The owners of National Rugby League club Melbourne Storm are believed to be in the final stages of buying the Kealba Hotel.
Neither Storm nor hotel management denied reports last week that the sale was imminent, amid claims that the NRL club would use the pokies venue to prop up its finances.
On the club’s Facebook page last Wednesday, chief executive Dave Donaghy did little to hose down speculation when questioned by fans whether the club was going to purchase an entertainment venue.
“The shareholders of the club are looking at ways of diversifying our commercial interests, which will help re. sustainability longer term,” Donaghy replied.
Melbourne Storm was acquired in 2013 by Holding M.S. Australia Pty Ltd, an organisation made up of internationally experienced and successful businessmen.
It has been reported the Storm’s 2014 annual report noted that the club had signed a heads of agreement to purchase a business, but details were not disclosed. The Storm did not respond to
Star Weekly before deadline.
Hotel management last week said it was aware of media reports about the sale, but it declined to comment further. Kealba Hotel is Brimbank’s number one venue for pokie losses, with punters losing
$17.7 million on 86 gaming machines in the past financial year.
Brimbank punters have been the state’s biggest losers on poker machines for eight consecutive years, losing $141.6 million in 2014-15, just short of a record $145.6 million three years ago and $20 million more than its nearest rival City of Casey, where punters lost $119.3 million.
Big losses above $15 million were felt at Deer Park Hotel, Taylors Lakes Hotel, Westend Market Hotel and Watergardens Hotel.
Meanwhile, Melton council has not objected to an application from WestWaters Hotel at Caroline Springs for an extra 10 gaming machines, believing these would have only an “incremental impact” on the community.
“Caroline Springs is not an area that experiences high levels of vulnerability disadvantage,” a council report stated.
“WestWaters is the only gaming venue within a 2.5-kilometre radius. The additional machines will not result in an unreasonable concentration of EGMs,” the report concluded.
