Street circuit in Sydney
V8 SUPERCARS finally has its Sydney street race after many years of negotiations.
The first 'Sydney 400' will for 2009 act as the Grand Finale to the Championship on December 4-6, at Homebush.
The much-anticipated street race will be the first of five in a deal that had many obstacles in it's path.
“Today is the most significant day in the 12 years of V8 Supercar racing,” quipped V8SA Chairman Tony Cochrane shortly after the newly appointed NSW Premier, Nathan Rees had confirmed his government’s intention to sign a five-year, $30 million dollar contract to provide the infrastructure and services for the event.
The rest of the annual event costs, and thus the risk, will be borne by V8 Supercars Australia.
Premier Rees confirmed that, while he would have preferred to finalise the contract completely within the context of the new State mini-budget now being prepared by his government, time was an issue: “So, we have taken the decision now to be involved, and the final contract will be completed soon. If we had not taken this decision, the event would have been lost to Sydney.”
Cochrane confirmed to MNews that “there was a Plan B”, but would not elaborate further.
‘Economic benefit’ figures of $30m per year, international media coverage, and 15,000 international/interstate visitors convinced the incoming premier to complete the process started by his predecessor Maurice Iemma.
Indeed, MNews understands Iemma was due to announce the event just days after his unplanned, sudden resignation.
Under some calendar time pressures from V8SA, the incoming premier’s administration had to make a quick decision, and did so.
Cochrane is conscious of the difficulties in cracking the Sydney sports market (indeed Homebush’s ANZ Stadium drew just 20,000 to an AFL final just a fortnight ago, admittedly on a rainy night), but believes that the full-on entertainment weekend – including Saturday night concert – will do the job.
Event tickets will allow free travel for the weekend on Sydney’s public transport services.
A handful of demonstrators, a couple extolling the virtues of Eastern Creek’s expansion plans, shouted their message during the outdoor presentation, but were otherwise restrained. Three trees for each of the 140 that will need to be removed, will be planted.
( source Touringcar times )
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