A hotel and an indoor arena could feature in a new plan for Leopardstown as the State-owned racecourse moves to secure horse racing there into the future.
State body Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) last year agreed to sell 17 acres at the Carrickmines end of the South Dublin complex to the Land Development Agency (LDA) for 850 social and affordable homes.
HRI is now beginning consultations with the racing industry, businesses and local groups that will help shape a master plan for the venue in advance of submission of a plan to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council early next year.
That could include proposals for a hotel and an arena, along with expansion of the venue to cater for up to 25,000 racegoers from the current maximum of about 20,000, said Paul Dermody, chief executive of HRI’s racecourse division.
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HRI may seek expressions of interest from businesses on either development in the coming months, Mr Dermody said.
He noted there was already an appetite for an arena in the Dublin region to host sports, live music or other events. Hotels are a feature of racecourses around the world and often have facilities that can be adapted for use on race days, he said.
HRI will recruit partners to develop these attractions, if they go ahead, he said, which would require a full public procurement process.
The State body intends to secure the 260-acre venue’s future while supporting its main purpose, horse racing, Mr Dermody said. “Racing, and the racecourse, will remain sacrosanct.” Leopardstown hosts jumps and flat racing at the highest level.
Consultations on the HRI plan come as the track prepares for the Dublin Racing Festival on January 31st and February 1st. The popular meeting is likely to lure equine stars, including multiple Irish and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs and leading hurdler Brighterdaysahead.
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The two-day meeting draws growing numbers of British racegoers along with crowds of Irish fans. Leopardstown will limit attendances to 18,500 a day, said Mr Dermody.
He noted that a record 20,500 people turned up for the second day of the track’s Christmas meeting, aided by extra marquee space and other facilities. However, he cautioned that the weather at the end of this month could be more mixed than at Christmas, so the course had to factor this into its festival plans.
An expansion would “ideally” allow Leopardstown cater for up to 25,000 racegoers, Mr Dermody said, something that will feature in consultations, particularly with trainers, jockeys and other racing groups.
Along with racing, the site includes a golf course and tenants, such as energy holding business DCC and Westwood gym. These accounted for a greater share of the €18.9 million revenue that Leopardstown earned last year than racing.
Organisations including Sandyford Business District, commercial tenants and local residents will be included in consultations.
According to Mr Dermody, much preparation was done as HRI negotiated with the LDA. “A lot of work is already done on utilities, on transport, on infrastructure that needed to be done,” he said.
Both organisations will have to submit the master plan jointly the county council.
