V8 Supercars Will Return To Auckland In '13

The Auckland Council voted to bring the V8 Supercars back to Pukekohe, New Zealand, at a cost of $10.6M to ratepayers, according to the AP. Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce also announced that the government will "invest up to $2.2M on infrastructure upgrades" for the V8 Supercars event. The government's funding "was conditional on contributions from V8 Supercars and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development." Joyce said, "An independent study shows that the V8 Supercars events will contribute around $7M to Auckland ... in the first year and generate just over 50,000 visitors nights per annum" (AP, 7/5).