Canberra Racing is "laser focused" on finishing their $2 billion redevelopment master plan, despite the ACT Green's constant attacks.
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And Thoroughbred Park chief executive Darren Pearce hoped they could get the all clear for their Territory Plan Variation soon after their Black Opal Super Sunday on March 10.
The race club were trialling a rare twilight meet on Saturday, as they begin their build up to their biggest day of racing of the year.
Their first race is at 3.36pm, with the seven-race meet finishing up at 7.35pm.
Speaking for the first time since Greens MLA Jo Clay said she wanted to shutdown the ACT racing industry by turning the entire race course into housing, Pearce backed the comments made two weeks ago by ACT Planning Minister Chris Steel.
![Canberra Racing CEO Darren Pearce hopes their redevelopment will be approved in the coming months. Picture by Karleen Minney Canberra Racing CEO Darren Pearce hopes their redevelopment will be approved in the coming months. Picture by Karleen Minney](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/0ac33964-5ecd-45ba-a95d-c9213fd8c511.jpg/r0_65_4896_2818_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Steel labelled Clay's comments as "disappointing" and said it was government policy to have both housing and racing co-existing at Thoroughbred Park.
Pearce said he was purely focused on making that happen in the lead-up to the start of the autumn racing carnival.
They've moved away from a two-day carnival, made up of the Black Opal Stakes and Canberra Cup, to return to a Super Sunday consisting of both feature races.
![ACT Planning Minister Chris Steel wants both housing and racing to co-exist as part of Thoroughbred Park's redevelopment. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong ACT Planning Minister Chris Steel wants both housing and racing to co-exist as part of Thoroughbred Park's redevelopment. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/0de40c8a-0661-468c-a895-0775ec2d4118.jpg/r0_542_5300_3534_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I think Chris Steel put it well that there has been due consideration and community consultation of our master plan through the district strategies and they've determined it's a priority project within the district strategies," Pearce told The Canberra Times.
"There's been opportunities for the community to consult on that so we're just laser focused on following process to complete our master plan now that we have that recognition in the district strategies.
"We made really good progress in the back end of last year. We're in deep negotiations with government so I'm very confident there'll be good news - hopefully soon after the Black Opal."