On track to crack 200,000 Fanstands hot ticket for GC600
COULD this be the year the Gold Coast 600 finally cracks the 200,000 crowd mark?
Supercars Australia is on track to keep and boost crowds at next weekend’s GC600 as the race precedes the new Newcastle event for the first time.
Punters will be able to buy tickets to the 600 Sounds concerts at Broadwater Parklands at the gate for the first time this year – for $51. The tickets are expected to help boost race attendance.
While race organisers say cracking the 200,000 attendance mark isn’t their focus, ticket sales and weather forecasts indicate the 2017 event could be the biggest yet.
“We aren’t going to make any bold predictions due to the amount of variables which can play a part but there is incredible momentum off the back of such an amazing race at Bathurst,” GC600 event manager Sam Pearce said.
This year’s event is expected to generate more than 90,000 visitor nights and tip well over $40 million into the local economy.
“This is more than a motor race, it is a massive major event on and off track. It is a festival of the best motorsports categories on the planet combined with world-class music which appeals to a wide audience and demographic,” Ms Pearce said.
At least 10 per cent of fans trackside for the GC600 during the past few years have travelled from interstate or overseas to attend
The race’s 7000 corporate guest offerings are almost sold out, sales of the 5400 fan stand seats (non reserved grandstands) are strong and general admission ticket sales are up on last year. Tickets for the 7800 seats in the track’s eight Platinum (reserved) grandstands – all close to food and drink outlets and amenities – are expected to ramp up once fanstands fill.
“Fanstands are selling extremely well and general admission is well up. There are fantastic seats remaining so we encourage anyone wanting a seat in a prime location to get in now,” Ms Pearce said.
This year’s Friday and Saturday 600 Sounds concert bills has been designed to hook new race fans in.
“We have quite clearly targeted a younger audience with our concert line-up of
Hilltop Hoods, Violent Soho and Delta (Goodrem),” corporate affairs general manager Cole Hitchcock said.
“Often there is a tendency to purchase late and in some cases walk up on the night. We certainly have capacity to cater for that next week.”
Don’t miss our special 8-page GC600 liftout in next Saturday’s Bulletin