Adelaide 500 infrastructure to be sold off

The long-running Supercars event was sensationally axed by the SA government last year, falling crowds and cutbacks due to the pandemic blamed for the controversial decision.

Reports in local Adelaide media are now claiming the government is looking to quickly off-load the infrastructure formerly used to build the famous parklands circuits, including barriers, grandstands and overpasses.

That could even include the temporary three-story pit and hospitality building.

There are reportedly 16 containers full of gear up for the grabs, with the government looking to employ an auction company to sell it off sooner rather than later.

According to the Adelaide Advertiser, some of the assets, including an overpass and concrete barriers, will be given to The Bend Motorsport Park, now the sole host of Supercars in South Australia.

An SA Tourism spokesperson told the Advertiser: “There is a significant amount of items in storage and it is the financially responsible decision to divest equipment that is not required. The plan is to dispose of the assets as soon as an auction house is engaged."

SA opposition leader Peter Malinauskas has slammed the move, accusing the government of a quick fire sale to thwart his promise to restore the race if he wins the state election next March.

"The rushed sell-off of the Adelaide 500 infrastructure by [SA premier] Steven Marshall is a blatant attempt to sabotage the people of South Australia from having their say on the future of the iconic race," he wrote on Twitter.

The axing of the Adelaide 500 last October came as a shock for Supercars. The series had been about to unveil the event as its 2021 season finale, which led to a late scramble that saw the Gold Coast take over as the final round.

The Adelaide 500, a successor to Adelaide's stint as the Australian Grand Prix host, was a consistent figure on the Supercars schedule from 1999 to 2020.