THE return of the traditional Thursday-Friday format for the Gold Cup carnival will help the event "grow again", Albury Racing Club's chief executive believes.
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Steve Hetherton was speaking after NSW Tourism and Major Events Minister Adam Marshall announced $50,000 in state government money would be given to the club to promote the carnival.
Mr Hetherton said it was clear the consecutive days were more popular.
"If you talk to any of the business community they'll tell you that's what they wanted," Mr Hetherton said.
"If you talk to the owners and trainers who actually visit and stay longer that's what they wanted as well, so we've listened to all stakeholders and it's a really important turnaround and a great way forward for our club.
"Our bookings for our corporates are very strong again this year and we're expecting a big turnout.
"We hope to see the crowds grow again and get back to the heydays of yesteryear.
"We can be confident of around 12 to 15,000 people will attend the event."
Taxpayers would not usually know the amount given to the club for promotion because of commercial-in-confidence requirements.
Mr Marshall said that secrecy had been dropped after an agreement with the club and there was scope for a multi-year deal if the Coalition was re-elected next month.
The state government has provided tourism funding since 2010.
"What I'm interested in, as our state's Tourism Minister, is dragging more and more Victorians from south of the border and relieving them of their hard-earned cash here in Albury for local businesses to grow, to sustain employment," Mr Marshall said.
"Thursday-Friday...works perfectly because we've got a big chance to actually get people staying not just two nights but possibly three nights and once we cross that threshold that's when we start to see huge economic returns for a community...because they have to eat somewhere, they have to get fuel."
The Gold Cup will be on March 22, the eve of the state election with Liberal candidate Justin Clancy to look for some omen bets that day.
