Motorsport worth many millions

Hosting the Superstock team champs in Palmerston North could be worth $5 million for one weekend, up on the $3.7m estimated by a Central Economic Development Agency review.

Speedway promoter Bruce Robertson told the city council’s economic development committee on Monday the motorsport industry probably pumped more than $15m a year into the regional economy.

Robertson said the agency survey was based on more than 300 visitors filling in surveys about how much they spent. ‘‘That’s not taking into account a lot of ancillary spending in the engine shops and on tyres building up to the weekend.’’

It also neglected the number of engine and machine businesses, engineers and chassis builders, car painters, panel beaters and tyre shops that were based on servicing speedway.

Cr Brent Barrett said he was concerned to think the agency survey could be 30 per cent out on the weekend’s economic benefits.

The agency’s conventions marketing manager Phil Hildred said the survey was a starting point, to get some baseline data on visitor spending for events. He said the survey showed spending per visitor that was higher than expectations. Although improvements could be made, he said measuring the total value of speedway to the regional economy over a year would be beyond the organisation’s scope.

Robertson said it would be good to see the city council put more effort into providing other activities for visitors to enjoy between race nights.

A report to the city and Manawatu District Council joint strategic committee in June will look at how the councils could better support major events for the visitor market.