$50K Detroit Grand Prix sponsorship splits Windsor council

Windsor city council approved $50,000 to sponsor the 2016 Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, but it took nearly an hour of debate before it came to a vote.

The city sponsored the Detroit IndyCar Series race in 2008, and again from 2013-15. The money pays for a media booth, brochures and other advertisements for the City of Windsor.

Council was split on the issue, sparring over whether the $270,000 spent over that period was worth it. After every councillor spoke about the motion, it passed with 6-4 vote.

Irek Kusmierczyk, Bill Marra, Rino Bortolin and Chris Holt voted against the funding.

• Windsor council to mull $50,000 sponsorship for grand prix

The sponsorship was approved with the condition that a report on the race's economic impact for Windsor be delivered before any funding for 2017 grand prix is released.

Metrics to show how that funding has previously benefitted Windsor could not be provided Monday night.

Kusmierczyk questioned whether that money could have been better spent on local events.

"We have no idea how many hotel rooms that [race] has provided, what the economic impact has been for the city and so having those metrics is really important," Kusmierczyk told CBC News.

Kusmierczyk said he fundamentally disagrees with spending the money when city council denied the Windsor International Film Festival a fee waiver that would have cost the city $5,000 last year.

"You want to put Windsor on the map? You want to bring tourism to this area? You support homegrown organizations first and foremost," Kusmierczyk said.

Partnership with Detroit

But Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, who authored the initial report recommending the sponsorship, said that isn't a fair comparison.

He said it is "completely and utterly false" to suggest the decision to uphold the ticket surcharge for the film festival and the decision to sponsor the race are linked in any way. He pointed to a $400,000 upgrade of seating at the Capitol Theatre as proof the council is supporting the festival.

Dilkens also suggested there is a voting bloc on council who do not support sports tourism at all.

That prompted a response from Marra on how councillors should be able to vote independently on all issues without having to face criticism.

Coun. Fred Francis spoke passionately in defence of the funding, saying it's a unique opportunity to reach out to reporters and tourists who may become interested in Windsor.

"Isolationism doesn't work," Francis said. "It's a matter of how can we communicate better with the City of Detroit? How can we tell our story in a positive way? How do we continue to provide events, at least provide a portion for Windsor families to enjoy with kids?"

"A lot of people enjoy automotive racing in this area, certainly with our tradition," he said.