It was pitched as a way to diversify the business and kick goals boosting revenue, but some Dapto Bowling Club members believe an on-site football facility was ultimately responsible for full-time being called on the bowlo’s operations.
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The Mercury can reveal a dispute is being played out between the soon-to-close bowling club and the Sydney-based company, Golden Goal Pty Ltd, which operates futsal courts at the Marshall Street location.
Ongoing uncertainty associated with Golden Goal’s lease was among the reasons a potentially-club-saving merger between with Collegians Rugby League Football Club failed to proceed, the club’s deed administrator has said.
The Mercury revealed this week the bowlo, which was founded in 1950, would close for the final time on Friday. It employs 12 staff and has more than 900 members.
Some of those members have told this newspaper the Golden Goal lease was to blame for sinking the club, which has struggled financially and was placed into administration in September.
An application to convert one of the club’s existing bowling greens into two small, artificially-turfed futsal courts was approved by Wollongong City Council in 2014.
Golden Goal leased the green. It’s understood the group now wants a large amount of money from the club for breaking its lease.
Deed administrator Robert Brennan confirmed the club was involved in a dispute with the operator of the futsal courts, but wouldn’t been drawn on the role it played in the club’s closure.
“Several unsuccessful attempts have been made over the last six months to find a commercial settlement acceptable to both parties,” he said.
The matter is not before the courts, at this stage.
Golden Goal was contacted for comment.
Golden Goal traded for just 18 months on the site of the former Ryde Bowling Club, which was placed into administration in 2010.
In 2014, a Golden Goal spokesman told Fairfax Media the football group was ordered by Ryde Council to move off the bowling club land to make way for apartments.
According to the Golden Goal website, it operates “football excellence centres” at Dapto, Strathfield and Bankstown.