1 July 2004

Waitakere supports Supercars

Waitakere City Council last night decided unanimously to support the proposed V8 Supercar race in downtown Auckland.

The Council considered that provided traffic impacts can be managed, the event would have little effect on Waitakere residents and there would be a range of benefits for both the region and the country.

Mayor Bob Harvey told the Council that the V8 race was even better, in one way, than the America’s Cup because “we don’t have to win it in order to host it every year.”

This means that the benefits are available year after year. These include TV coverage to a world-wide audience of about 600 million, at least 550 part-time jobs, work for up to 60 companies and 30 or 40 associated events across the region including concerts, charity balls, go-kart racing, a yachting regatta, and a host of other community events.

“Many of those benefits will flow through to whole country,” he says.

Mr Harvey pointed out that Auckland had handled massive traffic re-organisation in the past, for events such as APEC and CHOGM and the council was confident that similar arrangements would be in place for the V8 races

ENDS

© Scoop Media