NSW Barry O'Farrell has promised his push to hold more major events in Sydney's west won't see iconic favourites like the City to Surf or Mardi Gras moved.
Mr O'Farrell has said he wants more major events to be held in western Sydney to give the region a much needed boost and avoid traffic chaos in the city's CBD.
A week after a triathlon brought parts of inner Sydney to a standstill, Mr O'Farrell said major events and the tourism they generate shouldn't be to the detriment of all Sydneysiders.
But he added that inner-Sydney staples such as the City to Surf and Mardi Gras were "in no danger of being shifted" under his western push.
"We should at times welcome these headline events, but we know that closing the bridge, closing CBD streets, always creates chaos," Mr O'Farrell told Fairfax Radio Network on Monday.
"A triathlon or a half marathon through that lower Blue Mountains, which is picturesque, making better use of the Penrith lakes - there are some great opportunities to do events across this city.
"The importance of events is that they bring people to the city, they bring people to stay here to spend here, that helps with the local economy, it also showcases the city, and I'd like to showcase the whole of the city."
Patricia Forsythe, Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber, said priority should be given to expanding the events calendar to include new events in Sydney's West.
"To deny Sydney from using the Harbour Bridge or Opera House as a drawcard for major events would be like asking New York not to use the Empire State Building or Paris the Eiffel Tower," Ms Forsythe said.
Making motorists the "first and only priority" would be a wrong move for a global city, she added.
"The RTA and the police need to review what occurred last week and apply the lessons to their communication and road management."
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