Bowls facility seems on a roll

KOOWEERUP bowler Ron Halligan could be on a winner with his proposal to establish an international-standard indoor bowls and social club in the Kooweerup-Lang Lang District.
Mr Halligan already has his club’s support for the idea and is testing the waters in the wider community.
One of his reasons for building this $12 million centre in the area is that all roads lead through Kooweerup.
Well it seems that way if you are in and around the town during busy traffic times, and traffic is bad enough during the slack times.
Kooweerup Bowls Club rightfully believes it could and should capitalise on this extraordinary flow of people through the district.
Mr Halligan is experienced in marketing and proved during a presentation to the Kooweerup Town Committee on Wednesday 4 February that he had the ability to successfully promote the plan. He will present the idea to public meetings in the Kooweerup Community Hall on Wednesday 25 February and the Lang Lang Hall on Thursday 26 February, both at 8pm.
A devil’s advocate would say his primary stumbling blocks were the difficulty in financing a facility of the magnitude he envisaged and the need to run gaming to ensure ongoing viability.
I would also want to be sure that it did not detract from existing community clubs and facilities, and that a percentage of profit was made available to district clubs and community organisations – and that it encompassed a convention centre.
Mr Halligan said the area needed a place where everyone could socialise.
He said, however, that a modern social club needed certain features to be successful.
These include being open every day from 9am until late, a top restaurant and bistro, reasonable prices, convenient location, be attractive to visitors, beneficial to members, profitable, managed by members and run by professionals, accommodation, plus convenient parking for buses and visitors.
He said its most important pre-requisite was strong community support.
The centre would have tenants such as a sports pro-shop, health spa, travel agent for bowls tours, and a 50-unit motel.
He said this would be the only club of its kind in Victoria.
Population forecasts show enough people will be living in an area bounded by Dandenong, Poowong, Drouin and Frankston to support the facility.
Based on other facilities estimated revenue would be derived mostly from gaming at 60 per cent, with catering 23 per cent, bar 13 per cent and a minor percentage from bowls and entertainment at about two per cent.
Mr Halligan said most of the gaming revenue would be from out-of-towners.
The price tag is manageable when you consider the City of Casey built two aquatic and leisure centres at about $20 million and $35 million – but this is an ambitious project.
The up-side, beside the district having a fine social venue, would be the jobs created – and it is a feel good idea.