Sydney's World Cup 'Fan Fest' to cost taxpayers $7 million

The 'Fan Fest' outdoor screening areas being set up in Sydney for this year's FIFA World Cup is set to cost $7 million to NSW taxpayers.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the figure, and noted that New South Wales taxpayers would be underwriting the cost of operating giant screens at the events which would be showing advertisements from World Cup sponsors, who would also be marketing their products within the zones.
The public money is paying for policing the 30,000 people expected to converge each day at the sites, from 9:30pm to 6am. FIFA told the newspaper it has paid for âbasic infrastructure�? costs, including the four screens being used, three floating in Darling Harbour and one in Tumbalong Park.
The NSW Government will be able to sell on-screen advertising time to third parties to help set-off the costs of staging the event, but any deals had to be approved by FIFA, whose sponsors will get priority.