KROA should step in to solve the crisis
Racing in Bangalore has been threatened by the insistence on the part of the Karnataka government that BTC should shift even though no alternative facility is in place. The BTC in the past refused to budge from its stand of not shifting and lost golden opportunities to get a big chunk of land close to the city. Now their stand is diluted but they are finding it hard to obtain land from the government as the land around
Bangalore has become precious and it is difficult for the government to identify a big chunk of land suitable for racing. The land has to be suitable for racing in terms of the extent of the land as also the distance from the city. The club also does not have the reserves to build a new infrastructure. The BTC has let down the sport badly by not being pro-active to the emerging situation and time is fast running out on them.
It is in this scenario that Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association should step in and take an active role in solving the crisis. While it is for the turf club to solve the problem of identifying the land for the purpose of re-location, the KROA on its part can buy land somewhere between Bangalore and Mysore and start thinking of building up training and stabling facilities at least. Due to acute stabling problem, two year olds are located at different locations close to the city and the owners as well as the club are spending huge chunk of money for this purpose.
Since KROA has some reserves, it can think of buying about 100 acres of land where it is affordable. They can build sufficient stables and training facilities so that horses come to the race course only for the purpose of racing. This is the arrangement in most parts of the world. Even in Dubai, the International Quarantine stables are located some distance away from the race course and horses commute for the purpose of track work and racing by horse float. This arrangement has worked fine elsewhere in the world as well.
While the land around Bangalore is at a premium, some distance away, it is still affordable. The KROA can easily raise the money and then monetize its facilities. The stable facility could be extended to whoever willing to use for summering from the other parts of the country as well as from countries like Dubai who now depend on England and France for this facility. A certain percentage of the stake money can be debited from the owners account for this purpose. The BTC too could chip in with its contribution.
Any facility which belongs to the owners will at least insulate the sport from the pressures of the government by way of securing the future of racing. In the event of any problem to the continuation of existing race course, building up infrastructure to conduct racing should not be too much of a bother in the long run. Racing is in crisis because people governing the sport at BTC have no stake in the sport and hence their reaction to the crisis has been lackadaisical.
According to the sources in the secretariat, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa is to convene a meeting with the BTC and Mysore Race Club authorities to discuss the government stand and alternate arrangements during the intervening period when the new infrastructure comes up. The CM has made it clear that racing activity will not be stopped and BTC can have their races at Mysore at the existing facility. The Chief Minister is also reportedly considering reducing the turn over tax for Mysore to ease their financial crisis and also to help develop stables in lieu of the ones which the government has taken over for expansion of its administrative block.
The onus is surely on the race horse owners to take a more active role in solving the crisis that has threatened to hurt the sport not only in Karnataka but all over India because each club is inter-dependent on revenues generated through off course betting. Stoppage of racing activity at any centre is sure to spell disaster to the sport which is hanging on a thin line.
Bangalore has become precious and it is difficult for the government to identify a big chunk of land suitable for racing. The land has to be suitable for racing in terms of the extent of the land as also the distance from the city. The club also does not have the reserves to build a new infrastructure. The BTC has let down the sport badly by not being pro-active to the emerging situation and time is fast running out on them.
It is in this scenario that Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association should step in and take an active role in solving the crisis. While it is for the turf club to solve the problem of identifying the land for the purpose of re-location, the KROA on its part can buy land somewhere between Bangalore and Mysore and start thinking of building up training and stabling facilities at least. Due to acute stabling problem, two year olds are located at different locations close to the city and the owners as well as the club are spending huge chunk of money for this purpose.
Since KROA has some reserves, it can think of buying about 100 acres of land where it is affordable. They can build sufficient stables and training facilities so that horses come to the race course only for the purpose of racing. This is the arrangement in most parts of the world. Even in Dubai, the International Quarantine stables are located some distance away from the race course and horses commute for the purpose of track work and racing by horse float. This arrangement has worked fine elsewhere in the world as well.
While the land around Bangalore is at a premium, some distance away, it is still affordable. The KROA can easily raise the money and then monetize its facilities. The stable facility could be extended to whoever willing to use for summering from the other parts of the country as well as from countries like Dubai who now depend on England and France for this facility. A certain percentage of the stake money can be debited from the owners account for this purpose. The BTC too could chip in with its contribution.
Any facility which belongs to the owners will at least insulate the sport from the pressures of the government by way of securing the future of racing. In the event of any problem to the continuation of existing race course, building up infrastructure to conduct racing should not be too much of a bother in the long run. Racing is in crisis because people governing the sport at BTC have no stake in the sport and hence their reaction to the crisis has been lackadaisical.
According to the sources in the secretariat, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa is to convene a meeting with the BTC and Mysore Race Club authorities to discuss the government stand and alternate arrangements during the intervening period when the new infrastructure comes up. The CM has made it clear that racing activity will not be stopped and BTC can have their races at Mysore at the existing facility. The Chief Minister is also reportedly considering reducing the turn over tax for Mysore to ease their financial crisis and also to help develop stables in lieu of the ones which the government has taken over for expansion of its administrative block.
The onus is surely on the race horse owners to take a more active role in solving the crisis that has threatened to hurt the sport not only in Karnataka but all over India because each club is inter-dependent on revenues generated through off course betting. Stoppage of racing activity at any centre is sure to spell disaster to the sport which is hanging on a thin line.
Dear Sharan,
ReplyDeleteAlthough the problem is very real and has become exigent now, I fail to understand your logic in asking owners to shoulder the burden and responsibility to keep racing alive in the state of Karnataka. WHat is the race club then licenced for?
Another thing. As an observer from another state, I feel the local public's apathy to government's move to shift racecourse (ostensibly, on the pretext of some 'noble' reason) is shameful. Contrast this to Bombay's public and media who raised hell when a minister suggested to sell racecourse land to ease off the state's financial condition. I just fail to understand why Bangalore's general population is not being woken up by the media to take the state government on this issue.
It's not only an issue of the BTC losing prime land, it's the question of a shrewd government putting forward altruistic defense to justify its stance which is driven more by commercial greed than by public interest.