The Everest 2020: Government open to raising COVID-safe crowd numbers
Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres is open to allowing more people into The Everest at Randwick next Saturday, and is consulting authorities to ensure it can be done in a COVID-safe way.
NSW
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It’s hoped more racegoers will be able to attend the world’s richest race on turf, with the state government leaving the door open to increasing the COVID capacity of Randwick Racecourse for The Everest next Saturday.
The so-called Major Events task-force, spearheaded by Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres, is working through plans to get more people trackside for the biggest event on Sydney’s racing calendar.
NSW Health, Police, and other government agencies are currently evaluating a number of different scenarios put forward by the Australian Turf Club to increase capacity.
Last year 43,000 packed into Randwick to watch The Everest, but the one person per four square metre rule would see crowds limited to only 5,000.
“The events task-force has successfully worked with venue operators and NSW Health to increase capacities for corporate events, stadiums and theatres and we are now evaluating options for major spring race days,” Mr Ayres told The Daily Telegraph.
“I know there is a lot of enthusiasm for spring racing but considered and incremental steps is what has allowed us to handle the pandemic well and we should stick with a winning formula,” he said
The Minister said the government would work to increase capacity if it can be done in a COVID safe way.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the state government wants upcoming major events to have “the highest capacity as possible in a COVID safe way”.