Councillor Fry visited the renowned German venue this week for what he called, “a research mission to see how they commercialise the most famous circuit in the world”.
While Mount Panorama is an open road outside of events, the Nürburgring features its closed GP circuit, while the Nordschleife is open to the public, but access is ticketed.
In a post to his public Facebook page, he outlined a raft of potential ways the Bathurst Regional Council could commercialise Mount Panorama outside of the race event weekends.
“The MEGA complex of buildings and surrounding closed-circuit [at the Nürburgring] is a highly-tuned, private, commercial asset,” he wrote.
“Corporate events, drive days, tourist drives and vehicle tests most days of the year make up the bulk of the revenue (Ducati had hired the entire circuit when we dropped in).
“There are still some things we could explore for Mt Panorama, though, as we do have a good amount of space and supporting infrastructure in/around the pit complex that could set us up for any to these:
“Popup Kart hire on asphalt behind pits, music festivals, corporate functions, race cafe/restaurant on roof of pit complex, full track walk tours, immersive simulator room to tackle the circuit, pit complex experience w/ ‘live racing garage setup’; get hands on with a real race car.
“Some of these things would required capital of course, and (if not council) willing operators , but I think it’s time we start to look at activating the pit precinct as a tourism venture.
“We always aim to break-even in operating the circuit, but what if we commercialise the non-event periods for the HUGE amounts of tourists that visit the place?
“Hell, I paid €2.50 just to LOOK at the Nurburgring.”
Mount Panorama is currently used for five race events per year, although that is set to drop to four next, at least temporarily, thanks to the impending axing of the Bathurst International.
That will leave the Bathurst 12 Hour, Bathurst 6 Hour, Bathurst 1000 and Challenge Bathurst.
Fry’s European trip continues this weekend with a trip to Spa-Francorshamps to support Bathurst local Brad Schumacher in the Spa 24.
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