Has the Taupo Race Circuit been sold?

[Southern Man]

For the past couple of weeks rumours have been circulating in the South that the Taupo Motorsport Park has been placed on the market and that it has a number of parties interested in purchasing it. Has the northern rumour mill any info to share on this?

[socram]

There were indeed 'For Sale' notices when we were there last month - but they referred to an industrial unit on site...

[raymond]

Understand it is and there are three offers on the table to be considered by end of February?

[Just Do It!]

Any idea who from?

[Bill Brown]

A group of forward thinking N.I. clubs should get together and buy it to keep control within the sport and keep prices affordable.

It is probably going for a fraction of what it cost to build

[raymond]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

Any idea who from?

Yes; but not my place to say

[socram]

Originally Posted by Bill Brown

A group of forward thinking N.I. clubs should get together and buy it to keep control within the sport and keep prices affordable.

It is probably going for a fraction of what it cost to build

That isn't going to happen as:

a) there are too few clubs close enough to maintain it, man it and promote it.

b) I doubt that many of the NI clubs even collectively have that sort of money, even at a discounted price

c) apart from the locally based Taupo Car Club, most NI clubs are too distant to make good use of it.

d) given that it is an average four hour drive with car and trailer from central Auckland, (average includes the hassles of weekend traffic) and is the least supported track within most NI series, it has little appeal when Pukekohe and Hampton Downs are within an hour's drive from not just Auckland, but also Hamilton.

e) as a track, it has no spectator shelter whatever even though viewing isn't too bad - as long as you have paddock access.

f) has it ever really made money other than maybe the drags?

g) with no established tier 1 drawcard, or A1GP or even a big, well promoted annual classic car event on the calendar, although there may be some potential, it will need a Tony Quinn with deep pockets to make something of it, with a public kart track or other money making attractions.

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by raymond

Yes; but not my place to say

A special general meeting of the Taupo Track shareholders has been called to consider an offer from Tony Quinn to purchase the Taupo track.

Warwick Mortimer has also submitted a bid as I am told has another 3rd party.

Basically Taupo is flat tap broke and will either be sold or alternatively a receiver will have to be appointed.

[NZSTfan]

Thanks for the info Mark. It amazes me just how much money recycling dead horses and making sweets can make....

On a similar-ish note, I heard some time ago from the owner of formula e indoor electric go karts in Auckland that Tony was looking at setting up a similar electric kart place in central Auckland. Needless to say, the guys at formula e are somewhat concerned about this as they have worked very hard just to break even. They are just getting on top of things this year i.e financially and they seem to think that Tony is a competition killer.....which is probably true based on his success.

Whoever buys Taupo will more than likely have an uphill battle on their hands. The whole area is dictated by tourism and tourist attractions, so one would think that if Tony is keen, then a highlands v2.0 would be his intention.

Its a great facility in my view, so whoever buys it needs to make it a drawcard for all categories.

[Blackpearl]

Originally Posted by NZSTfan

Thanks for the info Mark. It amazes me just how much money recycling dead horses and making sweets can make....

On a similar-ish note, I heard some time ago from the owner of formula e indoor electric go karts in Auckland that Tony was looking at setting up a similar electric kart place in central Auckland. Needless to say, the guys at formula e are somewhat concerned about this as they have worked very hard just to break even. They are just getting on top of things this year i.e financially and they seem to think that Tony is a competition killer.....which is probably true based on his success.

Whoever buys Taupo will more than likely have an uphill battle on their hands. The whole area is dictated by tourism and tourist attractions, so one would think that if Tony is keen, then a highlands v2.0 would be his intention.

Its a great facility in my view, so whoever buys it needs to make it a drawcard for all categories.

Please stop, race track to a go kart.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by NZSTfan

Whoever buys Taupo will more than likely have an uphill battle on their hands. The whole area is dictated by tourism and tourist attractions, so one would think that if Tony is keen, then a highlands v2.0 would be his intention.

Its a great facility in my view, so whoever buys it needs to make it a drawcard for all categories.

I think it has a some potential to be a destination Highlands type track and Quinn can do a lot to help the place. It's not a bad track and with some work and spic and span it can be a viable place. I think Quinn has been a great person for the local scene, finally smacking a lot of kiwi's upside the head with their ancient track management and marketing skills and he's showed with Highlands how a modern race track should look.

[Goat Boy]

It's a pity he didn't buy Hampton Downs. With a couple of mil spent on it we would have a first class track and facility - currently it is very much hamstrung by the lack of a bottom straight.

Taupo is not a great circuit as far as actual racing goes, there are not many good passing opportunities, especially for cars with decent aero (which probably meant that ST was not overly filled with passing there). But it is a nice facility and I do like going there.

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

It's a pity he didn't buy Hampton Downs. With a couple of mil spent on it we would have a first class track and facility - currently it is very much hamstrung by the lack of a bottom straight.

Taupo is not a great circuit as far as actual racing goes, there are not many good passing opportunities, especially for cars with decent aero (which probably meant that ST was not overly filled with passing there). But it is a nice facility and I do like going there.

Hi Andrew,

Hampton Downs is for ever cursed by the Apartment Building's and is in the middle of no-were, I like and admire what Chris and Tony have done, but until Pukekohe finally goes, at least 5 maybe as much as in 10 years time Hampton Downs cannot compete from a promotor's point of view, and V8Supercars recognized this 4 years ago.

Taupo is also still a great tourist destination and if Tony Quin was running his AGT Series there a week apart from the 101 the weather would be great, and Taupo would a true North Island equivalent to Queenstown in the South Island.

The shareholders still need to hear whats in it for them, and hopefully the deal goes through as TQ has the money to fix any issue with the track or spectator facilities.

The track fee's will double etc, but they are probably to low anyway.

[Goat Boy]

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[socram]

Originally Posted by Mark Petch

Hampton Downs is for ever cursed by the Apartment Building's and is in the middle of no-were, I like and admire what Chris and Tony have done, but until Pukekohe finally goes, at least 5 maybe as much as in 10 years time Hampton Downs cannot compete from a promotor's point of view, and V8Supercars recognized this 4 years ago.

C'mon Mark. Fair's fair. The apartment owners by virtue of the profits made, building on cheap Waikato farmland, generated the initial capital to get the track built. Without them, there would be no track. Sadly, much of that money was sucked out fighting the two government departments - Transit as it was then, and Corrections. You know that.

You fronted up to a meeting of apartment owners and tried to deny them totally free access to their own freehold apartments, as you (mistakenly) believed that you lost out on many thousands of spectator income - even though units in the rental pool may have been rented out to drivers and officials and even those who had bought tickets. You claim you lost out on thousands but still haven't come up with the evidence. Would you like me to publish a photograph of the apartments taken just before the start of that Super Tourers at that first event?

Numbers at Super Tourers have plummeted but that is no fault whatever of the apartment owners. The fact that HD as you put it, is in the middle of nowhere is incorrrect as it takes an Aucklander less than an hour to get there - exactly the same as Pukekohe and for a Hamiltonian, it is even closer and SH1 is alongside. Just remember that in 1955, Disneyland was in the middle of nowhere.

As a driver and spectator, HD wins hands down over Taupo any day of the week.

If you believe entry fees are too low for Taupo, then you must have a deal that the rest of us are not a party to, as we pay the same as for Pukekohe and HD!

HD were right to not cave into the Aussies, as they wanted a six figure sum to bring their party to town, but unlike Len Brown and the Auckland City Council, Waikato Council had already had their fingers well and truly burned.

HD is cashflow positive and has been for the last two or three years but Tony and Chris don't have the capital that Tony Quinn has, to take HD through to completion - yet. We are all waiting for the extension to be built, but quite honestly, I love the existing track as it is. Putting just four cars out on an extended track isn't exactly going to thrill the spectators either... However, it will generate more income when there are two events able to be run on the same day.

[Rocket Man]

(from Socam) Quote:
As a driver and spectator, HD wins hands down over Taupo any day of the week.

You have to be joking Socam, this is the worst track for spectator viewing that I've been to in NZ. And I've been to all of them except, unfortunately, Highlands as yet.

[socram]

Originally Posted by Rocket Man

(from Socram) Quote:
As a driver and spectator, HD wins hands down over Taupo any day of the week.

You have to be joking Socram, this is the worst track for spectator viewing that I've been to in NZ. And I've been to all of them except, unfortunately, Highlands as yet.

Maybe I should have qualified that by saying 'as a spectator wanting to take decent photographs'.

I agree that you can't see as much of the track in one go as you can at others, but I'm happiest spectating and taking photographs at different corners of which there are several that make for good pics, without looking through wire fencing.

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by socram

Maybe I should have qualified that by saying 'as a spectator wanting to take decent photographs'.

I agree that you can't see as much of the track in one go as you can at others, but I'm happiest spectating and taking photographs at different corners of which there are several that make for good pics, without looking through wire fencing.

I guess that maybe so Socram, but as a general Spectator for viewing, it sucks big time.

[Just Do It!]

So is Taupo worth $10 million?

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

So is Taupo worth $10 million?

No, probably less than half of that but you never know what you are going to get from a bidding process.

[The Realist]

Originally Posted by Southern Man

No, probably less than half of that but you never know what you are going to get from a bidding process.

It is sad if Taupo has come to an unsustainable situation requiring a new owner.
Surely the directors would have known for some time that things were on a downhill spiral, and would have had time to react accordingly.
They have their shareholders financial interests at stake here.
Hopefully it will all end up ok. I like the Taupo facility.

[Bill Brown]

Originally Posted by The Realist

It is sad if Taupo has come to an unsustainable situation requiring a new owner.
Surely the directors would have known for some time that things were on a downhill spiral, and would have had time to react accordingly.
They have their shareholders financial interests at stake here.
Hopefully it will all end up ok. I like the Taupo facility.

Taupo has struggled from the time it was upgraded, I think that dreams of major events and usage ended up being just that "dreams". To much money borrowed to high overheads. One step ahead of receivership for a long time. Sad but once committed there is no going back.

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by Bill Brown

Taupo has struggled from the time it was upgraded, I think that dreams of major events and usage ended up being just that "dreams". To much money borrowed to high overheads. One step ahead of receivership for a long time. Sad but once committed there is no going back.

That is the sadness of it all, a successful club operated circuit taken over by people with dreams who lacked the drive and ability to make it all happen.

Operating a circuit that can hold its head above water financially is bloody hard work and we do not give recognition to those who manage that for they are the lifeblood of the sport simply because they don't know how to give up and/or take the easier options and they will be there in the future.

Yes one must have dreams and I have always believed that if you can dream it then you can achieve it, but then that comes down to the personal qualities of the person/s involved.

Unfortunately in the case of a couple of our circuits the dreamers have also been orators who talked others into supporting the dream but who then baled out as soon as the going became tough and left others to carry the load.

I do feel very sorry for the Taupo Car Club and for the shareholders that brought into the dream

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by socram

C'mon Mark. Fair's fair. The apartment owners by virtue of the profits made, building on cheap Waikato farmland, generated the initial capital to get the track built. Without them, there would be no track. Sadly, much of that money was sucked out fighting the two government departments - Transit as it was then, and Corrections. You know that.

You fronted up to a meeting of apartment owners and tried to deny them totally free access to their own freehold apartments, as you (mistakenly) believed that you lost out on many thousands of spectator income - even though units in the rental pool may have been rented out to drivers and officials and even those who had bought tickets. You claim you lost out on thousands but still haven't come up with the evidence. Would you like me to publish a photograph of the apartments taken just before the start of that Super Tourers at that first event?

Numbers at Super Tourers have plummeted but that is no fault whatever of the apartment owners. The fact that HD as you put it, is in the middle of nowhere is incorrrect as it takes an Aucklander less than an hour to get there - exactly the same as Pukekohe and for a Hamiltonian, it is even closer and SH1 is alongside. Just remember that in 1955, Disneyland was in the middle of nowhere.

As a driver and spectator, HD wins hands down over Taupo any day of the week.

If you believe entry fees are too low for Taupo, then you must have a deal that the rest of us are not a party to, as we pay the same as for Pukekohe and HD!

HD were right to not cave into the Aussies, as they wanted a six figure sum to bring their party to town, but unlike Len Brown and the Auckland City Council, Waikato Council had already had their fingers well and truly burned.

HD is cashflow positive and has been for the last two or three years but Tony and Chris don't have the capital that Tony Quinn has, to take HD through to completion - yet. We are all waiting for the extension to be built, but quite honestly, I love the existing track as it is. Putting just four cars out on an extended track isn't exactly going to thrill the spectators either... However, it will generate more income when there are two events able to be run on the same day.

Apartments/Condos have been used in the USA as a means to generate income and capital for some tracks and I'm sure it helped HD get their track built. To me, depends on the business model of the track, but especially with some tracks it's not a bad idea if there is interest there to do.

By doing that though you have to recognize those buyers at least have rights to their own private property and as long as the apartment owners at HD are not doing something unsafe with too many people in an apartment, then those that race there just have to suck it up and that's the way it is.

I agree, HD out in the middle of nowhere? I don't think so. This isn't 1955, but I guess if people think that then no wonder they think traveling to the South Island is such a big ordeal like Marco Polo venturing across Asia. I did know an Aucklander one time that had never been south of Auckland, ever. Didn't even know what Hamilton looked like. So I guess I can imagine some in Auckland going OMG we get on this big scary Highway 1 and drive south of the city in this thing called a car OMG what will we do?

Glad to hear HD is cash flow positive and I think they are best taking the long view. Pukehoke will probably not last forever and it's best to pay the bills off, build your revenue base up and not over extend yourself. The track extension will come in time.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Bill Brown

Taupo has struggled from the time it was upgraded, I think that dreams of major events and usage ended up being just that "dreams". To much money borrowed to high overheads. One step ahead of receivership for a long time. Sad but once committed there is no going back.

Based on what I know, they kinda got hit with a whammy once the extension was done, the world financial crisis and the opening of Hampton Downs as competition. Sometimes you get your plans and dreams in place, make it happen and then once done the world and the market have already changed and you are left holding the bag.