For much of its time in Vancouver, the Molson Indy was a source of considerable local controversy, as local residents complained of the noise and disruption caused by this major event. As the lands of the former
Expo 86 site were developed into the billion-dollar condominium development by
Concord Pacific, debates raged over whether the Indy made Vancouver a "
world-class city" or an "urban nightmare." Such debates were chronicled by Mark Douglas Lowes in his 2002 book,
Indy Dreams and Urban Nightmares: Speed Merchants, Spectacle, and the Struggle over Public Space in the World-Class City. The official explanation for the cancellation came from Jo-Ann McArthur, president of sponsoring Molson Sports and Entertainment, who stated that "the bottom line is the business model couldn't work". The race had just two seasons left in the city, due to the impending construction of the
Olympic Village for the
2010 Winter Olympics on the south end of the course. She stated that the lack of a long-term commitment to holding the event made it difficult to attract sponsors to continue the race. Following the cancellation,
Champ Car continued to race in the Canadian cities of
Toronto,
Montreal and
Edmonton as part of the
2005 season. ==Layout history==