The chief executive of Wollongong's newest hospitality group is optimistic about the future of the club industry and looking forward to announcing investments in new and better facilities.
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Danny Munk heads the Aster Group which now has four properties in Wollongong after recent amalgamations.
The group manages Wests Illawarra, Corrimal Leagues Club, Port Kembla Golf Club and the Comfort Inn-Fairways at Primbee.
The Aster property portfolio is worth $40 million and employs 170 people.
Aster was launched earlier this month and already has plans to invest in improved facilities across the group.
The next stage of development at Wests Illawarra would be revealed soon, Mr Munk said.
Clubs were now in a highly competitive market and it was not as easy as it was during the boom period of the early 1990s.
However, clubs did have a very viable future and would remain an important part of their communities, he said.
Mr Munk said the Aster group came about through amalgamation which was done in a way to benefit each community.
In each case the amalgamation was slightly different.
"Port Kembla weren't in administration," he said.
"They were in a situation where in their journey they said, 'If we keep going the way that we are, we will survive, but survival itself does not allow us to grow'.
"So they went looking for a partner and an amalgamation. They talked to a number of partners and felt a partnership with us would take them on a journey, so we amalgamated with the two groups.
"In the case of Corrimal, they found themselves in a situation over a period of time that they could no longer regenerate the business. Corrimal itself actually ended up in the hands of a receiver.
"Corrimal of course supported sport in the community, very much rugby league, which is what we are about.
"And there was a feeling that there was an opportunity both for the community as well as the junior league development within that community to be able to support both.
"So we struck a deal with the administrators and, yes, we amalgamated but we actually took over the administration. So we looked at that from both the opportunity to grow the business, adding to the asset, but also serving the community."
Mr Munk said there were efficiency benefits but it was important not to amalgamate for the sake of it. It was best done so both the business and community could benefit.
The group is now looking at how it can best invest in each business.
