Melbourne residents vote 10 to 1 against race
Feb 22, 2011 | 12:11 AM
#1
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| FIGJAM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,463
Melbourne residents vote 10 to 1 against race
Melbourne residents vote 10 to 1 against race - GPUpdate.net
The Melbourne Member of Parliament whose constituency includes the Albert Park street circuit has explained that local residents have voted with a ten to one favour against the Australian Grand Prix being staged in the city after its current contract expires in 2015.
The event, despite being immensely popular with fans, has continued to make losses in recent years, much to the dismay of taxpayers. Member of Parliament Michael Danby has now said that the Grand Prix, which has made annual losses in the region of 50 million Australian dollars (31.1 million pounds) since 1996, should not see its deal renewed after 2015.
“The Grand Prix may have been a good deal in 1996, when it cost the government only 1.7 million (1 million pounds), but with falling crowd numbers and taxpayers footing a 50 million-a-year bill, the government should cut its losses and walk away,” Danby told parliament.
“Rising costs, dwindling crowds, fed-up local residents, an ambivalent Melbourne mayor...to me, everything points to Melbourne saying 'Thanks for the memories' but gracefully declining to renew the Grand Prix contract.”
The Melbourne Member of Parliament whose constituency includes the Albert Park street circuit has explained that local residents have voted with a ten to one favour against the Australian Grand Prix being staged in the city after its current contract expires in 2015.
The event, despite being immensely popular with fans, has continued to make losses in recent years, much to the dismay of taxpayers. Member of Parliament Michael Danby has now said that the Grand Prix, which has made annual losses in the region of 50 million Australian dollars (31.1 million pounds) since 1996, should not see its deal renewed after 2015.
“The Grand Prix may have been a good deal in 1996, when it cost the government only 1.7 million (1 million pounds), but with falling crowd numbers and taxpayers footing a 50 million-a-year bill, the government should cut its losses and walk away,” Danby told parliament.
“Rising costs, dwindling crowds, fed-up local residents, an ambivalent Melbourne mayor...to me, everything points to Melbourne saying 'Thanks for the memories' but gracefully declining to renew the Grand Prix contract.”
Feb 22, 2011 | 01:03 AM
#3
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,875
From: Orange County
Hosting an F1 event is probably the most difficult thing to pull off in sports promotion.
The logistics are simply mind-boggling.
It is like having the Olympics in your country every single year.
Tickets are so expensive now and F1 makes you buy the whole weekend - not just race day anymore.
In 2007 I paid $20 to watch practice at Indy. This year I will pay $275 in Montreal.
People are content to sit at home and watch it on television.
And you know Bernie isn't negotiating with them in such a weak position.
Exit Visas are imminent.
The logistics are simply mind-boggling.
It is like having the Olympics in your country every single year.
Tickets are so expensive now and F1 makes you buy the whole weekend - not just race day anymore.
In 2007 I paid $20 to watch practice at Indy. This year I will pay $275 in Montreal.
People are content to sit at home and watch it on television.
And you know Bernie isn't negotiating with them in such a weak position.
Exit Visas are imminent.
