In shock news, Bankstown Sports CEO Mark Condi has resigned after 10 years in the role and 30 years at one of Sydney’s leading club groups. He gave no hint of the impending announcement during a leadership session at the Australian Gaming Expo held at Sydney ICC yesterday.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my resignation as Chief Executive Officer of Bankstown Sports Club,” he posted on LinkedIn on Thursday night.
For the decade he has been at the helm of the club, it has merged with several venues and introduced numerous restaurants and entertainment venues, plus built an office block, Flinders Centre, topped by rooftop bar Lady Banks. The venue also turned itself into a vaccination centre during Covid.
“Leading such an amazing organisation through what has been the most difficult period of my life, through 26 weeks of lockdowns, the creation of the vaccination hub, helping the single most affected local government area, through the strictest of lockdowns and restrictions, is something I will be most proud of,” he wrote.
Bankstown Sports Club has only had three CEOs since its inception in 1958. Condi started in 1992 as a car park attendant and glassie and moved up through the ranks. He was awarded Life Membership of the club in 2020.
“One of my greatest achievements is being rewarded a life member of the club, and I will cherish my membership and look forward to seeing my club develop into what will be a leading entertainment and hospitality venue in Australia if not the world.”
There are now several clubs under the club group umbrella including Auburn Tennis Club, Birrong Sports, Bankstown Bowls and Baulkham Hills Sports and the club has recently put a merger with Bankstown Golf Club on the table. The amalgamation includes a $500m seniors living development, distillery and new clubhouse.
“I leave the club in the strongest position it has ever been both financially but more importantly with the best team anyone could want,” he wrote.
He said he now wants to spend more time with his family and to improve his skiing in New Zealand where he is now taking time out.
“I will use the next few weeks as an opportunity to reflect, recharge the batteries and move forward with a renewed passion and drive into the next chapter of my life,” he concluded.
“The industry has suffered a lot during what has been a very tough few years, but I am confident it will bounce back strongly in the coming years.”
In other AGE news, the Gaming Technologies Association (GTA) confirmed the appointments of former Clubs NSW boss Anthony Ball as Board Chair and Cameron Louis as Vice Chair at an announcement made at the AGE 2022.
Ball succeeds Adrian Halpenny who held the position of Chair for more than nine years, transforming GTA’s advocacy capabilities and overseeing exponential growth of AGE, the association’s showcase event.
