Durban Municipal Manager interview

Read the first few paragraphs of this morning's Mercury headline. Our so-called City Manager has declared his intention into turning several public spaces into factory zones, office blocks and housing. More specifically he's looking at golf courses one of which is Royal Durban which is inside the Greyville track. Is this yet another nail in Durban's nearly completed coffin ?

Boilding on Royal Durban Golf Course would leave the visibility of the horses in races to the last 400m only.

Im sure there is a very long term lease in place so would be years before they could even consider the golf course as an option

I certainly hope you're right Titch but bear in mind which party the City Manager works for and which party runs Durban. Say no more, say no more, nudge, nudge, wink, wink. They have already proven where their priorities lie...
There was a hope that this bloke would be better than the individual before him but he is turning out to be even worse.

I tell you selling south africa`s best track (clairwood) will come back to haunt them...

The property is owned by the council and when the lease expires they can do what they like, Gold Circle shoudve thought about the repercussions before selling their only asset Clairwood. Unless they buy their own land in the north coast and build their own race courses they are fucked!

When we were pushing for Bulanas transformation deal the premeir of KZN made it known in no uncertain terms to GC that if they don't fund Bulana their gaming license won't be renewed, goverment can do whatever they want

Looks like you could be right Robmartza, the Golf Course days are numbered. However the Greyville track is a different kettle of fish as I suppose betting tax is channelled back to Municipality?

For my 1 cent worth, I really wish they consider installing the all-weather at Scottsville as it has easier bends and seems to be more suitable and fairer compared to the pear-shaped Greyville.

The Durban July is a major tourist attraction for Durban and I don't see Ethekwini municipality wanting to mess with it, just hope the operator doesn't mess it up by narrowing the turf course and installing the all-weather on the inside.

I read this atricle too and I cant see them going ahead with building on Royal. Durban racing has no more to worry about than the rest of the country either. A good example would be to look at the runners carded on Summer Cup day. Trainers still don't bother travelling up to JHB for the big ones and this will never change. Cape Town and Durban still attract the best racing in the country because unlike Joburg, our big races fit well into the racing calender. Greyville still has a 90 year lease left with the municipality and consistently draws better crowds than anywhere else in the country (all though still not satisfactory). So in response to the "nail in the coffin" comment on Durban racing - you're dreaming.

My personal opinion for the all weather track - I think it's a bad idea. You don't see Ascot, Newmarket, Epsom etc digging up their turf tracks to make way for a sand track. How many big race days are run on sand around the world? Barring the US and the odd race in Dubai - not too many!

I wasn't referring to another nail in Durban racing's coffin....I was referring to another nail in the city's coffin....but that discussion would be for another rainy day