Delaware North wins VRC culinary ‘race’

Article posted by Coliseum, February 18^th, 2026

Image: Delaware North

Delaware North, a global hospitality and entertainment company with nearly 40 years of operations in Australia, has been appointed as the hospitality services provider for the Victoria Racing Club (VRC), home of the iconic Flemington Racecourse, following a competitive tender (bidding) process.

‘Delaware North’ stated that the multiyear agreement with the Victoria Racing Club will begin in April 2026 marking a significant milestone for Delaware North as it expands its footprint in Melbourne’s world-class sporting and entertainment landscape.

Buffalo (US)-based Delaware North is a global leader in the hospitality and entertainment industry. The company annually serves more than a half-a-billion guests across three continents including at the high-profile sports venues, the airports, the national and State parks, the restaurants, the resorts, the hotels, and the casinos. Building on more than a century of enduring partnerships and a commitment to the local communities and sustainability Delaware North’s vision is to delight the guests by creating the world’s best experiences today while reimagining tomorrow.

With a racing history dating back to 1840, the Flemington Racecourse is home to both the world-renowned Melbourne Cup Carnival and Australia’s premier racing club, the 120,000-capacity Victoria Racing Club (VRC). Established in 1864, the VRC has over 30,000 members making it the largest member-based racing club in the world and hosting over 20 race meetings per year.

The 120,000-capacity Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup which is the world’s richest handicap and the world’s richest 3,200-meter horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats next to the Maribyrnong River.

The Flemington Racecourse has established itself as one of the most versatile venues in Australia. With the capacity to hold up to 60,000 people in a huge outdoor setting or hold large indoor conferences or seminars the Flemington racecourse shows its true capability to cater for many types of events.

The Flemington Racecourse, renowned for hosting the Melbourne Cup Carnival and other premier racing events, is one of Australia’s most celebrated sporting venues attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

A handicap in horse racing is a race where horses of varying abilities carry different weights (assigned by a handicapper) to equalize their chances of winning.

‘Delaware North’ further stated that under the new partnership Delaware North will manage hospitality services across race days, non-event functions and the corporate areas delivering exceptional experiences for the Members, the guests and the racing fans.

Observed Gary Brown, Managing Director of Delaware North in Australia and New Zealand, “This is an incredible opportunity for Delaware North to partner with one of the most prestigious racing organizations in the world. Flemington is synonymous with excellence and tradition and we are honored to bring our global expertise and local knowledge to enhance the hospitality experience at this iconic venue.”

The appointment strengthens Delaware North’s position as a leader in Australian venue hospitality complementing its existing partnerships with the 1,00,024-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground and the 53,343-capacity Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.

Kylie Rogers, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Victoria Racing Club, said Delaware North impressed during the tender process with its vision for elevating the guest experience for the VRC members and patrons and its strong reputation and local presence in Melbourne’s hospitality and events industry.

Remarked Rogers, “The Victoria Racing Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Delaware North as its new hospitality partner following a comprehensive tender process. Delaware North is one of the world’s leading privately-owned catering and hospitality companies with extensive experience delivering premium culinary experiences across the stadiums, the race clubs, the national parks, and the luxury resorts around the world and in Australia. They were selected for their proven capability in commercializing the business events, the conferences and the non-race-day events along with their strong track record in premium hospitality.”

Added Rogers, “As a strategic partner Delaware North will help elevate the VRC’s precinct-wide food offering, enhance the Member engagement and support the club’s commercial growth objectives. Their expertise in major events, site transitions and Member-focused service delivery positions them well to deliver for our customers and the broader VRC community. The VRC also sincerely thanks the Crown for their exceptional service and support over the past four years.”

Delaware North plans to introduce a mix of locally inspired culinary offerings and premium service styles to Flemington ensuring the guests enjoy a true taste of Melbourne.

With operations spanning three continents Delaware North brings extensive experience managing hospitality at dozens of major sports and entertainment venues including London’s (UK) 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium, the 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium near New York City and Boston’s 19,580-capacity TD Garden (both in the US) which the company owns and operates.

Maintained Brown, “Our global expertise combined with a deep understanding of Melbourne’s vibrant food culture will ensure we deliver a best-in-class experience for every guest at Flemington.”

Delaware North’s other operations in Australia and New Zealand include the Lizard Island Resort on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia, the Mindil Beach Casino Resort in Darwin (Australia) and the restaurants at the major airports including Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

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