Lismore’s Italo-Australian Club could have a reprieve from closing down after a Special General Meeting for members was held last night.

Italo Club president Americo Melchior said the club could now be amalgamating with Club Marconi - another Italian club - based in Sydney.

But the future of the Lismore club is not yet definite.

“Club Marconi have also bailed out another club and they are keen to come up and talk and look at the Italo Club next week to see if they want to go ahead with it,” Americo said.

“Everybody at the meeting was happy last night. 

“Club Marconi made $3 million after tax last year, so it’s not much for them to spend over $200,000 on our club.”

“The Italo Club needs a lot of improvements – the air con and freezer are broken and the kitchen needs upgrading,” he said.

Americo said he had been talking on the phone to the Club Marconi chief executive, Tony Zappia over the last few weeks to discuss the amalgamation. 

“If the amalgamation goes ahead, the Italo Club will be run from Sydney, but still have a figurehead board here,” he said.

“Club Marconi will send a manager up here – but we don’t want to get too excited – it hasn’t happened yet."

Americo said the Liverpool Soccer Academy had also expressed an interest in amalgamating with the Italo Club, but that had fallen through when the Academy recently lost its affiliation with Southern Cross University.

The Italo-Australian Club has been an important fixture of Lismore’s social scene, hosting functions, dances and music since it was established in 1960.

The club had been struggling financially for a few years and Americo said the Covid closure period earlier this year was just the “nail in the coffin” which lead to the board’s earlier decision to close the club.

Mr Melchior said the club was built by volunteers, and relied on the patronage of Lismore’s Italian community for many years. The club currently has about 420 members.

Americo said patronage has been declining over time and the club’s inability to hold the weekly smorgasbord due to coronavirus restrictions impacted heavily on the club’s income.