Australia's most famous landmark is again the centre of global attention - but not for its artistic merit.
The Sydney Opera House was lit up last night to promote the city's richest horse race, the Everest.
And that drew thousands of furious protestors, who say it's a building - not a billboard.
Opera House chief executive Louise Herron had refused to allow the promotion, citing guidelines that rule out commercial events.
"The Opera House is not a billboard - it's a work of art, and it's appropriate that we treat it respectfully," she says.
But she was berated by shock jock Alan Jones who called for her to be fired.
"Hang on. Louise, Louise, who do you think you are? If I were Gladys Berejiklian, I'd pick up the phone and sack you today."
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian forced her hand, sparking a strong and satirical backlash - and pranksters have launched their own projections, reading "Advertise here, call Alan Jones".
"I don't like the way the debate happened publicly, and I don't like the way people have been speaking about it, frankly," Ms Berejiklian says.
But for all the talk of division in Sydney, the sentiment is very clear.
A protest petition was signed by 310,000 people, and polls show 80 percent of residents don't support the Government's move.
In the past, the Opera House has been used to promote the Wallabies - but critics say that was not like this, endorsing a horse race and the big bets that follow New South Wales' Problem Gambling Awareness Week.
If it's eyeballs they wanted, the Everest has them.
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