For years, residents of Wollongong have been told that the UCI Road World Championships will be good for the city.
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But, as people grapple with street closures, remote learning at schools and getting around with lots of detours and extra traffic on the roads, many have been left wondering exactly who benefits.
One of the main questions the Mercury received from readers last week, was "will I be compensated?" for losing money if they can't get to work or open their business.
Organisers will provide answers to these questions next week, but all signs point to "no" when it comes to compensation for those left worse off.
The UCI event falls under the state's major events act, which states that compensation is not payable "for an act or omission that is a major event-related matter or that arises (directly or indirectly) from a major event-related matter".
However, the Wollongong 2022 organisation says there will be clear and wide ranging benefits felt across the region and NSW.
"The event is expected to generate around $95 million for the Wollongong and NSW economy, because of the duration of the event and the fact that it attracts a strong international contingent of athletes, officials, media and fans," Wollongong 2022 CEO Stu Taggart said.
"There are a lot of local people and businesses who will benefit from a major event such as this, from tourism and hospitality businesses, taxis, petrol stations, retail and all of their suppliers and producers."
There are also "less tangible" benefits, Mr Taggart said, due to the number of people who will get a glimpse of Wollongong during the global broadcast of the cycle race.
"There are many indirect and less tangible benefits too such as the profile that comes with hosting this major event and the potential of future trade, investment, tourism and business development for the region as a result," he said.
Wollongong's roads and cycling infrastructure has received a boost thanks to the event, and NSW Government funding linked to the UCI has distributed $420,000 to 26 organisations, for initiatives that are supporting bike riding across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.
In three rounds of funding, some of the Wollongong organisations to share in this money have included Helensburgh Off Road Cycle Club, Southlake Illawarra BMX Club, Unanderra Velodrome, Vikings Rugby Club, local schools and the Disability Trust.
The organisers also say Wollongong's Bike City label will allow the region to promote itself as a leader in cycling, and that the event will help to inspire the community to cycle more.
How hosting the championship has affected other cities
In 2021 the world championships were held in the Flanders region of Belgium, and a post-event study calculated that 27.4 million Euros ($40.2 million), was injected into the local economy.
Similarly, a report commissioned by the world cycling body found the 2019 Yorkshire event drew 200,000 spectators (16,000 from outside the United Kingdom) with a total visitor spend during of around 28.9 million pounds.
However, it has also been reported that Yorkshire was left with significant costs, after the Harrogate town centre was "effectively closed down" for a month.
According to the BBC, a local council review of the 2019 championships said it caused an "unacceptable" impact on businesses and residents.
Additionally more than £120,000 (about $205,000) was spent repairing a major public park, which was badly damaged when it was used as a fan zone near the event's finish line.
Mr Taggart says businesses in Wollongong will need to be "agile" and work together to reap long-term benefits, and says it is a misconception the city will be shut down when the race comes to town.
"While it will be up to the individual business owners' discretion about how they best manage the event period - the last thing we want is for parts of the city to be "closed" when the world comes to town," he said.
"We've demonstrated amazing resilience during the pandemic and by thinking outside the box, the majority have been able to trade successfully during those challenging times.
"If ever we want a city to pull together as a team, to think differently and to work a little differently, this is it."
Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery has also acknowledged that the event will bring inconvenience, but says overall this will be worth it.
"With an event of this magnitude there's always going to be some inconvenience, so you need to plan ahead, think through how and what events you want to go to and how to achieve all that," he said.
"I do realise there's going to be inconvenience, but that will also be offset by the opportunities the event brings."
KEY FACTS
- Races happen on a course that is closed to all public vehicles during race times
- There is no parking on any part of the courses during the road closures
- Emergency services are involved in event planning and emergency vehicles can access all areas at all times
- Pedestrian access is maintained to all areas of the course
- Roads will be progressively reopened daily when it is safe to do so
- Every driveway and intersection on the course will be open before and after road closure times
- Congestion is expected on roads near the course throughout the event week - the community will be asked to plan ahead
- Safety is the top priority for the local community as well as athletes, officials, volunteers and spectators
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