Longstanding owner Joao Da Mata wrote a note to Phumelela Business Rescue specialist John Evans on 30 May 2020, following the news that yet another racecourse – this time, Flamingo Park – was destined for the scrapheap of history
Mr Da Mata asked the Sporting Post Mailbag, for history’s sake, to publish the note, to which he has apparently had no response.
He wrote:
Sir
It is with great sadness that I read of the end of Flamingo Park.
I have for long championed this racecourse and will continue to do so for many reasons.
Seeing as finance is an issue at the moment, could you please let me know what the number is that is required to take on Flamingo Park (99 year Lease) from your good selves.
It’s been the pathetic mismanagement of the previous incumbents that have lead to the ‘illusion’ that Flamingo Park is a loss leader.
Had anyone of those had even the slightest bit of vision and invested in Flamingo Park 15 year ago it would now be a self sustaining, self funding, racing venue.
I know this because I have run the numbers on a racecourse that has the capacity to be raced on four times a week, and the ability to accept most of our ‘useless’ horse population of horses that don’t fit into the ‘elite’ centres.
So please let me know how what I have got to do to run Flamingo Park.
We wrote this story in the build up – please click to read more
