SINGAPORE BIDS FOR F1 STREET RACE
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Singapore is bidding to become the latest addition to the increasingly crowded Formula 1 calendar after disclosing plans to host a race within the next three years.
Meetings have been held between the Singapore Motor Sports Association (SMSA) and the countryÂ’s tourist board about the feasibility of staging a city-centre event on a street circuit.
A site on the seafront has been ear-marked, and a 3.8 km (2.4-mile) layout has already been sketched out.
“We met with the Singapore Tourist Board late last year to discuss it in a feasibility study group, and we’ve knuckled down the exact roads for a possible F1 street circuit since,” said SMSA president Matthew Lee in an interview with Singapore’s Electric New Ppaer.
Lee admitted that Singapore will only stand a chance of luring the F1 circus if the tourism board agrees to underwrite the project.
Lee anticipates a set-up cost of £16 million for the street circuit and an annual outlay of £7-10 million, predominantly in rights fees to F1 promoter Bernie Ecclestone.
“Money talks first, especially when it comes to Bernie Ecclestone,” he said. “This is an open secret in the world of Formula 1.”
The proposed route for the circuit passes some of SingaporeÂ’s most recognised landmarks, including Raffles Hotel and the Victoria Concert Hall.
Lee believes the wide city streets would lend themselves to overtaking while providing some of the challenge of classic urban venues such as Monaco and Macau. -
thats not gonna happen anytime in the near future...cos malaysia has a contract with bernie which expires i think in 2009....unless singapore produces something that outstanding that makes bernie nto 2 renew the contract with malaysia....
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We had a chance before Malaysia did theirs, and we waved that suggestion past...now we are thinking of F1 and casinos....what's next?
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Gun ownership and a spaceport?Originally posted by deathscythe99:We had a chance before Malaysia did theirs, and we waved that suggestion past...now we are thinking of F1 and casinos....what's next?
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casinos are stupid....cos that will increase crime rate and the stats for people being in debt will definitely be higher or worse...bankruptcy rate
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Yes to gun ownership. Outings will be a blast, literally.
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Originally posted by ditzy:Yes to gun ownership. Outings will be a blast, literally.
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I second the spaceportOriginally posted by LazerLordz:Gun ownership and a spaceport? -
Now that's just being biased... Casinoes are alright... it's not as if we're going to make the entire city into a casino mall like Las Vegas... Australia has casinoes and you don't see their crime rate shooting through the roof...Originally posted by AE86tofu:casinos are stupid....cos that will increase crime rate and the stats for people being in debt will definitely be higher or worse...bankruptcy rate
It just boils down to whether the person himself has self control over his gambling... Vegas has to many problems cos it has to many casinoes, but if we build just one or two, it won't really be a problem. Other countries have casinoes as well... and you don't see them complaining about how it caused crime and bankruptcy rates to increase dramatically...
If the person himself cannot control his gambling habits, you think us not building a casino would matter? He'd just go overseas and gamble his money away...
MM Lee already said that it was a wrong choice to not allow casinoes and F1 into SG...
Maybe F1 would be better... but back then, I doubt they actually had the space to build a track... So now the government is trying to catch up to the rest of the countries, if not, we'll be left behind...
I see nothing wrong with casinoes, or F1 for that matter... we've worked up from a small insignificant country to where we are now... I'm sure any problems that we encounter can be resolved... -
There was a firm, Space Adventures Co, who was interested in sourcing an equatorial launch site for their sub-orbital flights.Looks like French Guiana might have a better chance, seeing that ESA already has a Spaceport at Kourou, and the elements are already there.Originally posted by deathscythe99:I second the spaceport -
hmm..but wth...it's kinda late to do a up casino liao...our country is literally surrounded by other countries wif God noes how many casinos liao...so if we do bulid...we'll be far behind in terms of experience and expertise...so best isOriginally posted by LH83:Now that's just being biased... Casinoes are alright... it's not as if we're going to make the entire city into a casino mall like Las Vegas... Australia has casinoes and you don't see their crime rate shooting through the roof...
It just boils down to whether the person himself has self control over his gambling... Vegas has to many problems cos it has to many casinoes, but if we build just one or two, it won't really be a problem. Other countries have casinoes as well... and you don't see them complaining about how it caused crime and bankruptcy rates to increase dramatically...
If the person himself cannot control his gambling habits, you think us not building a casino would matter? He'd just go overseas and gamble his money away...
MM Lee already said that it was a wrong choice to not allow casinoes and F1 into SG...
Maybe F1 would be better... but back then, I doubt they actually had the space to build a track... So now the government is trying to catch up to the rest of the countries, if not, we'll be left behind...
I see nothing wrong with casinoes, or F1 for that matter... we've worked up from a small insignificant country to where we are now... I'm sure any problems that we encounter can be resolved...
we get a racetrack or spaceport up and running...then we wouldn't be playing by the rules others set...but by ours...
and tat's a big advantage anyone can have when you're doing business... -
Where to build race track in Singapore? Reclaim some more land and build it?
If it is meant to be a street circuit like Monte Carlo, are our streets up to it? -
Why else you think they considering Tuas as a place for the track? It is reclaimed land anyway... I read that street circuit is also proable, just do a bit of modifications...Originally posted by iveco:Where to build race track in Singapore? Reclaim some more land and build it?
If it is meant to be a street circuit like Monte Carlo, are our streets up to it? -
Spaceport is still in the infant stages of development.... it's kinda expensive for locals....Originally posted by Lance_han:hmm..but wth...it's kinda late to do a up casino liao...our country is literally surrounded by other countries wif God noes how many casinos liao...so if we do bulid...we'll be far behind in terms of experience and expertise...so best is
we get a racetrack or spaceport up and running...then we wouldn't be playing by the rules others set...but by ours...
and tat's a big advantage anyone can have when you're doing business...
And it might be a bit late for a casino, but still... we can manage to catch up... after all... that's what Changi Airport did... SAF also... so y not the casino? -
Tuas? not a bad venue, but too near the heavy industrial area. Maybe in future, Tuas Basin can have all the car-modification industries located there. The same race track can be opened to the public for test driving. Just charge an entrance fee to bring your car for a spin. Don't like its performance? Take it to the nearby car-modification plants and get it done up.Originally posted by LH83:Why else you think they considering Tuas as a place for the track? It is reclaimed land anyway... I read that street circuit is also proable, just do a bit of modifications... -
Precisely, but are those guys up there really visionary or are just relying on some written factsheets found on a publicity counter at the Australian Gaming Commission?Originally posted by Lance_han:hmm..but wth...it's kinda late to do a up casino liao...our country is literally surrounded by other countries wif God noes how many casinos liao...so if we do bulid...we'll be far behind in terms of experience and expertise...so best is
we get a racetrack or spaceport up and running...then we wouldn't be playing by the rules others set...but by ours...
and tat's a big advantage anyone can have when you're doing business...
You need guts to succeed.. -
Heh... think you play Need For Speed Underground too much liao... what's wrong with it being too near the heavy industry area? Even better, so the noise won't disturb other people... imagine if the track was near housing estates... Tuas is really a suitable location...Originally posted by iveco:Tuas? not a bad venue, but too near the heavy industrial area. Maybe in future, Tuas Basin can have all the car-modification industries located there. The same race track can be opened to the public for test driving. Just charge an entrance fee to bring your car for a spin. Don't like its performance? Take it to the nearby car-modification plants and get it done up. -
ya la...but the world of business is veri much different from the army or changi airport...so...u noe..Originally posted by LH83:Spaceport is still in the infant stages of development.... it's kinda expensive for locals....
And it might be a bit late for a casino, but still... we can manage to catch up... after all... that's what Changi Airport did... SAF also... so y not the casino?
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We took a gamble with Changi Airport, spent a helluva money for such a poor nation then.Make no mistake, commercial space tourism is the next big thing..and equatorial launch windows are most fuel saving, and they have the Pacific OCean to perform emergency abort splashdowns.Originally posted by LH83:Spaceport is still in the infant stages of development.... it's kinda expensive for locals....
And it might be a bit late for a casino, but still... we can manage to catch up... after all... that's what Changi Airport did... SAF also... so y not the casino?
Two more tourists are going up to the ISS this year. -
Yah... at what price? How much did they pay to get sent up to space?? You think everyone can afford to be sent there? That is still going to take quite a long while... and not everyone is fit enough to be sent into space... esp if it's just for a vacation... Right now, it's not profitable enough...Originally posted by LazerLordz:We took a gamble with Changi Airport, spent a helluva money for such a poor nation then.Make no mistake, commercial space tourism is the next big thing..and equatorial launch windows are most fuel saving, and they have the Pacific OCean to perform emergency abort splashdowns.
Two more tourists are going up to the ISS this year. -
A quick search on Google news will reveal that SMSA has disavowed any attempt to get on the F1 schedule. The F1 tsar himself has stated that Singapore is too close to Sepang, and Singapore would be an unlikely venue.
I think we lost out to M'sia, and missed the boat on this one way after the boat has left as LKY had admitted, that it was a "stupid decision" not to allow F1 here. It just vexes me, as racing enthusiasts had been begging for a track in Singapore for decades.
Personally, at the end, i think racig im M'sia is better. It's cheaper, they have more spece, and they have more support. In S'pore, the TPs are so busy catching speedsters and fining them, I seriously doubt that they would consider a track. May be if FTs asked for one tho...
Just my 2 cents worth. -
Er.... Changi Airport and SAF ARE run like businesses...Originally posted by Lance_han:ya la...but the world of business is veri much different from the army or changi airport...so...u noe.. -
Good to lay the groundwork..and right now commercial satellite businesses are only going upwards..Originally posted by LH83:Yah... at what price? How much did they pay to get sent up to space?? You think everyone can afford to be sent there? That is still going to take quite a long while... and not everyone is fit enough to be sent into space... esp if it's just for a vacation... Right now, it's not profitable enough... -
I remember the newspapers ever mentioned that Singapore hosted a Grand Prix in the 1960s. The race was held at one place in Upper Thomson, but I can't remember the exact location. Does anyone know about it?