Greyhound Racing NSW Chief Executive Officer Tony Mestrov says today's explosive revelations on the front page of Sydney's Daily Telegraph have vindicated the resolve GRNSW has shown in searching for the truth surrounding the sudden decision to close the iconic Dapto Greyhounds.
On November 6, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society suddenly announced they would cease racing at the venue, citing a breakdown in negotiations with GRNSW over the Future Funding agreement as their reason.
The Telegraph revealed that the A &H board and their CEO were working on "secret plans to redevelop the site into a retirement living complex, shipping container precinct or industrial park" before making their November 6 announcement.
The Telegraph also reported the Society hired a crisis management company to manage potential fallout from the announcement to cease greyhound racing, and decided to make the announcement "before GRNSW got wind of the redevelopment plan and revealed it to "make us the villains"."
"I was shocked when I heard of these revelations, and from what I am hearing now it's looking and smelling a lot like a pre-meditated act of betrayal," Mestrov said.
"When I stood up at Dapto the day after it was announced the club was ceasing racing, I said we would fight to get to the bottom of the real reason why they had suddenly decided to make this decision, and leave local participants out in the cold, and now that this has come to light, their actions and decision makes a lot more sense.
"Nothing has changed as far as GRNSW is concerned about the matter, we are still fighting for the participants and as such appointed an administrator at Dapto to do the job.
"I don't want to
