Tailem Bend business confidence grows in anticipation of the Bend Motorsport Park holding 2018 Shannons Nationals on Saturday
A NEW motorsport park is driving a surge of optimism in Tailem Bend, with businesses staying open longer and investing heavily on the promise of more visitors. Regional reporter Erin Jones takes a closer look ahead of the racing action taking place on Saturday.
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THE sleepy railway town of Tailem Bend is on course to cash in on a fuel-injected spending spree.
The town, 100km southeast of Adelaide, is hoping to leverage off the highly anticipated $110 million Bend Motorsport Park, which is hosting its first major race — the Shannons Nationals — on Saturday.
The 7.7km track has brought a new air of optimism to Tailem Bend’s 1665 residents, with businesses staying open longer and investing heavily on the promise of thousands of visitors.
The Shahin family, owners of the On The Run fuel empire, are behind the racing track, which received a $7.5 million grant from federal and state governments to help make the town a “motorsport capital”.
Business owners told The Advertiser how the Bend offered a way to revive and diversify the local economy, which relied heavily on River Murray summer tourism and agriculture.
Riverside Hotel publican Mark Jericho said “conditions have never been tougher” for hoteliers battling rising electricity costs.
But he hoped flow-on benefits from the Bend would offer a reprieve.
“The Bend Motorsport Park will be of international standard and bring a significant amount of visitors to the region, both local, interstate and from overseas,” Mr Jericho said.
“It’s extremely important to the town and the viability of a number of businesses here. It will also provide employment on an ongoing basis, which underpins the local economy.”
The Bend, once fully operational, is expected to attract 339,000 visitors and inject $236 million into the state’s economy each year, according to an independent report.
That could prove a game changer for the town, which had a median weekly household income of about $800 at the 2016 Census.
Mr Jericho and his hotel co-owner, Phil Marechal, said the projected benefits were the “catalyst” for an $800,000 expansion of the 1950s hotel, to start by September.
The hotel’s first major renovation will create a casual bar/lounge and extend its all-weather dining room, taking advantage of the hotel’s River Murray views.
“We see the Bend as only being a positive thing for the town,” Mr Jericho said.
“Already our 10 rooms are booked out for a number of weekends when major events are here, and we were booked out the day after the V8 Supercar race was announced (in October).”
Other accommodation outlets told a similar story of being booked out within hours of the two-day V8 Supercar event being announced for August.
Property owners are also looking to reap rewards from the track and a $300 million solar farm being built on the edge of town.
Coorong Reality owner Kerry Simcock identified a gap in the market for event and holiday rentals to support the Bend, and now has a listing of 75 properties.
“Our midterm plan is to then offer our visitors tours and experiences of the Coorong, whether it’s the goat farm at Narrung, an intensive dairy or fishing industry,” Ms Simcock said.
“We want to value add to the visitor experience here, so it’s not just about motorsport but looking at what else is in the region.”
The Tailem Bend Bakery co-owner Paige Coombe has expansion plans pinned on the Bend’s success, but in the meantime she is adapting to cater for an influx of visitors.
“We decided when there’s events on to extend our trading hours and we’re opening seven days a week, which we’ve never done to cope with the influx (of people),” Ms Coombe said.
“All our staff are getting more hours and if business continues to increase, we’re more than likely to put on more staff.
“I think us and every other business in Tailem Bend is very much looking forward to this, because a lot of what keeps small country towns going is the tourists.”
Coorong District Council chief executive Vincent Cammell said businesses were aware the full benefits of the Bend would take time, but it was refreshing that some had already grabbed the opportunity presented. “Tailem Bend used to be a railway town, then they moved on and the future did look a bit bleak,” Mr Cammell said.
“We’ve done a lot of work over a long period to attract a motorsport park, which has gone beyond our wildest expectations, and we’re doing a lot in our rural sector. The future looks bright, but some businesses could move quicker.”
Mr Cammell said the council was investigating council-owned land that could be used to support the motorsport park.
“We would be very happy to see further hotel developments, also other support industries, transport and specialist manufacturing,” he said.
“We’re operating in a very different world than council would’ve expected five years ago, and we’re excited about the flow-on benefits that might follow.”
The vision to build the world’s second-longest permanent racetrack was Dr Sam Shahin’s, more than a decade ago. His family identified the barren 800ha former Mitsubishi car testing site and started construction in December, 2016, creating more than 140 jobs.
The development now includes a 100-room Rydges Pit Lane Hotel, On the Run service centre, 4WD adventure track, other racing circuits and a soon-to-be built community village.
The Bend has attracted the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship and Australian Superbike Championship for April 19-22, and the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship on August 24-26.
Baillieu Holst chief economist Darryl Gobbett told The Advertiser there was no doubt the Bend would be an economic driver for the state. He said it was up to the town’s businesses to make the most of it.
“When visitors come, are they going to spend a bit more time around Tailem Bend, Murray Bridge and the Riverland, or will they just drive out?” Mr Gobbett said.
“This is really up to the local communities on how they manage and capture the impact of this development, it’s not just a matter of saying ‘they’re coming’.
“They’ve known for a couple of years this was going to be built, so it will be a lost opportunity if businesses did not get involved.”
The Bend’s major drawcard will be a two-day V8 Supercar race in August, expected to attract 50,000 spectators from across the globe and generate more than $11 million.
Regional Development Australia Murraylands and Riverland tourism manager Julie Bates said they had worked with businesses in Tailem Bend and the surrounds on ways to capitalise on the Bend.
“Quite a few businesses are looking seriously at shifting part of their businesses during major races, and we’re continually working with businesses on what their opportunities could be in the future,” Ms Bates said.
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