TAXPAYER contributions to the Catholic Church's World Youth Day festival crept closer to the $100 million mark yesterday with the announcement of a $40 million compensation package to the racing industry.And while NSW Deputy Premier John Watkins, who announced the deal, estimated about $150million in economic benefit from the six-day event to be held in Sydney next July, he conceded there was no way of estimating the final cost.
Organisers of the festival have been feuding with trainers and others for months over plans to use Randwick racecourse to host an overnight vigil and a Papal mass.
As Mr Watkins declared a truce between the Randwick trainers, the Australian Jockey Club, and Racing NSW on one hand and the NSW Government and church on the other, John Howard announced that the federal Government would foot half the compensation package.
This is in addition to $35million already pledged by the federal Government and brings its total contribution to $55million.
The state Government's $20million commitment yesterday is on top of $20million "in kind", consisting of services, but Mr Watkins conceded it was a moveable target.
"We do not yet know the final all-up cost of WYD," he said.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney is paying $15-20million towards the event, but there will also be funds from corporate partners and from pilgrims who are paying part of their own costs.
Today's deal bears out the estimate Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell gave last month when he said the event would almost certainly cost more than $100million.
Under the deal announced yesterday, the 700 horses stabled at Randwick will relocate to Warwick Farm and Rosehill racecourses for 10 weeks from June while Randwick is prepared to host the vigil and papal mass.
The vigil is expected to attract 300,000 people, but when Pope Benedict XVI conducts mass there the next day numbers could swell to 500,000.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said the anger had subsided while the vice-president of the NSW Trainers Association, John O'Shea, described the result as "acceptable".
"The best result for us was always that World Youth Day was not going to be held at Randwick," Mr O'Shea said.
Under the deal, the AJC will get $3million for costs incurred by them and an extension of the lease for Randwick, which will ultimately run 99 years.
Up to $10million will go to construction of infrastructure at the other two racecourses to accommodate the Randwick horses and trainers; $7million to redevelop Randwick in preparation for World Youth Day; and $10.8million reimbursement to trainers and other service providers from Randwick for relocating.
There is up to $10million in contingency money to ensure restoration of Randwick in time for next year's Spring Carnival.
Trainers and the AJC were against church and government plans for Randwick before the outbreak of equine influenza hit the industry and caused the cancellation of this year's Spring Carnival.
World Youth Day will run from July 15 and is expected to attract more than 100,000 pilgrims from overseas.
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