Toowoomba Equestrian Centre of Excellence Business Case and Facility Plan
Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland (Toowoomba Show)
Purpose
At Toowoomba Showgrounds - a highly valued community event venue - a strategic opportunity was required to increase investment in facility maintenance and infrastructure renewal within the constraints of the reserve land’s purpose for agricultural, horticultural, sport and recreation, as gazetted by the Queensland Government as the landowner. As trustees and operators, The Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland (RASQ) identified that the facility’s existing equestrian facilities could provide this opportunity. A Business Case and Facility Plan was required to determine the potential and feasibility of developing an Equestrian Centre of Excellence on the site.
Approach
As specialists in equestrian planning and the development of large-scale project cost-benefit analyses, CPR Group was the obvious choice to undertake this project.
We deeply understand the facility needs of a range of disciplines due to our comprehensive knowledge of equestrian sport, spanning from grassroots to high-level competition, including Olympic venue requirements. This facilitates highly effective stakeholder engagement.
The facility plan utilises existing facilities to achieve cost efficiency and asset renewal. It addresses the needs of both existing users including non-equestrian users and high-level competition requirements, and considers site conditions, access, biosecurity, layout, appearance, functionality, safety and the overall user experience.
Critical to the outcome was financial forecasting to prioritise long-term viability, factoring in ongoing operations and maintenance costs proportional to capital investment. The project also documented broader economic and social impacts. Risk assessment, project staging and management and operational recommendations offer confidence in the project's successful delivery.
Outcomes
The Business Case outlines a comprehensive transformation of the Toowoomba Showgrounds and Event Centre's existing equestrian facilities into a versatile equestrian centre capable of hosting national and international level equestrian events, including both Olympic and Western disciplines. The redevelopment primarily maximises current infrastructure with minimal new construction.
While the success of the Toowoomba Equestrian Centre of Excellence project doesn't rely on hosting the equestrian events for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it presents a unique opportunity to create a lasting Olympic legacy and a more horse-friendly, logistically streamlined event should the Toowoomba Showgrounds be chosen as the venue. The project also effectively addresses significant gaps in state and national equestrian facility provision, a fact affirmed by Equestrian Queensland and Equestrian Australia. The project's feasibility is supported by a 30-year operating cash flow analysis and cost benefit analysis, covering operational costs, including maintenance and arena replacement. Given the magnitude of the project, external funding support is required, and the RASQ is actively leveraging the Business Case to seek this necessary funding.
