KEY POINTS:
The roar is approaching in Waikato - the Hamilton 400 V8 Supercar Series is only two weeks away.
The 3.4km circuit is rapidly transforming the city streets as the big event gears up for its first show, from April 18 to 20.
Enormous grandstands have been erected on
Mill St and High St, the starting grids have been painted and the advertising signs that are ubiquitous at motorsport events are going up around the track.
But while the anticipation of watching monstrous cars race through Hamilton streets at unprecedented speeds is growing, businesses in the area say they have been "barricaded out".
Nearly 2000 two-and-a-half metre high concrete barriers have been placed around the circuit's perimeter.
While this means added safety for the thousands of spectators who will attend the event, for many of the 320 business owners in the Frankton area it means less money.
Sharee Burgess, who manages clothing retailer New Zealand Teamwear on Tristram St, said that since the barricades went up about two weeks ago, her custom had fallen by 70 per cent.
And a city council offer of five $150 V8 tickets to cover her and her staff for their inconvenience was "pretty poor".
"When you consider we've been losing at least $1000 a day for the past couple of weeks and that's the compensation they're offering, it's pretty bad."
The Hamilton 400 series is expected to generate at least $20 million for the city.
Nearby Waikato townships will share in the bonanza by catering for an accommodation shortfall.
But Ms Burgess said smaller businesses like hers were being overlooked.
"The council says it's for the overall town and the city, but it doesn't really seem to matter too much about the local businesses."
Raewyn Donald, who runs Village Organics in Frankton, also noticed a drop in customer numbers weeks ago. She said many had trouble finding car parks after the barriers went up.
"It feels like we are subsidising the extra profit the restaurants and bars will enjoy."
Hamilton City Council's general manager environmental services, Graeme Fleming, said hosting the V8 series had been "a massive learning experience".
"It's like building Eden Park in six weeks with a racetrack around it.
"This is not our normal business, and we are doing something which is the biggest annual event in New Zealand history."
In a meeting with Frankton business owners this week, he admitted the council's communication could have been better. Later, he handed out signs saying "Frankton, open for business".
But despite the inconvenience, Mr Fleming said the council had never planned to provide compensation for roadworks and closures.
Frankton Business Association president Vinod Bhikka said there had been some confusion over parking, road closures and whether shops were open. But he was optimistic about the wider benefits.
"The one thing you have to be quite mindful of is people are experiencing some economic gloom so for Hamilton to have an event that brings into the city that dollar level, it's a very exciting prospect."
Keith MacMillan, who runs a High St repair shop for stringed instruments, said his clientele had dropped from 20 customers a day to "about two".
His shop, now overlooked by a huge temporary grandstand which seats 5000, has a sign hanging out the front over one of the barricades that reads: "still open for business".
"I haven't had any customers over the last few days and I don't expect any for the next month," he said.
"I was anticipating it would be quiet for about a fortnight, but I think it will be two months."
He said the initial feeling among business owners was that the V8 series would benefit the city and would have little effect on their day-to-day running.
"That's not what they're thinking now."
