Greyhound racing will cease at Sydney’s historic Wentworth Park in 2027, with the NSW Government confirming the inner-city venue will be demolished and transformed into green space to support thousands of new homes.

When the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association’s lease expires in September 2027, the racing facilities will be removed and the Crown land handed to the City of Sydney for the development of sporting fields.

Approximately 4,800 new homes are already planned for the surrounding precinct — including the former fish market site at Blackwattle Bay — and the government says the creation of additional public space could enable a further 2,500 dwellings.

Premier Chris Minns said the location was ideal given its public transport access, including light rail, ferries and the future Pyrmont metro station.

“By creating new housing in well-serviced areas, instead of pushing growth to places without the transport and infrastructure to support it,” Minns said, adding the redeveloped land could host up to 20 new sporting fields.

The announcement ends months of uncertainty for the greyhound racing industry, which had been awaiting a decision on whether its lease would be renewed. The industry had proposed a hybrid model that would maintain racing while simultaneously opening much of the site to community sport and public access.

Greyhound racing began at Wentworth Park in 1932 and grew steadily, culminating in the completion of its major grandstand in the mid-1980s. Attendance has declined in more recent years, but the track still stages more than 100 meetings annually and remains one of the code’s most recognisable venues.

Minns acknowledged the decision would disappoint many.

“But cities change, and we have a responsibility to plan for the future,” he said.

The government will allocate $10 million to upgrade other NSW greyhound tracks so they can absorb the race dates lost from Wentworth Park’s closure.

For more racing industry news and updates, visit JustHorseRacing.com.au.