Hotels revved up for sellout
GLITTER Strip hotels and bars are on track for a bumper GC600 weekend with ticket sales up on last year and accommodation providers close to booking out.
Hotels in and around the Surfers Paradise and Main Beach race track are almost full with many expecting the ‘No vacancy’ sign up by kickoff tomorrow.
Bars are also revved up with strip clubs Hollywood Showgirls and Toybox Showgirls using special late 5am licences tomorrow and Saturday.
General ticket sales were yesterday tracking four per cent up on last year.
Special grandstand seats under cover were 99 per cent sold with under 40 remaining yesterday, while corporate suites have sold out, up two per cent on last year. Pit lane walk tickets are up 12 per cent.
Sales to the Saturday night concert featuring Live, Foreigner and Sheppard are included in “same day tickets” so organisers can’t provide numbers. But typically 10,000-15,000 turn out for the Broadwater Parklands show.
GC600 organisers said they had high hopes of being up on 2017’s three-day tally of 186,259 and 2017’s Sunday’s 64,794 through the gates.
Rhapsody Resort reservation manager Sophie Hallion said the Surfers Paradise tower – right on the track with views of two straights and a hair-pin corner – had “just a few” of 220 rooms left.
“It is likely we will be 100 per cent full. We have a lot of repeat guests and people who have stayed previously and rebook straightaway,” she said.
AccorHotels chief operating officer Pacific, Simon McGrath said its 22 Gold Coast Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree properties had a combined average occupancy of 90 per cent for the GC600 weekend in line with last year.
“We still have rooms available over the weekend for race-goers yet to book but we expect these to be snapped up in the coming days.”
The Star Gold Coast had “strong bookings” at The Star Grand and luxury hotel The Darling, with Saturday and Sunday nights the busiest and limited options left for Friday.
Vodafone Gold Coast 600 event manager Melissa Stephens said sales were expected to increase with “great weather” forecast. CONNOR O’BRIEN THIS time last year, Alex Rullo was the Supercars driver who was not old enough to join his peers in making the most of the Gold Coast 600’s renowned party vibe.
Now, he has the chance to make up for lost time and enjoy the bright lights of Surfers Paradise, having celebrated his 18th birthday in June.
Rullo is co-driving with Simona De Silvestro in the No. 78 Nissan Altima this weekend and though his focus is on track, he did grin when asked if a peek at the city’s nightlife was on the cards.
“Yeah, will be laughed.
“The Gold Coast is more suited to a younger demographic than most of the other rounds so I am looking forward to going there.
“I’m 18 this year so I might hang around after the race.”
Don’t take those com- hopefully it good,” Rullo