While he hasn't ruled it out entirely, councillor Warren Aubin says he is "doubtful" he will see Mount Panorama's second circuit built in his lifetime.
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After the design for the circuit was released in 2018, Cr Aubin was anticipating construction would be able to start in 2020, but with the year almost over, it's clear that won't happen.
He believes now that it will be 10 to 15 years away at least, if not longer.
Bathurst Regional Council's director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss provided the Western Advocate with an update on where the project is up to.
"Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and detailed design is almost completed and will be submitted to Department of Planning, Industry and Environment for adequacy assessment prior to formal submission and a development application," he said.
"... EIS was delayed due to completion of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment finalisation, which did not form part of the contract.
"Construction commencement will require development consent from NSW DPIE."
Mr Sturgiss could not provide an exact figure of how much the second circuit will cost, explaining that it will be dependent on completion of detailed design and NSW Planning DA conditions of consent.
Initially, the project was thought to cost $52 million, and to date council has gathered around half of that figure through funding from the state and federal governments.
Cr Aubin said money, and now COVID-19, were key factors in why the project hasn't progressed to construction.
"I'm doubtful I'll see it in my lifetime. I feel with COVID and everything that happened, it's a lot of money and something I don't think will be on the priority list for governments to fund," he said.
"I would say it's going to be quite a way off; it's going to turn into a long-term project.
"... I thought we had a good thing going, but there's been a few things thrown in we didn't anticipate. I can't see that that sort of money is going to be available to build a motor race track, a second one especially, in the next 10 to 15 years I imagine."
He said it was disappointing that construction was unlikely to occur any time soon, as the second circuit would have been a big stimulant for the Bathurst economy.
"I actually had talks with the chief of IndyCar in America to get them to come and race on it in 2023, so that's all down the gurgler now," Cr Aubin said.
While he said council will continue to pursue government funding, he also believes there is an opportunity for a private investor to contribute to get it built sooner.
"If it's DA-ready and there's a developer that wants to get stuck into something like that, well, you'd always be open to talk to someone to come in and build it and run it like that," he said.
