Vision Nine awarded TT contract (from left) Gary Thompson MBE BEM, Clerk of the Course TT Events, Adam Driscoll, CEO Vision Nine, 
Laurence Skelly, MHK, Minister for the Department of Economic Development David Cretney, MLC and Julian Topham, CEO Vision Nine

Economic Development Minister Laurence Skelly MHK confirmed that a contract with Vision Nine had yet to be signed.

Vision 9 was due to take over as the government’s private partner after this year’s Manx Grand Prix, in time for TT2017. It has ambitious plans to invest £2.5m in the event and attract tens of thousands of new visitors.

But now it may not take over until after next year’s TT at the earliest.

Mr Skelly blamed the delay on failure to reach agreement with other government agencies involved in the TT.

He said: ‘I can confirm that the contract has not been signed.

‘There are on-going negotiations with all the different government agencies responsible for delivering the TT event. We are pursuing the will of Tynwald that we outsource to our preferred bidder which is Vision Nine. We are content with the decision to select Vision Nine as our preferred bidder.’

Tynwald supported the proposal to award Vision Nine a 10-year contract for the TT and Classic TT from 2017 following an hour-long debate in April.

The London-based company’s ambitious growth targets envisage spectator numbers for the two combined events increase to between a minimum of 76,500 and a maximum of 125,000 by year 10 of its contract (85,000 for the TT alone).

But critics of the appointment of Vision Nine have queried how all these extra fans are going to get here and wondering where they will stay.

The racing itself will continue to be run by ACU Events Ltd.

Adrian Darbyshire