IPOH: The Perak Turf Club will undergo a transformation to change its image as a place for gambling to become a hub for leisure activities.
Part of the building at the turf club will be turned into eateries, which will be open to the public, while sporting facilities will be built there for its members.
Its chairman Datuk John Lim said the turf club was largely underused and plans were afoot to transform it so that there will be more activities daily.
“In its heyday, the turf club could accommodate about 7,000 people coming for the races.
“Now, on an on-course day, we have about 700 people,” the 74-year-old said recently.
“There are several reasons, including the fact that people can now bet at home and are taking up other activities.
“We think that the place is underused during weekends and its resources are being wasted, so we want to transform the turf club (to accommodate) activities daily, from day to night,” he added.
Lim said he hopes that the eateries and sporting facilities can be up and running within a year.
“The plan is to open up spaces for high-end dining, all-day dining, banquets and a sports bar.
“We want to encourage people to come here and look at our racetrack while enjoying their meals,” he said, adding that a cafe operator has agreed to open in one of the bungalows at the turf club grounds.
“As for the sporting facilities, the plan is to build a gym, a swimming pool and courts for badminton, tennis, pickleball and squash for club members.
“These will be built below the grandstand and cost about RM6.5mil. We have the mandate of the members to do it,” he said, adding that the turf club has about 600 members.
“The new facilities will enhance membership value,” he added.
Lim said the transformation plan was hatched in June last year, after he became chairman.
He said the turf club has always been thought of as a place for gambling, and they wanted to soften its image by turning it into a more people-friendly location.
“We have also developed a new motto, which is ‘Perak Turf Club, More than Racing’,” he added.
Lim also said they will not sell the land the turf club is located on, unlike their counterpart in Penang.
“There are still races going on. We are losing money, but we hope to break even by 2025,” he said.
