Talking cars, talking busines

Tue, Sep 27th 2011, 11:24 AM

During Formula One, whether it be Shanghai, Montreal or Abu Dhabi, the Paddock Club is synonymous with more than a great view of the race.  It's also a place for high-flyers in the business and racing scene to meet, talk cars and perhaps do a little business.
David McLaughlin, the UK Event Director for Bahamas Speed Week, doesn't expect to duplicate the Formula One experience.
But he intends on coming pretty close.
"It's a model that works for Formula One," he said.  "It's business to business, and we've had some tremendous interest so far."
As part of Bahamas Speed Week, running from November 30 until December 4, event organizers have begun to sell booths in the Paddock Club to stimulate sponsorship and business - starting at $10,000 a pop.
While the driving force behind the event is tourism, McLaughlin said the Paddock Club, located in the center of a 1.1 mile temporary racetrack at Arawak Cay, will be a buzzing hive of corporate activity, giving participants a chance to forge contacts among elite players in the business world.
When it was an annual event in The Bahamas from 1954 to 1966, Bahamas Speed Week attracted some
of the whos-who in the racecar and celebrity scene.
It's revival promises to be a return to this former glory.
Organizers expect around $100 million worth of racecars to arrive on Nassau's shores in what should be a massive boom for the tourism industry.
Sir Stirling Moss, the legendary Formula One driver, will serve as patron to the event's much-anticipated revival, and dozens of high-end businessmen and racecar enthusiasts will be joining him in the pits.
The goal, according to Jimmie Lowe, the event's president, is to fill between 4,000 and 5,000 hotel rooms as a direct result of Bahamas Speed Week.  Restaurants and retail centers throughout the island are also expected to benefit.
McLaughlin said the focus of Bahamas Week Speed is on tourism, and of course, the fine pieces of machinery.  But as in any high-level racing event, business is business, and the Paddock Club will serve as the social - and corporate - nerve center.
"They'll have a captive audience," McLaughlin pointed out.  "There is a huge arena to talk cars and talk business."
So far, the response has been impressive.
Carlo Milano, Graycliff and the Grand Bahama Port Authority are just a few of the major players that have stepped up to the sponsorship plate.
For $10,000, businesses can snap up a 20-by-20 foot booth, he said.
There are a number of additional updates and options available, including bronze, silver, gold and platinum packages.  At a varying scale of price, these classifications give participants access to different perks and services, such as invitations to the gala, VIP treatment and advertising space in the event program.
EFG International has also purchased a booth in the Paddock Club, and Shell Oil, McLaughlin added, has stepped up as the event's official oil and gas supplier.
Lowe said the Grand Bahama Port Authority's decision to purchase a bronze package is a testament to their push for greater visibility to the visiting crowd.
"They want to promote themselves, perhaps throw in a few free tips and attract people to visit afterwards," he explained.
These business and corporations join a growing list of sponsors for a weekend starting to pick up some momentum.
Last week, Guardian Business reported that Bahamas Speed Week is currently mulling over the possibility of building an official racetrack for subsequent events. Talks are expected to begin soon between the  Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Tourism.
"This is what we envision going forward," Lowe said earlier.
"But nothing is set in stone, If it did happen, it would facilitate a larger clientele coming, more room nights for Bahamian hotels and the economic impact could be far reaching."
Pictet Bank - the official sponsor of the gala banquet and Auction of Promises - is one of the world's leasing international private financial institutions with a presence in 19 countries.
Tickets for Bahamas Speed Week will go on sale at the end of this week.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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