SuperGP on track

More than 1100 employees from around 70 companies will band together this month in preparation for the 2009 SuperGP in October.

Despite losing its naming rights sponsor, Queensland Minister for Sport Phil Reeves, is confident the event will inject close to $60 million into the local economy.

Research shows that SuperGP spectators spend around $46 million on accommodation, restaurants and cafes as well as the retail and entertainment industries each year while generating 173,000 visitor nights.

“In these times of financial crisis, events such as the SuperGP which employ so many Australian businesses and in particular Queensland businesses are vital to the health of the local economy,” says Reeves.

“I am proud to be associated with such an event, which is ensuring that local businesses are able to survive and prosper through long-standing relationships to bring this amazing event that injects over $60 million into the local area each year. The SuperGP will be a win for sports fans, great for jobs and great for the economy.”

The event, formerly known as the Indy 300, has been supported by local businesses since its first year back in 1991.

Gold Coast-based Event Elec Events is one such company. It has grown from a small business to a major supplier to Australia’s biggest events, through its association with the SuperGP supplying temporary electrical solutions.

Managing director James Neilsen, has been involved with the Gold Coast event since its first year when he was an apprentice with the company and since then has seen the company grow to become a national supplier of major event services.

“I am lucky to be able to say that the company and I have grown as the event has grown. I regard that first event in 1991 as my start in the industry that I love and it has been a pleasure to be involved every year since,” he says.

Another company that has grown with the event is TFH Temporary Fence Hire, which started out on the Gold Coast before being forced to relocate its headquarters to Kingston (Logan City) to cope with the growing demands of the business.

TFH general manager Brett Thomas, says the company quickly expanded from its first Gold Coast branch to areas including the Sunshine Coast and Sydney before growing with a total of 29 branches Australia-wide.

“We work with a large amount of national events, including the Big Day Out, Summerfield Days, the Bathurst 1000 and State New Year’s Eve celebrations, but our largest annual event is the Gold Coast motor racing carnival which we have been proudly associated with for the past 11 years,” says Thomas.

“Our on-going relationship with the event has always been very successful for us and contributes significantly to our annual turnover and steady growth rate of around 22 per cent — it is certainly an arrangement that I look forward to continuing for many years to come.”

Moreton Hire is responsible for the events corporate hospitality and support facilities during the four-day event. Event director Elissa Gordon, says it’s an exciting undertaking that will see more than 30 staff working on the installation and infrastructure required to host the event.

“In total Moreton Hire will install over 10,000sqm of corporate and facility tenting, around 15,000 table settings for the corporate areas, more than 40 semi-trailer loads of equipment which will then be dismantled within six days post the event. This is what can be achieved with our turn-key project management and 40 years of experience to pull it all together,” she says.

“We have been a part of the event for the last 19 years and it is a real marquee event in our 40 years of operation.”

The 2009 SuperGP will host Event 11 of the V8 Supercars Championship Series and the first round of the 2009/10 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.

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