One of greyhound racing's most iconic brands, the Dapto Dogs, will come to an end in 2026 after almost 90 years of operation.
The owners of the Dapto Showground, the Dapto Agricultural & Horticultural Society, notified Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) on Friday that it would not be extending the lease on the Wollongong racetrack beyond June 30, 2026.
The first greyhound race meeting at Dapto was held on February 25, 1937.
"GRNSW has been in consultation with the Society in recent months about the future of racing at the Dapto Showground and we held hopes that a long-term extension at the venue may be possible," GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Steve Griffin said.
"The Society informed us this week that greyhound racing did not align with their long-term goals at the site.
"We understand it was a commercial decision, but that doesn't soften the disappointment which will be felt right across the industry, particularly within the Illawarra.
"It may sound cliched, but the iconic Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars, and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name."
The decision to close Dapto means industry participants and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra – at Bulli and at Nowra.
GRNSW also owns land at nearby Bong Bong Road and will explore the feasibility of developing that site.
Notwithstanding the Dapto decision, greyhound racing is a thriving sport in NSW with 26 racing clubs. It holds more than 1,200 race meetings across 363 days a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators, and paying out more than $50 million in prizemoney.
The sport generates more than $800 million in economic activity every year, supporting 4,500 jobs, almost half of whom are in rural and regional areas.
"While the Dapto decision is disappointing, we have exciting plans to modernise greyhound racing in the months and years ahead, introducing innovative measures to make it a more visually appealing TV sport for punters across the state and around the world," Mr Griffin said.
"We may be in a position to announce some of those changes later this year.
"Our dogs love racing and our changes are also likely to improve safety outcomes for them."
Mr Griffin was appointed GRNSW CEO earlier this year to help modernise the sport.
He previously served as CEO of the NSW Greyhound Racing & Integrity Commission (GWIC), and earlier in his career spent 13 years as a Detective Senior Sergeant with the NSW Police Force, with postings to the Drug Enforcement Agency, Organised Crime Unit and Internal Affairs.
