It never seems to be transparent how much the IOM government makes or loses out of the TT or MGP. The figures could be published somewhere but I can't find them.
For instance the Victorian government in Australia lost A$ 40.1 million on the 2008 F1 GP in Melbourne and lost A$4 million on the MotoGP at Phillip Island. These figures are tabled in the Victorian parliament for debate and comment; does anyone know if a similar openness applies in the IOM?
To my mind the above illustrates that governments (i.e. the people) in various parts of the world are willing to invest in events that draw attention, tourism and business to their area, even if it means a loss on the project.
Thinking people realise that intangible benefits flow from the attractions of history, climate, sightseeing, food and special events. In the case of the IOM we can cross off climate and food but all the others are pretty damn good.
If the figures are available and reveal that the IOM actually makes a profit out of the TT (wash my mouth with soap and water) then it would seem like a good idea to invest some of this into the future by preserving a bit of the past.