GEELONG has snared Nitro Circus Live after it was knocked back in Ballarat.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The motorcycle action show had to look for a new Victorian regional host in August after Ballarat’s City Oval and Eureka Stadium were ruled out.
At the time, Nitro Circus Live promoter Michael Porra said he couldn’t understand why Ballarat couldn’t host the event.
“We’re pretty upset about it and we feel sorry for the people in the area,” Mr Porra said.
He was unable to be contacted for comment yesterday.
Nitro Circus Live was initially meant to be hosted by Eureka Stadium next March but it was too close to the start of the VFL season.
The City Oval was the next choice, but lighting restrictions and lease arrangements were among the reasons it was also ruled out.
The event will now be held on Wednesday, March 20, at Simonds Stadium, home of the Geelong Football Club.
Ballarat Regional Tourism has put the value of the Nitro Circus Live event at nearly $1 million, with 15,000 people expected to attend the Geelong event.
The one-off show will feature 40 motorcyclists performing daredevil stunts, and will be be one of the last in regional Victoria before Nitro Circus Live begins a worldwide tour next year.
Ballarat Regional Tourism chairman Stuart Benjamin said they had worked with all possible venues in Ballarat to host the event.
“However, we were unable to find one suitable for Nitro Circus,” Mr Benjamin said. “We would have liked to have seen it in Ballarat, but (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal) restrictions ruled the City Oval out, though it met all other conditions.”
Mr Benjamin said BRT had written to Ballarat City Council asking it to investigate solutions to the lighting issue.
“We want to come up with a solution to activate that space.”
fiona.henderson@thecourier.com.au