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Is motorsport “a race out of place”?is held in a high-density inner-city area. Within 3km ofthe Albert Park circuit live approximately 100,000people (Urie, 1994). Within 50km of the circuit livealmost 4 million people. Thus the racing eventbecomes much more accessible to spectators than if itwere conducted on a purpose-built track outside theMelbourne metropolitan area.The park itself is highly valued by residents, and bymany citizens of the state of Victoria, as a place thatbelongs to the people. Albert Park is an integralcomponent of Melbourne’s reputation as a city ofparks and gardens. The symbolism of a car race inAlbert Park suggests that the state government hasestablished a set of priorities in which internationalmotorsports organisations and alcohol and tobaccocompanies are given precedence over the health andwell-being of the citizens of Victoria (Tranter & Lowes,2005). The commercialisation of the public openspace of Albert Park that occurs through the GrandPrix is symbolic of an ideology that values privateprofit above sustainability.Case study 3: The Adelaide Parklands – heritageversus mega-sports marketing and sponsorshipThe location of motorsports events in the AdelaideParklands has provided a marketing boost tomotorsport (and its associated products) in a way thatis similar to that seen by the staging of the Grand Prixin Melbourne. These parklands are “of unique culturalvalue, serving an important environmental,recreational and tourism role” (Planning SA, 2003).They also have a significant symbolic value as animportant piece of urban history and as a trademark ofcity planning in South Australia (Gilfillan, 2000; vanVliet, 1991). While the parklands of most other citieshave been significantly eroded by developmentpressures, the Adelaide Parklands are the notableresult of the continued preservation of the recreationaland heritage value of 700 hectares of parklandsurrounding a planned city of “one square mile” thatwas originally designated in 1837 by Colonel Light,the Surveyor General (Adelaide Parklands PreservationAssociation Inc, 2004). Some state governmentministers have considered the declaration of theparklands in the world heritage listing (Gilfillan,2000).The Australian Formula One Grand Prix, with all itsassociated advertising and sponsorship, was held inthe street circuit in the Adelaide Parklands surroundingthe square of the Adelaide city centre from 1986 to1995, when it was moved to Melbourne. From 1999a V8 Supercar event (the Clipsal 500) has been anannual event in the Adelaide Parklands, using a streetcircuit similar to that used for the earlier Formula Oneevents. As in Albert Park, these events represent asignificant departure from the low-impact sporting andrecreational activities that had hitherto been allowed inthe Adelaide Parklands. The motor racing events havea protracted impact on public use of this parkland.Although public roads are closed for only 10 days, thedisruption from construction and removal of raceinfrastructure lasts for months.The organisers of the 2007 Clipsal 500 eventappreciate the proximity of the event to centralAdelaide, and argue that this is an opportunity to letAdelaide share in the excitement:“As a benefit of Adelaide’s unique circuit with itscombination of near downtown city streets andparkland areas, the atmosphere of the event flowsover to adjacent entertainment precincts. AtClipsal 500 time, Adelaide is party town withstreet parties and other forms of entertainment, allof course with a motor sport flavour.”(Clipsal 500, 2007)The staging of major motorsports events in theAdelaide Parklands has immense symbolic imagery. Itindicates that motorsport (and associated corporateinterests) has a higher priority than the protection of aprecious heritage – “arguably the most preciousheritage of the city of Adelaide” (Gilfillan, 2000). Theorganisers and promoters of the events exploit thelocation of the race. The television coverage makes thelocation of the circuit (right next to the centre ofAdelaide) clear to the viewers. The coverage uses theRESEARCH PAPER● OCTOBER 2009 ● International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship69