Racing NSW CEO Peter V’Landys said he thought the New South Wales state government’s decision to book another major event on the same day as The Everest was an April Fools’ joke.
With the new Sydney Football Stadium close to being completed, the Perrottet administration is wanting to make a big deal of the opening night, booking pop sensation Bruno Mars to perform on a near-$10 million deal.
With free weekends both before and after October 15, V’Landys has told radio station 2GB that the decision is “beyond comprehension”, saying it takes away from Sydney’s premier race day.
“Why would you divide Sydney into deciding where to go?” he said.
“We worked very hard to bring an event to Sydney, it’s a homegrown event. We’ve established it, we’ve got interstate visitors, now we’re getting international visitors.
“Why would you undermine it by putting a one-off pop concert down the road? It’s beyond comprehension. I thought when they told me yesterday it must have been the first of April. I can’t believe it.”
While the typical racegoer may not be interested in a pop concert, V’Landys is of the belief that the demographic Everest Day attracts would be similar to the demographic that would want to watch Bruno Mars perform.
The hard-hitting businessman said Racing NSW has “worked exceptionally hard” to make The Everest into what it is, so he feels let down by the state government for the placement of the stadium’s opening night.
“The Everest attracts the younger generation and we’re very proud that we’ve got an event for 20- to 35-year-olds, and they’re the same people that will go to Bruno Mars,” V’Landys said.
“Why wouldn’t you do it the week before or the week after? They’re both vacant weekends with no competition.
“You would never see the Victorian Government put a pop concert on the AFL Grand Final, it’s beyond comprehension. It makes no commercial sense, it’s not good for New South Wales tax payers and as I said, we have worked exceptionally hard to bring an event to Sydney with no assistance from no one.
“For the first time, Melbourne residents are coming to Sydney for racing rather than vice versa, and what does the government do? It undermines us.”
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