Next year’s Newcastle 500 will be the final event held under the existing agreement between Supercars Australia, City of Newcastle and Destination NSW.
City of Newcastle wants to use the 2023 event to seek community feedback before, during and after the race as part of a consultation strategy prepared to guide future decisions on the event.
“At this time, no decision has been reached by any of the three parties on an extension of the race beyond March 2023,” City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said
Tonight, councillors will vote to place the draft strategy on public exhibition ahead of its planned implementation.
“Any inclusion of Newcastle as a potential host city for another five years will be subject to broad community and stakeholder consultation, and a decision of the elected Council after the March 2023 event,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
The draft consultation strategy proposes gathering feedback from the community via a random telephone survey across the entire city and in-person surveys around the event precinct during the race period.
It’s hoped that the in-person surveys will provide some data on race-goers visitation to local businesses.
A report about any potential extension of the Newcastle 500 will be prepared for Council mid next year.
