When opportunity roars
showed the benefit to businesses of attracting those crowds with events, he said.
But there was also a considerable opportunity going untapped.
‘‘There were hundreds of people wandering around not knowing what to do with themselves for most of the weekend.
‘‘It’d be great to have some more things on for them to do, but we’ve got our hands full just organising the championships and the scrutineering.’’
Speedway hoped to talk with Palmerston North City Council about setting up more events in the city next year, Robertson said.
The Central Economic Development Agency was already looking at what else the region could do to make the most of the event.
CEDA Conventions marketing manager Phil Hildred said the teams champs was recognised as one of the largest, regular events on the regional calendar.
The agency aimed to have surveyed 20-30 per cent of attendees this weekend about their spending habits and who they were, in an effort to identify how to make the event better.
Traffic around The Square slowed to a crawl as people looked for parks, and at times the queue of cars on Fitzherbert Ave stretched back almost to Featherston St.
Downtown on Broadway shopping centre manager Grey Key said the surge of people into the CBD was noticeable, even on top of the usual long-weekend crowds.
The 42nd Street Eatery food court was packed throughout the weekend, Key said.
‘‘It’s pretty new for us to actually draw in the extra crowds [during the teams champs], because we’ve been without a food court for [past three years].’’