The gold coast event

[cavvy]

There seems to be a lack of understanding of where Messrs Harvey & Singleton are coming from:
1. the auctions, currently held on the Coast turning $52mil year in, year out
2. the horse race currently held on the Coast at a provincial race track, drawing a modest crowd.

They initially were looking for funding for the auction, then upped the ante, offering $5mil (conditional on the Q govt matching $ for $) to set up the richest race in the world.

Its not just a horse race. My view is we will see Qld turf interests ratcheting up the stakes to have the Indy funding go into racing, with the horse race being held in Brisbane & the auction remaining on the Coast.

Dont underestimate the horse lobby, it puts millions into Government coffers through betting taxes.

[retro]

Just to add to this horse racing debate that you Mexicans might not know about the [rather inept] Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek has his seat [Surfers Paradise] on the GC so any take down [spending of gov monies] by Premier Bligh in his own area is worth double points on the political scale..

http://www.jplangbroek.com/

[Oldtony]

Last years Yearling sales only topped A$60 million and that was down on the previous year. The GST on that is of Course $6 million and while collected by the Feds it goes to the State. In addition to the yearlings (the big sales) there are also weanling sales. broodmare sales and sporting and racehorse in training sales. A significant portion of the horses come from Qld studs.
The Harvey/Singleton threat is if they don't get the prize money they will transfer the Magic Million business, sales and all, to Melbourne. The other major sale in Australia is Inglis which happens in Sydney.
The Sale is a huge International social event as well as turning over large lumps of money. Racehorses go to just about every country in the world because of our high breeding standards and clean quarantine.
Add to that of course the betting tax revenue and taxes on the higher level accommodation and retail spending. Just to top it off that sort of visitor tends to become an investor in business or real estate.
It would take a very interesting financial presentation to convince a rational persom that this would not be a better financial and political project than a sort of National/regional tin top race in the streets of Surfers.
Think about it.
Much better direct financial return.
No Local construction or traffic disruption.
Mega rich visitors versus Bogans
Fashions on the field versus boobs on the balcony.
I'm a motor race fan and I would hate to have seen the end of the Indy Carnival, but I'm also a Gold Coast resident and a taxpayer and that makes staying loyal to the GC event pretty hard.

[NewsStalker]

Originally Posted by Falcadore

Queensland doesn't have a horse race holiday.

<cough> Yet... (maybe I should have put a smiley or two in that post! )

[Axeman444]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

The GST on that is of Course $6 million and while collected by the Feds it goes to the State.

err not quite totally correct, but anyway...

[Just Do It!]

In NZ, horse racing is able to apply for proceeds from gambling to top up its prize pools for racing events such as the Kelt Capital Stakes, which is NZ's richest horse race.

Can this be done in Australia?

If you look at the NZ racing scene, if this valuable revenue source was taken away, horse racing would become less viable than motorsport in a flash

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by Axeman444

err not quite totally correct, but anyway...

er OK. It goes into a pool divided between States based on a formula calculated on economic activity, needs and social requirements. But extra economic activity in a state does attract increased payment, as I understand it.

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

In NZ, horse racing is able to apply for proceeds from gambling to top up its prize pools for racing events such as the Kelt Capital Stakes, which is NZ's richest horse race.

Can this be done in Australia?

If you look at the NZ racing scene, if this valuable revenue source was taken away, horse racing would become less viable than motorsport in a flash

The majority of prize money in Australian racing comes from the portion of wager turnover set aside for that purpose by the TAB companies. This is topped up (often to a comparatively small degree) by the name sponsor of the race and the host race club.
By the way this is the reason for the on going fight to control on line betting which only makes small contributions to the prize pool.

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

In NZ, horse racing is able to apply for proceeds from gambling to top up its prize pools for racing events such as the Kelt Capital Stakes, which is NZ's richest horse race.

Can this be done in Australia?

If you look at the NZ racing scene, if this valuable revenue source was taken away, horse racing would become less viable than motorsport in a flash

Used be similar in Aus, with state government owned betting agencies. Muddied now as most, if not all State governments have privatised them in the chase for the mighty dollar.

Nonetheless the turf clubs remain very strong, as is their influence.

From todays press, see one of Melbournes smaller clubs expanding, no mention of raiding the public purse:
http://www.superracing.com.au/herald...ightlife/11542

[cavvy]

Interesting timing:

Geoff Jones will become both a partner and director of Sports and Entertainment Limited (SEL) – the company which owns 25 percent of V8 Supercars Australia.

Jones, the current CEO of Ticketek, will take up his role on April 1 this year.

It’s the first major partnership change at SEL in its 13 year history.

Jones will join Tony Cochrane, James Erskine, David Coe and Basil Scaffidi as directors of the company.

Jones brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise, having worked in senior positions at IMG, the Foster’s Group and Ticketek.

He is also regarded as the best CEO in the history of the Gold Coast street race event and could be a great asset to V8 Supercars Australia if it is able to play a greater off-track role in the Gold Coast event. The Queensland government is currently working through who will guide the October race weekend into the future.

Jones has also been mentioned in the past as a candidate for the V8 Supercar CEO role in the past, but it is believed he rejected the offer.
http://www.speedcafe.com.au/2010/01/...rtnerdirector/

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by cavvy

Interesting timing:

Jones brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise, having worked in senior positions at IMG, the Foster’s Group and Ticketek.

He is also regarded as the best CEO in the history of the Gold Coast street race event and could be a great asset to V8 Supercars Australia if it is able to play a greater off-track role in the Gold Coast event. The Queensland government is currently working through who will guide the October race weekend into the future.

With Martin Witaker from Bahrain, and previous F1 connections, coming aboard as CEO of VESA, that is a pretty fair level of expertise SEL is building up. Fairly obviously they are looking to taking full control of the Surfers event from IMG. With these 2 gentlemen joining the team they will have the expertise and connections to look at series other than V8SC.
The QR dumping takes on yet another meaning?????

[cavvy]

Big IF Tony: if VESA get the government funding?

No announcement yet, the future of the event being reviewed.

[Oldtony]

Agreed cavvy, a very big IF
But TC is putting together a team that should be able to handle putting together the liason with an international series if that is required to keep the event going, and it probably is.

[xrystl]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

Agreed cavvy, a very big IF
But TC is putting together a team that should be able to handle putting together the liason with an international series if that is required to keep the event going, and it probably is.

The grumbling from the locals needs to also be thought of as they are gaining quite a following for ditching the event altogether , after last Octobers fiasco where everyone knew what was happening months before , those in the Government with the blinkers on and believing those whom shouldn't be believed are now trying to sidestep the issue much to the annoyance of the locals who surprisingly have quite a strong voice and do have quite a bit of infuence because of past positions of power that some held prior to retiring to the quiet of the coast.

[Oldtony]

Exactly. But some of those people you describe are not against motor racing, but they are against the down market image and the sort of crowd the V8s attracted.
Maybe we are snobs, but we are thinking through our pockets.

[fomoco]

Their still needs to be something on the coast. October for some reason is low on tourist dollars. A international category is required, it is either a street race or change the Magic Millions to October. Or we hope the Norwell track will commence building shortly, i hear EPA requirements are clear, land has been purchased , so maybe we wont need the street race in a year or two.

[bazil]

Originally Posted by cavvy

Interesting timing:

Geoff Jones will become both a partner and director of Sports and Entertainment Limited (SEL) – the company which owns 25 percent of V8 Supercars Australia.

Jones, the current CEO of Ticketek, will take up his role on April 1 this year.

It’s the first major partnership change at SEL in its 13 year history.

Jones will join Tony Cochrane, James Erskine, David Coe and Basil Scaffidi as directors of the company.

Jones brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise, having worked in senior positions at IMG, the Foster’s Group and Ticketek.

He is also regarded as the best CEO in the history of the Gold Coast street race event and could be a great asset to V8 Supercars Australia if it is able to play a greater off-track role in the Gold Coast event. The Queensland government is currently working through who will guide the October race weekend into the future.

Jones has also been mentioned in the past as a candidate for the V8 Supercar CEO role in the past, but it is believed he rejected the offer.
http://www.speedcafe.com.au/2010/01/...rtnerdirector/

Highly respected and regarded by most people in the industry. Nothing but positive.

[stmookeyj033]

Originally Posted by fomoco

A international category is required, it is either a street race or change the Magic Millions to October.

If you know your horse racing, there's barely a 2 Year Old race BEFORE NOVEMBER each season, plus you would put that against the Melbourne Spring Carnival which IS racing at that time of the year. It won't happen.

[cavvy]

Meanwhile acting premier Andrew Fraser said a report into last year's failed A1GP event on the Gold Coast would be released in about two weeks.

The A1GP cars, booked to appear after the Indy cars pulled out of the annual Gold Coast motor racing event, failed to arrive for their scheduled first appearance.

"I, for one, am very confident we will see a motorsport event later this year on the Gold Coast," Mr Fraser said.

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/news/arti...wich-v8-event/

[cavvy]

The WRC round 2009 in Northern NSW claiming a worldwide audience of 53 million, how does that compare with recent Gold Coast claims over say 2007-8-9 ? Anyone?

http://www.cams.com.au/Media/News/20...alia-2009.aspx

[NewsStalker]

Originally Posted by cavvy

"I, for one, am very confident we will see a motorsport event later this year on the Gold Coast," Mr Fraser said.

A car club motrorkhana qualifies for this statement as well

[cavvy]

Gold Coast Tourism has welcomed a new funding initiative aimed at bringing more international visitors to Australia.
The Gold Coast will be a part of the tourism stimulus campaigns funded by the Federal Government and the industry.

Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter says it is important to try and attract more overseas visitors as soon as possible.

"All of it will be marketing - the intention will be to try and bring people into the Gold Coast earlier," he said.

"The money is primarily taken out of next year's Tourism Australia budget, but we think this is a good idea because it's now bringing people in to the Gold Coast when we need them, which is now."

Tourism Australia's managing director, Andrew McEvoy, says the stimulus campaigns are aimed at reversing a 1 per cent decline in international visitors last year.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...site=goldcoast

"The inbound tourism numbers are actually improving and we're seeing the green shoots of recovery as they say and this will be a way to further stimulate that growth," he said.

"So we're seeing a lot of economies globally start to recover and we want to be in there, up in front of people, to make sure that we get the lion's share of that growth in terms of outbound travel from those markets."

Tags: industry, tourism, southport-4215

[mayhem]

I see John Martin hoping the SuperLeague Formula series may come to the Gold Coast. He also mentioned that he'd like the Gold Coast United FC to consider a racing franchise, I guess if anyone could afford it, Clive Palmer could.

[Oldtony]

Seve Richards on Gold Coast TV News promoting the nerw VESA Company line.
"The Gold Coast Doesn't need an International Series to attract visitors and TV Coverage".
Sorry Steve, as a tourism marketing guru you make a good race driver.

[stmookeyj033]

Originally Posted by mayhem

I see John Martin hoping the SuperLeague Formula series may come to the Gold Coast. He also mentioned that he'd like the Gold Coast United FC to consider a racing franchise, I guess if anyone could afford it, Clive Palmer could.

The fact that Palmer continues to cut costs wherever possible with GC United would surely put an end to those dreams before they started. As for alternates from Queensland World Game Clubs, the Roar have no money and are about as popular at the moment as a boil on a posterior, and the Fury (Townsville based) have their own problems. Plus I don't know if a series with a similar concept to A1 would have any impact on this country.