Townsville... Gone....???

[GTRMagic]

It seems Mr Newman is taking a long hard look at everything his government spends its money on... Story Here

[Mixer]

Damn if this keeps up maybe we should draw up the shutters on the state, would the last one to leave turn the lights out?

Just a worry, the razor gang has worked so well in Europe...

[Speedwayracer44]

Sign of the times here Team. Obviously things arent as rosey as we would like. Perhaps these events arent as finacially viable as V8SC says they are?

[speedreader]

Originally posted by Speedwayracer44
Sign of the times here Team. Obviously things arent as rosey as we would like. Perhaps these events arent as finacially viable as V8SC says they are?

Agreed Speedwayracer, street circuits are incredibly expensive to set up and break down every year and it is only a matter of time before people question the expenditure versus local benefits ratio.

What does annoy me though is the continual shutting down of existing facilities due to urban development with promises from local councils and governments to replace them with new facilities that never materialise.

Here on the Gold Coast we have lost a motor racing circuit, numerous motorcycle tracks, Kart tracks and recreational riding trails with replacements being promised for ALL but we are still waiting !!!

We even had a consortium (iMett) attempt to get approvals for a viable, fully funded (at the time of launch) International spec motor racing circuit located between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. This would have been a perfecct venue to relocate the GC 600 too with direct access via train and motorway on/off ramps so people could easily access from either City or local towns on the rail links. The venue included a specialist driver training area, Kart and Motocross tracks and concert facilities surrounded by walking and cycling tracks winding in and around natural earth embankment sound barriers covered by botanical gardens. They also included plans to introduce a motorsport museum, hotel complex and a motorsport precinct of workshops & retail outlets in the future as the venue became more established BUT they cant get past the red tape to get it started.

It would have been up and running by now had the beaurocrats worked with the concept back at the start instead of finding more and more reasons why it should be stopped...

[F J Nedos]

Having recently been up in Townsville, I could only drive on the pit straight, the first sharp right hand turn and the bit of straight after that.

Seems as if most of this track is permanent. Therefore I would have thought it would be much like Adelaide and the cost of getting it ready should be comparatively cheap from other street circuits.

I'm no fan of pumping money into street circuits where that money could put into a permanent facility. But I would have thought that this one was about as good as street circuits get and shouldn't face the chop.

They talk about another north qld town hosting it - but wouldn't that be just another street circuit?

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by F J Nedos

They talk about another north qld town hosting it - but wouldn't that be just another street circuit?

That would more than likely require the same government backing that may disappear from Townsville
If Townsville can't fund it on its own without the government I am sure that smaller Mackay can't

[cptkablamo]

I remember that iMett thing - it sounded like a great idea at the time - could have also been the base for the WRC as well before it moved down south.

It's what Queensland motorsport needed and would have been a good model for others to use round the country - eg. Western Australia...

Townsville should stay - it is in prime V8 territory with the mines near by and an area of the country that gets nothing other than NRL really...could be good for the mining companies to come in and fund for a few years :P

[porsche91722]

The IMETT site is still there http://www.imett.com.au/index.html
No recent updates though. It seems like a no brainer to me. Great location, with M1 and transport close by. The only thing that worries me is the Herman Tilke designed circuit. If it were to go ahead, and I doubt it in the present climate, they would want to make sure they get it right the first time, because it will probably be the last chance ever, to get a permanent circuit in South East Queensland.

[St00ge]

Originally Posted by F J Nedos

Seems as if most of this track is permanent. Therefore I would have thought it would be much like Adelaide and the cost of getting it ready should be comparatively cheap from other street circuits.?

They spend a good part of the year putting up and taking down all the grandstands, fences, temp buildings etc in Adelaide.. Having part of the race track on park land wouldn't save them much at a guess, maybe on some road closures but still ain't cheap!!!

[Mixer]

I think "a good part of the year" is a "bit of an exaggeration" if by "good part" you mean "most".

[Axeman444]

Originally Posted by St00ge

They spend a good part of the year putting up and taking down all the grandstands, fences, temp buildings etc in Adelaide.. Having part of the race track on park land wouldn't save them much at a guess, maybe on some road closures but still ain't cheap!!!

Originally Posted by Mixer

I think "a good part of the year" is a "bit of an exaggeration" if by "good part" you mean "most".

not taking any sides, but clipsal was run 1-4 March.

looking at nearmap, setup kicks off between 17th Oct and 24th Nov in the parklands, with the 1st evidence elsewhere appearing 1st Feb (footbridges over normal streets), support paddocks 22nd Feb etc.

Between 22nd Feb and 8th March there are no pics, however the streets are in operation in both pics without issue from what i can see.

As at 4th April, there are only grandstands in the parklands remaining to be pulled down, and only the carcasses of these on the 17th April.

So outside the parklands, streets are only affected as far as I can see at most 22nd Feb - 8th March, ie 2 weeks, a week either side of the race, with other structures in place ie footbridges a month either side

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

It seems Mr Newman is taking a long hard look at everything his government spends its money on... Story Here

As a new government coming in its probably a very good idea.

V8SA building so many races around government financial support leave themselves open to this kind of uncertainty, especially with a change of government.

There is potential to lose 3 events in the next 12 months or so - not sure what Archer will think of that.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

As a new government coming in its probably a very good idea.

V8SA building so many races around government financial support leave themselves open to this kind of uncertainty, especially with a change of government.

There is potential to lose 3 events in the next 12 months or so - not sure what Archer will think of that.

you have probably answered your Archer question in your 2nd paragraph.

Do you think archer are idiots?

[R4z3rw33n]

Originally Posted by peckstar

you have probably answered your Archer question in your 2nd paragraph.

Do you think archer are idiots?

Had Archer assumed control of V8SC before the event contracts were renegotiated?

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by R4z3rw33n

Had Archer assumed control of V8SC before the event contracts were renegotiated?

Was there a renogotiation? i have no re-collection of one

[R4z3rw33n]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Was there a renogotiation? i have no re-collection of one

Beats me. I'm just trying to ascertain whether it's a risk they (V8SC, Archer) could have averted earlier.
Particularly, as someone's already been mentioned, there's a decent possibility the series could lose 1-3 of its (heavily state-subsidised) events within the next 24 months.

For this reason, it's no huge surprise they're attempting an overseas migration of sorts.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Was there a renogotiation? i have no re-collection of one

I think that is kind of the point. These were not re negotiated or extended prior to Archer's purchase

[peckstar]

2 races into a 5 year contract, why would they be renogitating?

surely Archer who have been in charge for about a year now would have the responsibility of doing that.

Which is currently whats happening. with a year to go

[D.R.T.]

Has it been a year with Archer already? Time flies when your ah .... ah ................. never mind.

I was more thinking all the government funded races rather than specifically just Townsville. That said I wasnt aware this was only the 2nd year of the current contract.

Fool on them (Qld Government) for signing up that long.

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Fool on them (Qld Government) for signing up that long.

Don't forget Canberra had a contract too. I miss that track

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

I was more thinking all the government funded races rather than specifically just Townsville. That said I wasnt aware this was only the 2nd year of the current contract.

.

sorry misunderstanding , its now year 4, but when archer agreed to buy only two races had been run