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Bike race in jeopardy over Linfox dispute
By Cameron Houston
March 11, 2006
The Age

The future of the Phillip Island MotoGP is in doubt following a dispute between racetrack owner Lindsay Fox and the State Government over who should pay for improvements at the circuit.

The contract to host the international event expires this year and Linfox Property Group has refused to renew the contract with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

Linfox Property Group has pressured the State Government to finance projects, including resurfacing the track and extending existing garage facilities, before it extends the contract with race organisers until 2011.


The event already costs Victorian taxpayers $7 million annually. A bid for Federal Government funding was rejected last year.

Linfox has also lobbied the Department of Sustainability and Environment to support the rezoning of the 370-hectare site from rural to special use, which would enable it to build a hotel, 506 holiday suites and a golf course designed by Greg Norman. It already has a permit for a 160-room hotel on the site.

A planning dispute looms after the Bass Coast Shire Council recently asked Planning Minister Rob Hulls to rezone the land for farming, which would prevent parking and camping on the site during events.

Linfox Property Group general manager Andrew Nicholls said the Phillip Island circuit had slipped behind international standards and was in urgent need of an upgrade.

A Department of Tourism spokeswoman said negotiations continued and keeping the event at Phillip Island was paramount.

Bass Coast councillor and Phillip Island resident Kelly Simrajh said a request for a walking path along the property's cliff-tops had been rejected by Linfox Property Group.

Rezone the land for farming hey ? Stupid council.

javaman wrote:Rezone the land for farming hey ? Stupid council.

yeah its not like there's enough farms in the area already. im sure the cows would luv it.

javaman wrote:Rezone the land for farming hey ? Stupid council.

The land in question is likely to be that to the west of the track, overlooking the ocean beyond where the Highside Capmground is at the GP. That land came with the track when Linfox bought it, and that's where the hotel and the golf course are supposed to go.

I wouldn't be surprised if the council's action was a spoiling tactic for Lindsey Fox's "I'm rich, so why should I pay for anything?" approach to negotiating deals.

The Vic govt gets sfa benefit from the WSB and the GP rounds. The GST levied on the fuel and food consumption spike from people getting goes to the federal coffers, from where they are preferentially distributed to Qld, SA and WA, anyway.

If the track is resurfaced, the pit facilities expanded and the hotel built, the track will see a lot more use for private testing and corporate days. The money for this goes straight to Linfox, yet they want the state gov't to stump up for these upgrades.

I'd be telling them to stick it, too.

If Linfox wants to own the track they ought to pay to maintain it. As for the restrictions on the land which will stop camping, WTF? If no-one can stay at the track everyone has to stay at the islands campsites (which generally don't want us) or commute off the island on the single bridge. Neither option is viable. Linfox will get the use of the land, just hope they have to pay for it.

total agrement from me....if u have a house & want it to be nicer, u gotta pay for it..not the govt!!
linfox make a killing on hosting events like GP and SBK, so why should the govt pay?? its a private track afterall...

said it b4, and ill say it again..id have no dramas with going to EC for the GP everyyear!!

mick_dundee wrote:Bike race in jeopardy over Linfox dispute
By Cameron Houston
March 11, 2006
The Age

The future of the Phillip Island MotoGP is in doubt following a dispute between racetrack owner Lindsay Fox and the State Government over who should pay for improvements at the circuit.

The contract to host the international event expires this year and Linfox Property Group has refused to renew the contract with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.
.

phark 'em

they bought the circuit and surrounds with certain allowances/agreements
re development (hotel golf course etc etc) on the basis that they (Linfox)
would maintain and improve the circuit..to ensure the race stayed
there
but
Linfox bumped up the track rental (so ride day costs have gone up )
so the track could be maintained and improved
and now they want more..????

we have lost the Aussie Superbikes (refer the previous KSRC post on that)
coz of the costs from using the circuit

I hope Bracks sez get pharked 'you got everything you asked for when you bought it..now fufill your side of the bargain)

Its just a ploy by Fox to get more money from the goverment who already put in seven million.
Fox isn't going to risk loosing the Moto gp.

Its just a ploy by Fox to get more money from the goverment

Agree..

He has a track record for doing what he likes and fcuk anyone else, judging from the stuff you read about his home in Portsea. Apparently *took over* the beach outside his home and declared it private constructing fences (initially, then bollards & security persons later, finally just bollards - guess he lost that one) to keep the riffraff public off *his* beach. Also a dispute about him coming and going from his yard at all hours in his 'copter. Doesn't give a rats just wants to make $$$$.

I dont know what the govt has tipped in but he's always gonna take it to the limit and see what he can screw outta them by the sound of him. Looks like Bass Shire is shitting itself and making ambit claims to try and contain him.

All in all if the track goes he's not going to care further than the decrease in property value and failure of a business venture.

If he wants to see a GP he can ... anywhere in the world.

Yeah, move it to Eastern Creek

Smitty wrote:
we have lost the Aussie Superbikes (refer the previous KSRC post on that)
coz of the costs from using the circuit

No wonder I did not see PI in aus superbike ad in one of those magazine! Damn I so like that event. Much cheaper and more action!

Yeah, move it to Eastern Creek

Wasn't this attempted ... and didn't it FAIL and DIE.

Move it to "Shee de Madkaw" It's closer for me to get too.
Linfox is a typical rich turd.
Cheers Brett

And you still get to do the oxley highway on the way there and back not to mention its more central for us QLDERS.

Nah just normal buisnes principles, the cheapest way to get anything done is to get someone else to pay for it and he is trying to blackmail the government first.

Have seen plenty of this kind before, and sometimes it even works for them thats why they keep trying it.

good damn linsey.

its not like he's struggling for cash and cant upgrade the circuit. Maybe he shouldn't of spent 2 million on redoing his houses upgrades.

Pay linsey, u tight arse