The head of Broadmeadow Magic Football Club says he has not been consulted about the Hunter Park development in more than a year.
The Newcastle Herald reported on Friday that the NSW government planned to release a draft strategy for the long-awaited Hunter Park sports, entertainment and residential precinct early next year.
The precinct includes existing land users such as Broadmeadow Magic, Newcastle and District Tennis Association, Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, Newcastle Show and Newcastle Harness Racing Club.
Under a master plan released by Venues NSW a year ago, Newcastle Showground would be replaced by housing and parkland and the harness club would be relocated off site.
The committee that runs the show has resisted moves to shift the long-running event, while Harness Racing NSW has said it is happy to move as long as the government provides an estimated $50 million for a new track, possibly in the Cessnock or Branxton area.
Newcastle council's website says it conducted open community and stakeholder information sessions on the strategy in May and June.
Magic chief executive Steve Foteff said on Friday that his club had not been consulted about Hunter Park since a meeting with Venues NSW representatives on August 12, 2022.
"I don't know what's planned, what's happening, only what we read through the media," he said.
"They don't directly correspond with us at all. It's very frustrating. All we hear on the grapevine is this is going to happen or that's going to happen.
"It's been going on for 15 years with successive different governments."
Mr Foteff said the club was told at its last briefing more than a year ago that it might not have to move.
"The concept was to put the entertainment centre on the front corner [of Turton and Griffiths roads] instead of where the tennis courts are," he said.
"That was the last we heard. At that stage there was no defined process for us to move.
"They said we'd be staying where we are, but then you hear all the other whispers."
The Newcastle Herald approached the show organisers, the helicopter service and Harness Racing NSW for comment.
The Herald understands agencies involved in planning for Hunter Park met late last month to progress the precinct strategy, which includes nearby land in Broadmeadow.
The Property Council of Australia's Hunter director, Anita Hugo, said the Broadmeadow strategy was "one that can't come too soon".
"This site has great potential as a mixed-use precinct and importantly can also form part of the housing solution," she said.
"It's critical to get this strategy right, and we would encourage government to engage with industry in its development."
