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No sellout for montreal grand prix; student protests blamed by ferujkll sdff
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No sellout for montreal grand prix; student protests blamed |
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Business,Business News,Business Opportunities
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MONTREAL - For the first time in memory, this weekend s 43rdFormula One Canadian Grand Prix is not expected to be sold out. And Fran ois Dumontier, president of the Octane Racing Groupwhich promotes the event, says he knows why. They said they wanted to disrupt the Grand Prix, Dumontier saidWednesday of Quebec students ongoing protests against tuitionhikes. They already have. Dumontier said that ticket sales began lagging almost precisely atthe time that violent clashes between protesters and riot police indowntown Montreal were beamed around the world in photo and videoform, international news networks then featuring the chaos almostnightly.
Even as the mayhem diminished in its intensity, ticket-buyingmomentum had spun into the mud. Dumontier believes that tourists from outside Quebec have beensufficiently turned off by the clashes that they ve decided togive a pass to this weekend s Grand Prix, the 33rd on CircuitGilles Villeneuve. Dumontier and his team of hundreds were putting the finishingtouches Wednesday on preparations for the three-day Grand Prix onthe le Notre Dame racetrack. Action begins Friday with twosessions of Formula One practice and qualifying in four supportclasses. Thursday was supposed to have featured the hugely popular annualopen house, during which the public is invited to roam the pitlane, mingle with crews assembling the F1 cars and meet drivers inautograph sessions.
But on Sunday, Dumontier cancelled the open house, unwilling torisk the security of the drivers, crews, track installations andthe thousands of visitors in the event of a demonstration byprotesters. Then Wednesday, in a talk about preparations for the three-dayGrand Prix, Dumontier said grandstand tickets will still beavailable on race day. Typically, he announces at least a few days before the weekend thatthe race is sold out. I can t remember the last time we didn t sell out.
It s beenthat long, Dumontier said. Depending on the weather, and thehype generated (Thursday) and during Friday s practice, we cansell more tickets this weekend. I d like to sell everything, but Idon t think we will. Weekend attendance last year exceeded 300,000 for the ninthconsecutive Grand Prix dating to 2001 (excluding 2009, when therace was cancelled over a contract dispute). A crowd of 115,000 wason hand for the start of last year s race, many ultimately leavingduring monsoon-like conditions that brought out a red flag andparked cars for more than two hours.
A ticket-hacking incident plagued organizers last week, the groupAnonymous posting data of more than 130 Canadian Grand Prixticket-buyers. But Dumontier said that information was culled froma list off a ticket-resale website based in Monaco, the data pulledby hackers off a site for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Dumontier said it was heartbreaking to cancel Thursday s openhouse. The move has also disappointed the teams which enjoy thefriendly, festival atmosphere. But I didn t want to jeopardize the entire weekend, Dumontiersaid, keeping in mind the proximity of fans to cars, garagescontaining millions of dollars of equipment, and the driversthemselves.
Imagine if someone with bad intentions was standing in front of adriver, or an open garage? Dumontier said. Or imagine if theteams (on Thursday) had sufficient security concerns that they justclosed their garage doors, and fans arrived to see nothing? The teams have told me they understand the decision to cancel,but they say it s a shame because they enjoyed it. I took nopleasure in cancelling it. Dumontier expects to bring the event back next year. Extra precautions have been taken to safeguard Thursday night sgala Grand Evening at Griffintown s Arsenal Contemporary ArtComplex.
The event is an important fundraiser that brings together the F1and Montreal business communities, about $500,000 raised each ofthe past two years for the Sainte-Justine and Sacr -Coeurhospitals. Guests will include F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and SenatorMichael Fortier, the co-chairmen, as well as captains of industryand likely a number of F1 team principals and drivers. Dumontier has had discussions with Montreal police and theS ret du Qu bec, and said in broad terms that organizers have taken some extra measure to make sure nothing will happen. Canadian Grand Prix ticket information: www.circuitgillesvilleneuve.ca or phone 514-350-0000.
Twitter: @Dave_Stubbs. I am an expert from Electrical Equipment & Supplies, usually analyzes all kind of industries situation, such as bp 511 charger , standby electric generators.
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