For Galwegians the most important week of the year is when the Galway Races take over the life of the city as July turns to August.
Each year the Festival generates over €50 million of value for the local economy and details were announced yesterday of a €6 million development to take place between the 2017 and 2018 Festivals.
Horse Racing Ireland is to release €2.1 million from the Racecourse Capital Development Scheme with the balance being funded by the Racecourse and the Tote.
The development will vastly improve the enclosure around the parade ring and bookmakers ring. The repositioning of the new building will create much greater circulation space for racegoers which will enhance the atmosphere and create ease of movement even on the busiest days.
Construction of the new building will begin immediately after the 2017 Galway Summer Festival with a launch date ahead of the 2018 festival planned.
A new two story building will replace an existing long narrow Tote building and will feature a large, open-plan betting hall with capacity for up to 550 racegoers on the ground floor, with Tote Ireland betting counters on three sides and a large betting shop on the fourth.
Externally, there will be 46 Tote Ireland betting windows, with the majority facing the racetrack. The windows will be set back to provide weather protection to racegoers.
A modern champagne bar with a high standard of décor will provide a new level of comfort for Galway patrons on the first floor of the new building. With capacity for 450 people, the champagne bar will open onto a large covered terrace overlooking the parade ring, betting ring and part of the racetrack. A sizeable portion of both upstairs and downstairs will be dedicated to new toilet facilities.
“Galway Racecourse’s new development will provide an attractive focal point in the enclosure and an improved level of comfort and shelter for racegoers,” said Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland.
“Removing the existing Tote building will reconfigure a traditionally congested area around the betting ring and parade ring, opening up pedestrian access and improving the enclosure layout.”
“Galway’s seven-day festival is our most popular festival and Horse racing Ireland is happy to provide grant aid for a project that will directly benefit racegoers who head West every year.”
“We are delighted to receive support from Horse Racing Ireland for our next redevelopment to add to the first-class facilities we have here at Galway,” added Michael Moloney, Manager of Galway Racecourse.
“The Committee at Galway has always been proactive in continuing to improve the facilities and this latest €6 million development will significantly improve the racegoer experience which is paramount to maintaining Galway’s position as one of the highlights of the summer racing calendar.”
“Each year, the Summer Festival puts Galway on the front pages and provides an extraordinary €54 million boost to the local economy.”
Guinness, Ladbrokes, The Tote, the Irish Independent, Ryanair and every hotel in the City are among the commercial sponsors that support the Summer Festival each year.
