However, they want to make sure visitors are in no doubt Cromwell, not Queenstown, is the home of the park.
The first race meeting was staged at Highlands from Friday to Sunday, attracting 28,000 people, and drew rave reviews from local and international drivers, pit crews and spectators.
Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper attended some of the racing and told the first meeting of the Cromwell Community Board yesterday it was ''probably one of the more impressive things I've been to in three and a-bit years'' as mayor.
He loved that drivers who had never been to New Zealand before were singing the praises of Cromwell.
''The ones I met were also very interested in the planning process and how consent had been gained for the park.''
The town and district passed the ''test'' of a big motorsport weekend with flying colours, he said.
Although businesses did not appear to have gained much extra business from the influx, ''it was enough and we can work out ways of getting even more''.
''People seemed to go there and stay put all day, for seven or eight hours.''
Deputy mayor and community board chairman Neil Gillespie said the attendance was big.
''They're talking about [hosting] the New Zealand Grand Prix - there's great opportunities there and watch this space.''
The Cromwell and Districts Promotion Group asked the board for $6385 towards $10,000 it spent on signs at the track.
Cromwell businesswoman and group member Aimee Paardekooper said the money paid for 10 large signs, printed with cromwell.co.nz, which would remain at the track for the next year.
''We wanted to make sure people coming here knew it was in Cromwell,'' she told the board. In his letter seeking funds, group secretary Terry Emmitt said $6385 had been earmarked by the board for promotion but remained unallocated.
''The development of Highlands Motorsport Park is an exciting and significant addition to both Cromwell and Central Otago's tourism facilities.
"The group see the proposed track signage as an important item to identify the location of the track in response to a possible domination by Queenstown interests,'' he said.
Cromwell businessman and group member Gary Anderson said the park would be the catalyst for the next stage of growth in Cromwell - ''and it'll be huge''.
He told the Otago Daily Times wineries, hotels and restaurants in the area had extra business at the weekend.
''Highlands is like a gift from the heavens for Cromwell. ''The board agreed to the grant, with the group covering the balance of funding for the signs.
