What to do with Level 3 - Parramatta Leagues Club

[Parra Future]

typo above by accident. I meant "threw", not through.

 

[bartman]

That's the crux of it really, and I would like to hear the argument that challenges this to the point where I am compelled to vote for the incumbants.

Mits? Eels81236? parra pete? Anyone?

Suity

I'm waiting too, but would prefer to hear it from the incumbents themselves.

I'm willing to consider them as individuals rather than a group, provided they make a case for their performance in recent years, and their credentials to work with other sand continue in the role.

I'm not going to vote for a 5th/6th/7th 3P member just for the sake of it, especially if they are (imo) a weak Board candidate who hasn't shown me what I'd like to see in terms of personal qualities, ideas or policies. And similarly I'm not going to give an incumbent one of my vote this time purely based on that fact alone - they'll have to all individually distance themselves from what has transpired, and come out and earn it.

 

[Suitman]

the LC might think about sending some of the machines back to Dundas to take up space there, and give us back our club? Or am I just dreaming...

Maybe piss the machines off up to the third floor auditorium, with a new easy access lift and paint it all black and ugly and neon... and then give the ground floor back to feel welcoming to everyone - including the league-based members.

I think you're dreaming. Sorry Bart.
And to the quotes of yours that I deleted, I agree wholeheartedly.

Heres a thought for all. I am not saying this is 3P either. Just a crazy thought while late at night. What do you reckon people would think if you got all the machines and through them over to Vikings in Dundas Valley and built that up to be the casino that everyone talks about. Then keep the Leagues Club and turn into something more community and footy friendly to try to please all other demographics.

Sorry mate, but that is a recipe for disaster. Don't even consider it.

Suity

 

[bartman]

Beat you by four minutes PF ;-)

Sure, why not? Run a free bus to take people to/from there, like Star City do from all over Sydney, and Hillsong for that matter.

The people of Dundas/Two Blues members might bemoan the loss of their little community club, in a similar way I guess to how disenfranchised LC members bemoan the loss of their club as it has used the pokies money to grow beyond its means for no reason other than to keep feeding the pokies beast.

How ironic that pokies can prove to be the tool of gambling addiction for individuals, as well as for the organisations that install them...

 

[Parra Future]

Alot of money has been spent downstairs just recently on their new outdoor smoking pokie area within the club plus all the other changes that they have made over the last 12 months. Do you really see any change in that area in regards to moving it to another floor. The merchandise area should be alot larger and I agree the memorabilia and a "hall of fame or wall of fame" should be somewhere near an entry for all to see and something to be proud of and dwell on the achievements of the past. Which leaves upstairs then. The Wentworth Room could be used alot more which has been discussed already. Then you have Level 3 which is like a cemetary at this point in time. There is a hell of a lot of space up there which could be set up a lot better. The question is, do you keep the auditorium and try to utilise it better for more revenue and events areas or do you make it one big floor and set it up in a way like Tigers Leagues Club in Rozelle. They have the bar in the middle and then lots of key areas all around it. One area is a little TAB section. They then have a pools table section, a full blown non stop sports on tv section, another food area not near the gaming machines and another thing that they have is the life member photos on the wall as soon as you walk into the club.
In saying that Tigers is a lot smaller than Parra LC.

 

[Suitman]

Alot of money has been spent downstairs just recently on their new outdoor smoking pokie area within the club plus all the other changes that they have made over the last 12 months. Do you really see any change in that area in regards to moving it to another floor. The merchandise area should be alot larger and I agree the memorabilia and a "hall of fame or wall of fame" should be somewhere near an entry for all to see and something to be proud of and dwell on the achievements of the past. Which leaves upstairs then. The Wentworth Room could be used alot more which has been discussed already. Then you have Level 3 which is like a cemetary at this point in time. There is a hell of a lot of space up there which could be set up a lot better. The question is, do you keep the auditorium and try to utilise it better for more revenue and events areas or do you make it one big floor and set it up in a way like Tigers Leagues Club in Rozelle. They have the bar in the middle and then lots of key areas all around it. One area is a little TAB section. They then have a pools table section, a full blown non stop sports on tv section, another food area not near the gaming machines and another thing that they have is the life member photos on the wall as soon as you walk into the club.
In saying that Tigers is a lot smaller than Parra LC.

I think there needs to be a reconnaisance mission to other clubs over a 3-4 week period.
Can I be the first to put my hand up to volunteer for such a serious and dangerous mission?

Suity

 

[bartman]

I'm interested in Suity's view why turning the whole third floor into the pokies floor, and reclaiming the ground floor won't work.

I'd hazard a guess that with decent access (a new lift/s) then the people that frequent the club regularly for pokies could care less if it were on the ground floor, third floor, or in a bunker ten floors underground. Except for the smoking thing, but the third floor has that new balcony that allows smoking but that hasn't attracted any new sports fans/smokers in (likely because the rest of the club/casino you pass through to get there looks/feels hideous and unwelcoming).

C'mon Ovo if you're reading this... surely you walk around there and feel a bit pained at what the place has been turned into?

 

[Parra Future]

I think there needs to be a reconnaisance mission to other clubs over a 3-4 week period.
Can I be the first to put my hand up to volunteer for such a serious and dangerous mission?

Suity

In all seriousness, check out Wenty Leagues on a Sunday between 12 and about 2pm. Its like a kids day sort of thing I suppose you could call it in one area of the club. It is always pretty well attended by large numbers. The families bring their kids. The kids play on the big dancefloor that they have their and they have Nick Jnr showing on Fox on the screen for them while a clown facepaints and does pass the parcel and stuff with them. I take my little boy there as often as I can so he can socialise with the other little ones.

While the kids are doing that, the adults can enjoy a meal while watching over them from a distance. Play some Keno, put a bet on, have some drinks and watch the cricket during the offseason or the footy during the season. There is also another area of Wenty up near the top where sometimes they have some guy there playing songs on a piano. Stuff like Billy Joel and Elton John, 70's, 80's, 90's songs. That area isn't blasting them out, but it is more of a relaxing area. Usually alot of people sitting up there putting on more Keno tickets, watching a sports channel, having coffees or drinks or snacking on cakes, fancy biscuits or whatever.

Then they have there own auditorium which I must admit I have never been in, but briefly seen it from the outside. Maybe Nikki can give an update on that part. I think she is a member of there as well. Then you have the pokie section, and off into a small little room, I think they have a ping pong section?? On top of that, they do have the electronic card system there for withdrawing money from the pokie machines which I have discussed before at meetings and within this forum. That is a great idea that Parra should have already introduced. It would cut expenses instantly in several areas once installed. Enough Rant about Wenty however, we don't want everyone leaving Parra LC to go there.

 

[Suitman]

C'mon Ovo if you're reading this... surely you walk around there and feel a bit pained at what the place has been turned into?

Tbh, I don't think he would have even noticed how it's changed (away from the club we all new) unless it was brought to his attention.

Suity

 

[Suitman]

In all seriousness, check out Wenty Leagues on a Sunday between 12 and about 2pm. Its like a kids day sort of thing I suppose you could call it in one area of the club. It is always pretty well attended by large numbers. The families bring their kids. The kids play on the big dancefloor that they have their and they have Nick Jnr showing on Fox on the screen for them while a clown facepaints and does pass the parcel and stuff with them. I take my little boy there as often as I can so he can socialise with the other little ones.

While the kids are doing that, the adults can enjoy a meal while watching over them from a distance. Play some Keno, put a bet on, have some drinks and watch the cricket during the offseason or the footy during the season. There is also another area of Wenty up near the top where sometimes they have some guy there playing songs on a piano. Stuff like Billy Joel and Elton John, 70's, 80's, 90's songs. That area isn't blasting them out, but it is more of a relaxing area. Usually alot of people sitting up there putting on more Keno tickets, watching a sports channel, having coffees or drinks or snacking on cakes, fancy biscuits or whatever.

Then they have there own auditorium which I must admit I have never been in, but briefly seen it from the outside. Maybe Nikki can give an update on that part. I think she is a member of there as well. Then you have the pokie section, and off into a small little room, I think they have a ping pong section?? On top of that, they do have the electronic card system there for withdrawing money from the pokie machines which I have discussed before at meetings and within this forum. That is a great idea that Parra should have already introduced. It would cut expenses instantly in several areas once installed. Enough Rant about Wenty however, we don't want everyone leaving Parra LC to go there.

I'm starting to find it amusing that all these ideas are being thrown at the faces of the current administration, from on this board.
It'll be interesting to see where they take them.
No doubt, Mits will play his part.

Suity

 

[Dave Q]

I hope there are some machines outside so the hard core punters can drink, smoke and gamble without interruptions.

Sad but profitable.

 

[Suitman]

I hope there are some machines outside so the hard core punters can drink, smoke and gamble without interruptions.

Sad but profitable.

Done, done and done.

Next suggestion?

Suity

 

[Dave Q]

I was thinking of Playstation games for teenagers played on giant screens.

Maybe during the school holidays or something.

And does the club have a childcare centre for working parents of Parramattas CBD?

And could some of the rooms be used as classes for new immigrants who need to learn english?

And will my membership bring me discounts from businesses outside of the club...

 

[Stagger eel]

Fair enough, Sorry for mixing the clubs up.

What are we doing with the closed one (two blues)? Presumably those licences are now deducted from the total if the venue is not trading, perhaps in the next financial year after closure?

.

I'm lead to believe that club was sold about 2 weeks ago...

Heres a thought for all. I am not saying this is 3P either. Just a crazy thought while late at night. What do you reckon people would think if you got all the machines and through them over to Vikings in Dundas Valley and built that up to be the casino that everyone talks about. Then keep the Leagues Club and turn into something more community and footy friendly to try to please all other demographics.

I'm with suity, it just won't work, I understand that were talking about a club located 5k's away but you'll definitely push that core group away from the club all together..it's perfectly located and very central to alot of areas.

Alot of money has been spent downstairs just recently on their new outdoor smoking pokie area within the club plus all the other changes that they have made over the last 12 months. Do you really see any change in that area in regards to moving it to another floor. The merchandise area should be alot larger and I agree the memorabilia and a "hall of fame or wall of fame" should be somewhere near an entry for all to see and something to be proud of and dwell on the achievements of the past. Which leaves upstairs then. The Wentworth Room could be used alot more which has been discussed already. Then you have Level 3 which is like a cemetary at this point in time. There is a hell of a lot of space up there which could be set up a lot better. The question is, do you keep the auditorium and try to utilise it better for more revenue and events areas or do you make it one big floor and set it up in a way like Tigers Leagues Club in Rozelle. They have the bar in the middle and then lots of key areas all around it. One area is a little TAB section. They then have a pools table section, a full blown non stop sports on tv section, another food area not near the gaming machines and another thing that they have is the life member photos on the wall as soon as you walk into the club.
In saying that Tigers is a lot smaller than Parra LC.

if our club was located on Victoria RD Rozelle, it simply wouldn't survive, due to the fact that it's a short 5k's away from StarCity, Balmain have done wonders to stay afloat and with the new development will only get better, Balmain is internally far superior than Parra Leagues and inturn suffer greater challenges.

I was thinking of Playstation games for teenagers played on giant screens.

Maybe during the school holidays or something.

And does the club have a childcare centre for working parents of Parramattas CBD?

And could some of the rooms be used as classes for new immigrants who need to learn english?

And will my membership bring me discounts from businesses outside of the club...

All good iseas Dave but the problem son is that Parra Leagues aint that big a club to offer such services..the only vacent area to put a child care facilities would be in the Auditorium., funnily enough and it just wouldn't be feasible to do it.

getting other business's involved and offering discounts is a fabulous idea imo.

 

[Twizzle]

I think there needs to be a reconnaisance mission to other clubs over a 3-4 week period.
Can I be the first to put my hand up to volunteer for such a serious and dangerous mission?

Suity

pick me up on your way through

 

[fish eel]

I'm with suity, it just won't work, I understand that were talking about a club located 5k's away but you'll definitely push that core group away from the club all together..it's perfectly located and very central to alot of areas.

Yeah, one thing you cant fight is demographics.

A walk through Parramatta's CBD and anyone will see the advertising for Chinese new year.

They're not just the pokie players, but local residents.

Taking all the pokies out to another club is signing a death warrant for the leagues IMO.

 

[mickdo]

Yeah, I think the pokies have to stay... it's a question of getting the rest of the club in shape so that the other demographics (i.e. football fans) aren't effectively kept in exile. Anyone who has been to level 3 knows there is next to nothing encouraging those people to the club.

 

[fish eel]

I'm sure level 3 can be jazzed up without damaging the income from the pokies.

 

[Yodaeel]

I'm interested in Suity's view why turning the whole third floor into the pokies floor, and reclaiming the ground floor won't work.

I'd hazard a guess that with decent access (a new lift/s) then the people that frequent the club regularly for pokies could care less if it were on the ground floor, third floor, or in a bunker ten floors underground. Except for the smoking thing, but the third floor has that new balcony that allows smoking but that hasn't attracted any new sports fans/smokers in (likely because the rest of the club/casino you pass through to get there looks/feels hideous and unwelcoming).

C'mon Ovo if you're reading this... surely you walk around there and feel a bit pained at what the place has been turned into?

 

[Yodaeel]

G,day Mate Yes I do try to visit the club on most days and I do appreciate the improvment ideas I have been reading and will work hard to develop them.
Unfortunately our club needs to have a good poker machine area to improve our income.
My first love is our rugby league and our only real source of income is through our gaming area.
Last year our contribution to cover the loss in league was in excess of $6million this as well as the years increase in gaming tax $6.3million will result in our club recording a loss for the year.
Mate I appreciate your comments and assure you I will do my best to keep our club afloat...OVO