Hakoah Club move offer knocked back

THE Double Bay Bowling Club (DBBC) has rejected another offer from the Hakoah Club to move to White City.

After being knocked back by DBBC several times, Hakoah has now offered the club a $20 million 99-year-lease that will include three bowling greens, clubhouse facilities, onsite parking and the ability for DBBC to retain its own identity and corporate structure.

But The AJN understands the core issue that can’t be resolved is the lack of benefit to DBBC – the club currently has a property worth more than $20 million in Double Bay, it has plans to renovate the existing clubhouse and, unlike many other lawn bowls clubs in Australia, it has attracted more than 20 new members in the past three months.

DBBC chairman John Rosen said in a letter to members that there were six reasons that the offer was declined.

“Why move DBBC to White City as we have an established piece of property where we are currently situated,” Rosen said.

“We feel confident that we have many more years of competitive and social bowling at our present location with no financial worries for the current board as well as future board’s for a long, long time.”

The discussions between DBBC and Hakoah have been ongoing for more than 18 months, however this seems to be the final nail in the coffin.

Hakoah bought the 22,000 square-metre property at White City for $13.5 million in June 2010.

The purchase came two-and-a-half years after the controversial $19 million sale of the club’s site in Hall Street (pictured).

JOSHUA LEVI

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