Big Day Out’s Venue Problem

The six-city Big Day Out Festival in Australia might have a problem when it begins late January – it has no Melbourne venue.

The Showground, its site there for 13 years, is considered too small to hold 45,000 people after renovations. Last year the festival was given permission to use Princes Park in the residential area of Carlton as a one-off. It has locked in a new home at Flemington Racecourse park for 2008.

It had expected to use Albert Park, where the Grand Prix is held each October. But the local authorities refused permission. Two other sites – Calder Raceway and Sandown Racecourse – are considered too far away from railway stations for fans.

BDO is negotiating to use Princes Park a second year.

– Bryan Jones