Sensational-Adelaide.com

Will wrote:Those oppossed to the Victoria Park grandstand show the classic symptom of the unfortunate Adelaide NIMBY mentallity which is a lack of vision. Those oppossed fail to understand that in the future, improved facilities at Victoria Park may help Adelaide retain the Clipsal 500 event, and in fact may help attract more motor sport events. Furthermore, improved facilities may also encourage greater use of Victoria Park for horse racing. It is sad, that there are many people here in SA, in positions of power who lack vision and are preventing Adelaide becoming a trully exciting place to live.

Here, here, I couldn't have said it better myself...

Its this sort of NIMBY ATTITUDE thats keeps holding Adelaide back and gives us a bad reputaition. I've personally lived in both Sydney and Melbourne and have seen first hand how things are done over there and how they constantly put down Adelaide. I personally and passionatly like a lot of people here believe Adelaide though has a lot of potential.

Don't say its because of there size, etc, compared to Adelaide. Its simply because the average person over there in the eastern states has a,"can do/will do attitude".
Something that some people in Adelaide lack here. Why do you think we lost the Grand Prix? It was way better in Adelaide, but because people become lazy and complacent and constantly walk around saying she'll be right every 5 minutes, one of the greatest sporting events in the world was stolen straight from under us.
I fear we risk losing events such as the clipsal 500 in the future if that sort of attitude creeps back or continues. I completly agree with the above statement, there's no point in me repeating was written there.

Well done too Howie on getting us a mention in the Sunday Mail. I was pleasantly suprised when I read that article on Sunday morning!!

I think the big thing that caused us to lose the grand prix was just simply 'money' and 'State Bank'.

However the Clipsal is safe because its cheap to run though it is very important to the states economy, other events such as the Tour Down Under , Fringe, Adelaide Festival, WOMADelaide etc.... are also safe

The Clipsal race doesn't need a permanent grandstand. A demountable, modular building is cheaper, more flexible and has a residual value if the Clipsal race should ever not be run any more.

Why the fetish with a permanent building?

I think crawf is right about the Grand Prix. Even massaging the figures, the race only made money in one of the years it was held. The govt couldn't justify the cost given the recent State Bank disaster etc.

crawf wrote:I think the big thing that caused us to lose the grand prix was just simply 'money' and 'State Bank'.

However the Clipsal is safe because its cheap to run though it is very important to the states economy, other events such as the Tour Down Under , Fringe, Adelaide Festival, WOMADelaide etc.... are also safe

Our then Premier Lynn Arnold and the governments lack of support lost us the Grand Prix. Bernie never wanted it to leave here, but with Ron Walker's and Jeff Kennett's enthusiam, business plan, MONEY and persistance, it was always going to leave, while our government left it too late to put up a fight!!!!

Having said that Crawf, i am happy with our substitutes, but i really loved those F1's going around. I just hope they do decide to race the Clipasl on the original F1 track.

Sorry guys, now back on topic.

stumpjumper wrote: I think crawf is right about the Grand Prix. Even massaging the figures, the race only made money in one of the years it was held. The govt couldn't justify the cost given the recent State Bank disaster etc.

I have never understood why people constantly throw up that pathetic excuse!!!
The financial spin off was huge around the state. The manpower required alone for each F1 team is stagering over the V8's. The Clipsal generates a lot of South Australian and Interstate spectators, not a huge International presence. As mentioned time and time again, Adelaide was on the map, predominantly in Europe due to our race. The drivers and teams loved it here. They said they would bring there families the following year and they would. Being the last race of the season, there was no rush for them to leave, so many stayed and spent big. The salary these guys get is enormous. The International guest stayed longer and spent more.
For every $1 dollar spent by the government, i'm sure $3 - $4 dollars would have returned to the state in the way of hospitality, retail spending etc. That sounds like a good return to me.

Mike Rann is saying now about the Tour Down Under, that money can't buy this kind of exposure. I am fully aware of the Tour being run at a fraction of the cost, but could you imagine Adelaide having the TDU and the F1.... Now that would be exposure we would dearly love overseas.

Shall we change this thread to 'Bring the F1's back to ADELAIDE!!'

virgin poster

Just for the record, I'd have F1 back in a flash. At Vic Park or anywhere else.

I just don't see the point of spending $55 million of public money on a building which will be closed for 90% of the year and to which most of the public will never have access. Especially when we already own an adequate, cheaper alternative: the present temporary structure.