http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...012789,00.html

QUEENSLAND stands to become the epicentre of motorsport in the southern hemisphere with a proposed $650 million complex set to lure the world's top racing disciplines.

The first big event, a leg of the World Rally Championship, has already been sealed with Rally Australia blasting off from the site at Norwell from September next year.

There is also a compelling case for Formula One to be lured away from Melbourne's Albert Park circuit which costs the Victorian government tens of millions of dollars each year to stage.

Project bosses say the Norwell complex has been designed so that major events do not have to be underwritten by the government like F1 and the Gold Coast Indy.

Rally Australia had been staged in Perth from the late 1980s until last year however it is believed the event cost the WA government between $8-$10million a year to underwrite.

It is understood the Queensland Government will not be burdened with a cost to have the world rally championship which has sealed a multi-year deal after winning approval from the FIA's world motor sport council last October.

There is a big push for the Australian F1 Grand Prix to be run under lights so it can be televised at a more user friendly time back to Europe and cash in on a greater television audience.

However transforming the Albert Park layout for night racing would require a substantial cost.

The Norwell circuit, which will be built by acclaimed German track designer Hermann Tilke, will be wired with the latest in flood-lighting technology from the beginning.

The company behind the motor city complex says it would welcome any major international events.

But the project has not been designed to rely on big race meetings such as grands prix for its survival.

"We are not about stealing events from people however if the grand prix people want to talk then we would welcome that," said Ron Brown, the managing director for i-METT the company established to undertake the project.

"The way the motor sport complex is being set up it doesn't have to rely on government money or big events for sustainability ... there is much more to it than just motor racing events.

"It is a business park where a lot of things will be going on seven days a week so it's much more than just a motor racing circuit."

Champ Car would be welcome however it is difficult to see the Queensland Government or the North American-based series managers wanting to shift the massively successful open wheeler formula from the streets of Surfers Paradise.

i-METT says the economic benefit of motor sport cannot be ignored.

The company cites a British Government survey that says motor racing in England accounts for $8.2billion a year that makes it that country's fifth largest export earner and which is bigger than the agricultural and steel industries combined.





I'm expecting an eyesore
Also, the business park comment doesn't put me with high hopes either. I hope its more akin to Turkey than Shanghai.
Thoughts?



PS Yes Arrows I know you closed a similar thread started by ioan about this but I thought this is worth its own thread.