Canadian GP organisers look to taxation Ecclestone to see latest rescue plan 13/11/08 09:24 Creative thinking to save the Canadian race The alliance of Montreal hoteliers has agreed to apply a one percent 'Grand Prix' tax to the price of rooms in an effort to rescue the axed Canadian event. According to the French language newspaper La Presse, the Montreal hotel association will increase the room tax from three to four percent, with the extra money to go to the organisation of the annual race held at the nearby Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The newspaper said the proposal could generate up to $5 million per year. With the Quebec and Canadian governments each promising $2. 5 million apiece, the Grand Prix bailout pool would therefore be set to double to $10m. The rescue plan will reportedly be presented to F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone in London next Thursday.
So not only do we have to pay astronomical ticket price, insane hotel prices and inflated costs at restaurants and bars, now the fans need to subsidize the race itself with an additional tax? I love this event as much as the next guy, but enough is enough. Bernie has no interest in what the teams, much less the fans, want. Montreal is one of the best eventts on the calendar and to throw it away due to greed is his problem.
True, but when you're already coughing up $300+/night for a room downtown, what's another $3-$5? I actually like to see the city taking matters in hand to salvage the event. I do think it's high time for BernieCo to take a hard look with his one good eye at what's going on in the world economically. Perhaps he'd realize that his sport could also roll back its sanctioning fees a certain %.
i admire canada's determination to bring back the race; it certainly is one of the nicest venues. making the fans pay for it is totally garbage though. god f1 pisses me off sometimes.
This is classic. Bernie got the message loud and clear last time that Canada was good for public money, so he's just done it again with the 2009 calendar. Without any surprise, the different levels of Canadian government immediately look after Bernie's needs.
Salvage the event? This is one of the BEST events on the calendar. It doesn't need to be salvaged. It's not the USGP. I guess taxes on things to make an event continue is OK in your eyes, but I see it as pure GREED.
Salvaged in the sense of saved, not fixed. I know how great Montreal is--I've been to a dozen GPs there. In my eyes, pure greed is the upcharge you're already paying to the hotels bars and restaurants who raise their prices for the weekend of a big event. Don't get all upset about a couple extra dollars to "save" the race, get upset that you have to pay so much to begin with.
I did state the high costs of everything during race weekend. I have been to Montreal off season, and at that time your dollars will go alot further. I understand upcharge for the event. But this is ridiculous. There has to be a point where you say enough is enough.
Every hotel at every major sporting event worldwide raises prices during an event. I would gladly pay 1% more to attend my home GP, as I don't see me attending a different race in the near future. While you have the right to be pissed atBernie etc, dont attend. there are tons of people who want the chance to attend. Kevin S. Orchard Park, NY (it beats going to see my NFL team these days!)
Its not a matter of attending or not attending. Like everything else, there comes a point where cost is the issue. You say a 1% surcharge is OK. Well, where does it end? A parking surcharge? The Metro? A fee added to the ticket prices for facility use? I understand the upcharge for things because of the event, but what this is, is a subsidy paid by the people who have supported the race. My first trip was in '89. Wooden bleachers 15 rows high at the hairpin. Maybe 40,000 people on race day. This was with drivers who were to become legends. Now, tickets are overpriced. You are crammed on aluminum bench-style seating with barely enough room for your bottom, let alone a cooler. And access is extremely limited to any area without a special (highpriced) access pass. If you think $400 for a ticket and $1200 for a hotel is reasonable for this event, go for it. But realize, this is a TAX. Bernie's tax. He may be able to get government to pay for races in developing countries, but if you watch the races on TV you'll see that on quali days the crowds are sparce, and on race day, there are plenty of seats. But that is OK because whoever ponied up to Bernie. Extortion is a crime. If you don't mind paying more to help that cause, more power to you.
damn this pisses me off. why are they trying to piss off the richest source of capital in the world? they should be doing the opposite. investing tons in advertising to grow this market, not shut it down. Like i said earlier, no us and no canada means no wetpet!
You have your opinion I have mine. One major reason I don't mind the tax, is that it's refunded for US citizens! Hotel Taxes (GST, goods and services tax) are refunded for American citizens travelling to Canada. I get a refund every year; if I'm on schedule;I get cash at the border.....look up GST176 on www.cra-arc.gc.ca We will see what happens after next Thursdays meeting Kevin S
Hate to break it to ya, Kev, but that refund was canceled last year. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gi/notice221/notice221-e.html#P56_2868 vty, --Dennis
You better look closer. You only get one tax refunded. Only on the hotel. Not tickets or food. If you spend $100(?) on things like clothing you get some tax back, but there are 2 taxes. Canadian and Quebec province tax. And I am willing to bet the tax for the race is in the tax that's not refunded. I truly hope the race is returned to the schedule, but as bad as the track and the races were, I admire Tony George standing up to Bernie and saying his fees would not make the event economically viable for the Speedway. Most promoters are running events to make money. If the government and fans subsidize the cost then every year Bernie will take the best race and pull it to get more. He pulled Spa for a year, and got a fat deal to put it back. With the current economic status worldwide, what will happen when governments won't and promoters can't fund the races? We fans pay a lot to see very little at an actual event. Eventually, they all will decide, I can see it all on TV with no hassles. Then the races will go to Pay per view. It's a downward cycle that ends up with Bernies pockets bigger, no matter your view.
hey dennis; good to see you here. LOL - that would explain why my refund hasn't arrived. Decardona - no need trying to convince you to attend. Yes Bernie and the FIA can rot in hell. But for me, and a lot of others, paying 1% more for a hotel is a cost I will pay. Trust me, I will figure a way to recoup that cost somewhere!(free breakfast, bar drinks, etc) just requires more creativity! Kevin
Hey man, go have a great time. I went every year from '89 to '04. And I am not trying to say that a small fee should prevent anyone for going to a great event. But at some point, no matter how many comps you find, the cost to the fans can't be justified. Don't know how long you've been going, but is the Irish pub on Bishop street still there? I remember when it was a rock club. Deja Vu was the name. Closed it down many a times.
Been going everyyear since 1996. DejaVu is now an Ethiopian restaraunt. There are a few Irish pubs around town. I could go for a Murphy's right about now. Take care Kevin
Say what? They're going towards the money. In North America banks are closing, job losses are happening everyday due to business' closing their doors, even grocery stores notice a drop in sales, people can't buy cars on credit and even successful businesses are having a hard time securing credit if they can get it at all. 330 million people in North America out of 6 billion in the world. I don't view North America as "Capital Central"
The way I see it a 1% tax is going to cost another $4.00 a night more at the hotel. If they tax meals too that's another, what, $0.20 on dinner at Rubens? I usually stay Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night so that's another $16.00 at the hotel. And if meal tax costs another buck a day that's 5 bucks more. Yes, tickets will go up again this year like they always do. So what is the added cost? Under $25.00 before the ticket increase? What are you guys complaining about?
+1 Compared to the cost of traveling to Europe to attend a race, I'll gladly take the increase a few times over.
Absolutely. I think its funny that the cost of fuel to drive to Montreal or to fly went up dramatically between '07 and '08 but nobody was threatening to boycott the GP because of it
The will be NO Canadian GP in 2009. I just saw a live local news flash. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hTjNJtOOb10iHeIebuimGScjNMuQ
