Spending blow as games events lost

Jessica Benton
GEELONG and the Bellarine Peninsula could miss out on more than a million dollars in visitor spending after Australian Masters Games organisers sent a range of events elsewhere.
Most of the cycling competition, parts of the golf and all the surfing will go to Melbourne or Surf Coast Shire.
Organisers have yet to identify destinations for several other events.
City of Greater Geelong’s ratepayers tipped $200,000 into the February games after Geelong won hosting rights last year.
The City has estimated the games will generate up to $13 million in spending from around 7000 competitors.
Bellarine Peninsula community groups called for their councillors to fight for games events after last week’s Independent revealed Surf Coast Shire representatives were vying for hosting rights to surfing, cycling, golf and lifesaving.
This week games organisers told the Independent the Surf Coast would host surfing at Jan Juc, part of the golf at Anglesea and road racing for cyclists at Paraparap, near Torquay.
Cycle Sport Victoria’s Stuart Campbell said most of the remaining cycling would go to Melbourne.
“All the facilities are up in Melbourne,” he said.
“We have world-class and world-record tracks up there, including the DISC Veldrom where the track events will be held.
“The road-race cycling events will hopefully be held at Paraparap and the criterium events will most likely be on Ritchie Boulevard.”
Mr Campbell said Geelong’s cycling facilities were inadequate for most of the bike events.
“The track at Geelong is a little bit tired,” he said.
“We looked for suitable courses in Geelong and on the Bellarine Peninsula but we couldn’t find anything.”
“There are superb facilities in Melbourne – we’re just so lucky Melbourne is so close.”
Mr Campbell expected about 250 to 300 competitors for the cycling events
Geelong Mayor Bruce Harwood said games organisers would run “very few events” outside the city.
“We always knew we couldn’t hold all the events in Geelong but we’re holding the vast majority of them,” he said.
“Securing the masters games is a huge coup for Geelong and the economic benefits will be in the millions.”
Cr Harwood said City Hall had committed funding for a cycling criterium track near Barwon Common, which would help attract events similar to the lost games competition in the future.