I know this is looming anyway, but this looks like some people are napping. Champcar needs Canada right now...WTF!
Memo: Vancouver Indy in doubt?
Canadian Press
9/20/2004
VANCOUVER (CP) - A Molson Canada official refused comment Monday on a leaked memo that suggested the future of the Molson Indy Champ Car race in Vancouver might be in doubt.
David Jones, director of public relations for Molson, said an announcement will be made in a couple of weeks concerning ``the full status of the Molson Indy races in Canada.''
Jones refused to say if Molson will continue sponsoring races in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
``I don't want to make it seem like it's one way or the other,'' he said in a telephone interview. ``We will remain neutral right now and talk about the details when they come up.
``Everything is still in negotiations right now with the exception of Montreal. It's a little too early for us to characterize where the races are going.''
The contract for the Vancouver and Toronto Indy races expired this year. Montreal has two years remaining on its contract.
The Vancouver Sun reported Saturday that an internal Molson memo says a deadline has passed for the Vancouver business community and government at all levels to commit to funding a $3.5-million shortfall required to offset the cost of staging the race.
In the memo, Ferg Devins, vice-president of industry and regulatory affairs with Molson Canada, said a Labour Day deadline was established for raising the money.
``Since that time we believe we have exhausted our efforts and have not yet received the commitments required to continue the event in Vancouver,'' the memo says.
Jones denied comment on the memo or its implications.
``That was clearly an international communication that got leaked out,'' he said. ``That's unfortunate.
``We haven't made final decisions yet. I don't want to get into speculating or characterizing or giving a variety of degrees as to which race is safe, which race is not.
``It wouldn't be fair to our employees, sponsors or volunteers to start getting into guessing about whether we think it's going to come back or not.''
A Vancouver city spokesman said no one has approached it about funding for the race and no one from Molson had said anything about the event not returning next year.
The three-day attendance at this year's Vancouver Molson Indy was 158,420, down from the 162,271 the year before. It was the 11th consecutive year that total attendance has exceeded 155,000.
The Molson Indy Toronto posted a three-day total of 164,218, down about 3,000 from last year.
One concern for Vancouver is the site of the race. The 2.866-kilometre temporary street circuit runs through the downtown False Creek district which will be developed for the athletes village for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
During this year's race, Mayor Larry Campbell said the event could be held for sure next year, and possibly for the next two, before any Olympic development begins.
``That site will cease to be available to us at some point and in the not too distance future,'' said Jones. ``It certainly is a consideration as we look at the event going forward.''
Champ Car, formerly known as CART, nearly drowned in a sea of red ink last year.
Under the new ownership of Kevin Kalkhoven, Paul Gentilozzi and Gerald Forsythe, the series has seen a revival. There have been big crowds at many events and some new interest from corporate America.
``We're certainly committed to Champ Car,'' said Jones. ``We're looking forward to being partners with Champ Car for the years ahead.''
There has been speculation in the past the Vancouver race might be moved to an Alberta city.
