Alan Redmond, Director of Harold's Cross Stadium, has criticised the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) decision to close Harold’s Cross Greyhound Stadium and put it up for sale, likening the decision to a “lock out”.
The IGB today closed the stadium and announced that it will be sold, bringing an end to 88 years of greyhound racing at the south Dublin stadium.
With a debt of €20.3m, the IGB see the sale of the stadium as a solution to their financial woes, which stem from the €21m they spent on building Limerick Greyhound Stadium in 2011.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Liveline, Redmond claimed that as Director of the stadium, he was not informed of the immediate closure of the stadium and that uncertainty surrounds the future of all employees working there.
A full race meeting was planned to be held at Harold’s Cross on Tuesday evening, which will not go ahead now, and Redmond has slammed the IGB for the way they’ve handled the closure of the stadium.
"We understand that the traps are being taken away. The IGB have chained up the gate and brought in new security – we understand there was someone on duty last night.
"There’s racing due to take place tomorrow evening, as far as I can remember there’s even a final due to take place.
"If the stadium is locked, then everyone is locked out of their jobs. Somewhere in the region of 80% of out Tote staff are SIPTU members, so I doubt very much Jack O’Connor will take too lightly to his staffed being locked out.
"There are a number of people working there, racing manager, the general manager, track staff, secretory - the majority of our staff are the Tote, others are older folk who have been there for years and all the restaurant staff."
Redmond put the troubles facing the IGB squarely at the feet of the decision to build Limerick Greyhound track in 2011 but insisted that Harold’s Cross is one of the few tracks in the country currently turning a profit.
"They blew all the money that they had on building a new stadium in Limerick," he said. "Unfortunately that ran way over what it should have because unfortunately they board at the time didn’t listen to their solicitors.
"Harold’s Cross is making money, it’s one of three stadiums in the country that is making money, with Shelbourne Park and Cork that are actually making money."
Redmond does not believe however, that the closure of the stadium is inevitable and when it was suggested that the final race at the stadium had been run, he replied: "Never say never."
After 88 years of racing, Harold's Cross Greyhound Stadium has been closed today, with immediate effect, by the Irish Greyhound Board. pic.twitter.com/Se2u08uYch
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 13, 2017
