Sydney Opera House 'advertising' sparks uproar

SYDNEY - A government push to use the Sydney Opera House's sails to advertise a horse racing event over the wishes of the building's management has sparked uproar among many Australians over the commercialization of an iconic landmark.

The A$13 million ($10 million) Everest race, which boasts the world's biggest turf race prize, is due to take place in Sydney next week and organizers are pushing to promote it on the white wings of the Opera House.

Amid protracted negotiations, the state government stepped in late on Friday to force the management to allow for the race's trophy, colors and numbers to be projected onto the white wings of the structure early next week.

The wings have been lit up previously to promote other major sporting events, including the Olympics, but Opera House chief executive Louise Herron said before the government's intervention that she did not want the building to be used as an advertising "billboard".

"If we said yes to this, 'we're fine to put the Everest logo on there', our policy is worthless to us, we're just going to allow whoever comes along to use the Opera House as a billboard, we would lose our World Heritage status," she said.

"We would be seen in the global community as not respecting this jewel, this masterpiece of human creative genius that is the greatest building of the 20th century."

NSW Minister for Racing Paul Toole defended his government's decision, saying there was "no way this is devaluing the Opera House".

"When you have a look at The Everest, it is the richest race on turf in the world, which is bringing in tourists and visitors," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"Promoting The Everest this way is consistent with other events we've promoted on the Opera House such as the Mardi Gras, the Wallabies, The Ashes, and Chinese New Year."

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said on Saturday the projects were "blatant commercialization" while a petition in support of Herron has attracted more than 30,000 signatures in two days.

"Sydney's landmarks are not the playthings of those with money, they are ours and let's keep it that way," petition creator Mike Woodcock wrote.

The Everest, which ran its inaugural race last year, is run over 1,200 meters.

Local media reported that the government did not acquiesce to a request from race organizers to beam the names of horses on the building.

Agence France - presse