All roads now lead to Newcastle's elected council chamber following the results of an independent survey showing the event is far from popular among many Novocastrians.
The Newcastle 500 Community Consultation Insights survey had previously been pitched as a key measure of community support for the race that has remained contentious since it was first held in 2017.
The survey report, drafted by consultancy firm KPMG, found only 37 per cent of the 11,000 Newcastle LGA residents who completed the online survey would support the decision for Newcastle to continue to host the event.
At the same time, 55 per cent of the 490 residents who completed a phone survey were in support of the Newcastle 500 continuing in the city for another five years.
The Newcastle Herald has previously reported concerns about the integrity of the data and reports of people filling out multiple responses and entering fake details online.
The report's authors also acknowledge this problem and point out that it was unusual to receive such a large number of responses relative to population size.
They conclude it "is likely that some respondents used incorrect postcodes or made multiple submissions".
Earlier this year Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the survey would provide guidance to the council as it considered whether to extend the event.
"If Destination NSW and Supercars propose to extend the Newcastle 500 for another five years, our elected council will have the final decision on whether Newcastle continues as the host city," the lord mayor told the Supercars website.
"This feedback will allow councillors to better understand the community's views on issues around liveability, economic benefit or challenges, perceptions of the event and its impact on the visitor economy."
With the results in, the elected council now must decide, to be blunt, whether pain is worth the gain.
The economic arguments for continuing to host the Newcastle 500 are well documented - a 2021 Ernst & Young study found the event delivered an average return of $36.2 million in economic output and created 149 jobs.
It also found that for every $1 invested in the race, $22.60 was returned to the local economy.
The benefits associated with showcasing the coastal fringe of this beautiful city, dubbed Monaco by Sea, to a global audience also cannot be understated.
But the arguments against it are also strong. Supercars was essentially foisted upon Newcastle in 2017 by a state government that was looking to relocate the event away from Sydney because it was too loud. East End residents were told to pack up and leave for the weekend if they didn't like the idea of having thousands of people camped outside their door watching race cars roar by for hours on end.
While the Supercars weekend is marketed as a boon for local retailers, the lived experience shows relatively few traders outside the event precinct receive an uptick in business. Some say they experience a decline.
More broadly the bump-in and bump-out associated with the two day event disrupts the city for about 10 weeks. Multiplied by five, that's about a year of disruption.
Understandably, Supercars would be keen to continue holding the event in Newcastle. From a visual and marketing perspective, the Newcastle street circuit offers a unique combination of heritage buildings and coastal vistas that wouldn't be out of place in a James Bond movie.
If Destination NSW and Supercars do commit to another spin in Newcastle, the city's elected council will have the job of deciding whether renewing the Newcastle 500 contract for another five years is in the city's best interests.
It is a lot to weigh up. The council sought community feedback on the past five years of the event. They now have it. Whether it is the feedback they desired or not, they need to be guided by it.
Issue: 39,991
