PRO: Garden Island Motorsport Complex | $25m

[rhino]

I happened to be up at Garden Island on Sunday, for the first time in about 25 years. What is the huge mound of dirt that makes up most of the island? Is it a storage site for contaminated dirt from other sites, by any chance?

[Prince George]

Wasn't Garden Island a landfill site?

[Howie]

It'd be nice to take the Sensational-Adelaide track car for a spin when this track gets up and running

[Norman]

Just get Cara to do it

[fabricator]

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

DEVELOPERS behind a $150 million motorsport complex proposal will hit the streets today to protest against the Government's inaction on the project.

The Adelaide Motorplex consortium wants to buy or lease land at Gillman from the Land Management Corporation to develop the Motorplex, but was last year told the land was no longer available.

The consortium of Adelaide business people behind the project include City Dismantlers owner Bill Russo and ABH Contractors director David Georgiou.

Consortium spokeswoman Anna Micheel said stage one of the development, including a race circuit, a three-lane drag strip and business centre, would cost about $25 million - money they had ready to spend.

"We are not asking for money, we want to purchase or lease the land and we have the money to build the complex," she said.

More than 500 businesses have pledged their support to the development and the State Opposition has now allied itself with the cause.

"A motorsport complex would bring a boost in tourism, a boost in the economy and it would create employment in a big way, not only in the building of the complex but in the operation thereafter," Ms Micheel said.

She said hosting weekly events would attract thousands of people to the Port Adelaide area and spawn cluster industries that would support the local motorsport industry.

"Especially in the auto trade area, the flow-on effect would be immense," she said.



Waterloo Speedworks owner, Mel Caruso, said Adelaide Motorplex would be an enormous boost to his business.

"I specialise in building muscle cars and race engines, and something like this would double my business," he said. "I don't think they (the government) take motorsport people seriously." Opposition sport and recreation spokesman Terry Stephens said the land would be made available to the consortium for a commercial price if the Liberals were elected.

Also this in the comments section:

The State Government believes a motorsport complex would threaten the potential multi billion dollar housing development at the nearby salt pans. A study into the development is continuing and it would be impossible to make a judgement before this study is complete. It is remarkable the Liberals would threaten a potentially massive development while this study is continuing. It shows the Liberals are completely irresponsible and not ready to govern. We understand that the proponents of the development briefed the Liberals on the development and they were supportive of it. It looks like the Liberals have a different story for whoever they're talking to.

Posted by: Patrick Conlon of Sa Govt 6:18am today
Comment 12 of 31

Remember that housing development on salt pans ?
All those jokes about things going rusty.

[Howie]

Well a few of us were there at the rally today. And looking at the proposed site, there is no way you'd want to put a housing development where they have planned. Who really wants a front yard view to giant chimney stacks and powerplants?

[rhino]

You don't seriously believe that was Pat Conlon in the comments section, do you?

[iTouch]

What i find funny is that Adelaidenow commentors are complaining about the noise even though its at least 2km out from all residential existence
I hate how some NIMBY's think the whole of Port Adelaide is their backyard

[rhino]

I hate how some NIMBY's think the whole of Port Adelaide is their backyard

I wouldn't want Garden Island to be part of my backyard!

[Ash-SV6]

First post here in a long while, but thought I'd update whats happening with the proposed Adelaide Motorplex.

First up, regarding the Tailem Bend Motorsport Park, from what I understand it will only cater to car clubs, so the drag strip will only be suitable for street cars. So even if it gets built we still wont have a venue for ANDRA drag racing. That said, I hope it gets built, it sounds like a good venue for those seeking to enter motorsport at an affordable entry level.

As for the proposed Adelaide Motorplex, this is an artists impression released by the consortium a while back now:



And heres a post I made on another forum which outlines why the Motorplex has so far failed to get off the ground, and why its important to vote Liberal on Saturday if there is any chance of seeing it get built:

For all motorsport enthusiasts that may lurk on these forums, may I suggest you spend a short time reading the Adelaide Motorplex website before casting your vote on Saturday.

To sum up the situation, there are several wealthy business owners here in Adelaide that have been looking to build a motor sport complex somewhere near Adelaide, with the primary focus on drag racing and jet sprint boat racing since we currently have no facilities for either of these in SA. However, in the long term they also wish to incorporate a speedway and road racing circuit, along with conference facilities.

Two years ago the consortium approached the Labor Government for help in selecting a site. The Labor Government were receptive to the proposal, granted it Major Project status, and the Land Management Corporation recommended it be located on the salt flats at Gilman since it was well away from housing currently and well into the future, and was unsuitable for industrial use.

Then about a year ago there was a fatal accident on Magill Road due to two cars street racing which resulted in a huge public backlash against hoon driving (and rightly so!), followed by the discovery of the bad driving record of Road Safety Minister "Turbo" Tom Koutsantonis. It was at this point the Government suddenly done a 180, and took away the Major Project status for the Motorplex, and refused to make the land available they said they would. In effect, the Labor Party got freaked that approving the Motorplex might be seen in the eyes of voters as encouraging hoon driving by building what could be described by ignorant voters as a "hoon playground". This is despite statistics showing when other such facilities were established interstate, arrests for hoon driving related charges decreased! You also need to consider the economic benefits of such a facility - construction jobs initially, then as interstate competitors travel for events, they spend up on transport, accomodation, dining, retail and tourism.

So put simply, Labor put there own political careers ahead of the interests of this state, and have sinced pulled many dirty tricks to silence the issue. First they tried to decieve the investors as to why the land was no longer being made available, then when the consortium requested a trade stall at the Clipsal 500 they were denied despite other similiar stalls being approved. Then just yesterday, an anonymouse complaint was recieved by the Electoral Commission regarding an A-frame sign the consortium has been driving around Adelaide raising awareness of the Motorplex.

While all this has happened, the Liberal Party have stayed firm in thier support of the Motorplex, have travelled to similiar venues interstate to research the benefits of such facilities, and have signed a letter of commitment which is a legally binding document that says should they win the election, they will make the land for the complex availble.

So if you wish to see a Motorplex built in Adelaide to benefit all motorsport competitors, vote Liberal on Saturday.

Also someone commented on the previous page that with the salt pans earmarked for housing, that will kill off the Motorplex. Apparantly the company which runs the salt works has another 15 years to go on the lease, and once that is done, the reclaimation of land is expected to take 10 years, so realisticly, it will be atleast another 25 - 30 years before housing could become an issue.

[crawf]

I saw something about this on 7news on the weekend that this could be starting construction very soon and it will a staged development.

[Sir Lustalot]

Stateline 19-11-10 http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/11/19/3071807.htm

[rhino]

Well this makes no sense at all, to me:

Gillman motorsport park too noisy for locals - Foley
From the Portside Messenger

NEW Motorsport Minister Kevin Foley says a proposed motorsport park at Gillman would be too noisy for residents.

The Port Adelaide MP, however, has not committed to reducing the noise impact of the Outer Harbor freight line on those living just metres away.

Mr Foley spoke to the Portside Messenger last week after being handed the new portfolios of Police, Emergency Services and Motorsport, to add to his Defence Industries responsibilities.

The Government’s ministerial reshuffle came after Mr Foley announced last month he was stepping down as treasurer.

Mr Foley said the site of the proposed $100 million Adelaide Motorplex - about 100ha of land near the Adelaide Speedboat Club - likely was needed for industrial or defence use. “I’d be loath to see it used for other purposes,” Mr Foley said.

“The land is of strategic importance and the noise impact on my constituents would be unacceptable to me. I am very concerned it is a very noisy venue very close to residential homes.”

Some of the nearest homes to the Gillman site, about 2km away in Largs North, are right on the freight line. A rail curfew, acoustic walls and double glazing are among ideas raised by Le Fevre Peninsula residents to curb the freight noise. The Government has said nothing needs to be done.

Mr Foley said: “I’m more than happy to meet with residents in my electorate to hear their grievances.”

Balancing the needs of residents and industry along the peninsula was “a very difficult task”, he said.

[rhino]

Drive for Gillman raceway revs up
Daniel Wills From: The Advertiser March 03, 2011 12:00AM

PROTESTERS wanting a motorsport complex at Gillman expect to deliver one of the largest petitions in state history to Parliament.

Adelaide Motorplex Group spokeswoman Anna Micheel (pictured in thumbnail) said they aimed to gather up to 100,000 signatures in favour of the proposal at this month's Clipsal 500 race carnival.

The group is asking the State Government to sell it the site through the Land Management Corporation and has pledged to spend its own money on construction.

"Adelaide needs a complex like this as we are missing out on lots of events. This would be a boost for tourism, jobs and economic activity," said Ms Micheel, a former Liberal candidate in the state seat of Port Adelaide.

The Government has claimed the land may be necessary for defence or industrial development and car racing may prove a noise hazard for residents.

[Wayno]

From AdelaideNow:

A RIVAL bidder has approached the State Government to develop a car drag strip and race track in opposition to the Adelaide Motorplex consortium.

Minister for Motor Sport Kevin Foley, who has objected to the potential noise problem which would be created by the Motorplex in his Port Adelaide-based electorate, refused to say where the rival bidders wanted to locate their track.

"The government has been approached by another group, a very credible group, who are wanting to discuss with government their plans for a motorsports complex," he said.

"There is also a third group which has expressed some interest."

Mr Foley said the government would "sit down" with all the groups but the second and third group may have more suitable suggestions for the location of the land.

"The Motorplex consortium is just a group of private people who want exclusive rights to land which is very close to homes," he said

The Adelaide Motorplex consortium wants to buy or lease land at Gillman from the Land Management Corporation to develop the Motorplex. The consortium behind the Gillman project include City Dismantlers owner Bill Russo and ABH Contractors director David Georgiou and 500 businesses.

It was last year told the land was no longer available.

Mr Foley said the second group had plans which were "much more advanced than the Motorplex group" but denied he was favouring one over the other because of protests by Motorplex today at the Clipsal 500.

The protests include petitions signings outside the event gates and also traffic disruptions planned in the city at 5.30pm.