the general lack of alternative locations at the site for a new grandstand facility,” a planning firm engaged by the BRC said.

The replacement of the John Power Stand is part of a broader project, which includes significant upgrades within Eagle Farm’s grandstand precinct.

Former chairman Neville Bell told the 2024 annual general meeting that Eagle Farm’s facilities needed to be brought up to 21st-century standards.

“While the club has a healthy financial outlook, much will depend on replacing the dilapidated John Power Stand and reinvigorating the members’ and patrons’ facilities at Eagle Farm,” he said.

“The John Power Stand, built in 1956 with a 50-year lifespan, is nearing the end of its safe life.

“The Club is in discussions with Racing Queensland and the State Government on funding options.”