- Charlotte to spend $2.5M more for NASCAR hall: A basement for the new NASCAR Hall of Fame will cost an additional $2.5 million, an unexpected expense that was approved by the Charlotte City Council. The basement for the $154.5 million project was approved this week after officials said adding it now would be cheaper than waiting. Two of the 11 council members opposed the plan. Assistant City Manager Jim Schumacher said the extra space would be used for more exhibits or other operations. The hall is scheduled to open near the Charlotte Convention Center in 2010. The hall is being financed mostly with proceeds of a hotel and motel tax.(Associated Press/Sports Illustrated)(9-1-2007)
- Just Marketing to handle sponsorships for Hall of Fame: Motorsports agency Just Marketing International, Indianapolis, has been selected to handle sponsorship sales for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The hall, which is expected to open in Charlotte, N.C., by the spring 2010, received initial proposals from 17 agencies. Seven were selected as finalists. Just Marketing will sell sponsorships, but other agencies could be involved in other aspects of marketing the hall. [The hall's executive director, Winston] Kelley has said he hopes to find ways to work with many of the agencies that were finalists, which included the Radiate Group, Sports & Properties Inc., Sullivan Worldwide Marketing, Velocity Sports & Entertainment, Victory Management Group and Wasserman Media Group.(SceneDaily.com)(7-19-2007)
- NASCAR Hall of Fame to unveil logo: The NASCAR Hall of Fame will unveil its logo next week at Charlotte Bobcats Arena before the annual race team pit-crew competition. To date, little more than renderings for the publicly funded, $154.5 million project have been available. Last summer, Winston Kelley signed on to lead the hall of fame. And, in recent weeks, site work has accelerated in preparation for construction.(Charlotte Business Journal)(5-12-2007)
- NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Plaza Groundbreaking to Take Place Jan. 25 UPDATE 2: Plans are finalized for an exciting first event for the one and only NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Plaza Office Tower. The groundbreaking will be the 'grand finale' of the annual Nextel Cup Media Tour hosted by Lowe's Motor Speedway on Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 3:00pm/et at the site of the new NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Plaza bordered by Brevard, Caldwell, Stonewall and Second streets in Charlotte, NC.(NASCAR PR)(1-11-2007)
UPDATE: The city of Charlotte, NASCAR, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and the hall's main developer will host a 3:00pm/et groundbreaking at the site, bordered by Stonewall, Caldwell and Brevard streets and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The public is invited. For that matter, the public is actively courted. Organizers, while releasing few details, said they plan an event to accompany the usual officials-with-shovels photo opportunity that will honor NASCAR's storied past. Such notables as Richard Petty, Ned Jarrett, Bobby Allison and NASCAR President Mike Helton are expected, along with N.C. Gov. Mike Easley and Mayor Pat McCrory. Current stars Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were invited, but are preparing for this weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona race, said CRVA spokeswoman Molly Hedrick.(Charlotte Observer)
UPDATE 2: The NASCAR Hall of Fame took one step closer to opening its doors to the public as fans, VIPs and racing legends from NASCAR’s past and present gathered on the Hall’s site today to officially break ground and begin construction of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and NASCAR President Mike Helton headlined the celebratory event that also included NASCAR legends from the last fifty plus years of racing such as Buddy Baker, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, Raymond Parks, Richard Petty, Rex White and many others. The 100,000 square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame, which will be located on a five-acre site in Charlotte’s Center City, will be a special place that brings NASCAR’s rich history to life. Scheduled to open in the spring of 2010, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be designed by Pei, Cobb & Freed, a firm known for its expertise with public buildings including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the expansion of The Louvre in Paris and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
As shovels were put into the ground, engines roared from historic stock cars driven by seven-time Nextel Cup champions Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.. Fans cheered loudly for the 30-plus NASCAR legends in attendance while Rick Hendrick joined the groundbreaking team not only as a championship car owner in all three of NASCAR’s top touring series, but as the Honorary Grand Marshal of the bid to bring the NASCAR Hall of Fame to the Charlotte region.
The Hall of Fame, which is expected to total approximately $155 million and be financed by a hotel occupancy tax, will give NASCAR fans the ultimate destination spot to learn about or relive NASCAR’s history. Ralph Appelbaum and Associates (RAA), which has design experience that includes the National Constitution Center and the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum, will design the Hall’s exhibits. BE&K Building Group is the construction management firm, with Turner Thompson Davis chosen as the construction contractor. With the estimated completion date being the first quarter of 2010, this state-of-the-art facility will honor NASCAR icons and create an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others who have impacted the sport in the past, present and yet-to-come. The NASCAR Hall of Fame, which will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, will include approximately 40,000 square-feet of the most interactive and historical NASCAR exhibit space in the world.(NASCAR PR)(1-25-2007)
- NASCAR Hall of Fame moving forward: A few financing points aside, NASCAR says it's ready to move forward with the construction of a 19-story office tower to occupy one corner of its planned NASCAR Hall of Fame property. The tower plans now surpass what the sport had pitched earlier this year, with 400,000 rentable square feet instead of 300,000 in a glass-and-concrete tower at Stonewall and Caldwell streets. The building also would hold a new, 40,000-square-foot ballroom for the adjacent Charlotte Convention Center. But NASCAR, which secured an option to build the tower on city land this spring, asked for its third extension of the option, which originally was supposed to expire in September. NASCAR and city officials said they need another 15 to 30 days to settle unresolved issues:
• Deciding how much NASCAR's tower developer, Lauth Property Group of Charlotte, will pay to help construct an 830- to 840-space parking deck and truck dock.
• The amount of contingency funds for construction.
• How much the city would realize from any future sale or refinancing of the tower.
• What the city's responsibility would be to Lauth "in the very unlikely event," as a city document put it Monday, that the hall of fame is not built.
"We're close" to an agreement on the lease option, Kimble said, "but we're not there yet." The City Council voted Monday to extend the option to Dec. 12, although Kimble said NASCAR probably will exercise the option Nov. 28. NASCAR is committed to seeing the tower portion through, said Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president of licensing. Dyer apologized to council members for the delays and said he has already spoken to several potential tower tenants. "The impact, I think, will be significant," he said. The hall is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009.(Charlotte Observer also see an article at SceneDaily.com)(11-8-2006)
- Winston Kelley to run NASCAR HOF: A Duke Power vice president and long-time racing broadcaster will be named executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame today. Winston Kelley, whose family has close ties to racing, was part of the team of city boosters that won the hall of fame over Atlanta, Kansas City and NASCAR's home city of Daytona Beach, among other cities.
Kelley's connections to both the local community and the racing world are invaluable, said people involved with the hall effort. Kelley is a pit reporter for the Motor Racing Network, lending his voice and racing expertise to radio broadcasts. He's been involved in broadcasting races since the 1980s. Kelley also served as emcee for several events related to wooing the hall of fame in Charlotte, including the announcement by NASCAR Chairman Brian France in March that Charlotte had won the right to build the hall. The project will cost $155 million, the bulk of which will be paid for with a hike in Mecklenburg County's hotel tax. Kelley and an exhibit designer will be the first employees hired for the hall, which is expected to begin construction next spring.(Charlotte Observer)(7-6-2006)
- Hotel tax hike OK'd to help NASCAR hall: In an 8-1 vote, Mecklenburg commissioners agreed to raise the county's hotel tax by 2 percentage points, from 6 to 8 percent. The money to be raised by the increase was a financial cornerstone of Charlotte's bid to host the motorsports shrine. Commissioners held a public hearing on the increase, the public's only chance to weigh in since the deal was announced. But no one came to object. Instead, half a dozen speakers -- sporting buttons from the campaign to win the hall -- stood up to praise it, saying the Hall of Fame will draw hundreds of thousands of tourists, and solidify the region's status as home to the booming racing industry and the accompanying jobs. Mohammed Jenatian, president of the Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance, said the tourism industry was involved in the decision to increase the tax, and believes the project is worth it.(Charlotte Observer)(3-22-2006)
- NASCAR HOF name won’t be for sale: Buried deep in the 63rd page of a contract between NASCAR and the city of Charlotte is the phrase: “Neither party shall sell any naming rights or presenting sponsorship for the HOF without the other party’s prior approval.” OK, we know. That doesn’t exactly eliminate the possibility. NASCAR doesn’t want a bunch of corporate names getting in the way of the clearly stated “NASCAR Hall of Fame.”
“We think that would probably go beyond the bounds of good taste,” said Mark Dyer, NASCAR’s vice president of licensing. “We didn’t want to have a particular corporate name on it, because we wanted the purity of the NASCAR name,” said Tim Newman, who heads the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which will own and operate the Hall of Fame.(Kansas City Star)(3-14-2006)
- It's Official - NASCAR HOF in Charlotte: NASCAR today announced that it has selected Charlotte, N.C., to be the home of its Hall of Fame. The NASCAR Hall of Fame, which will be a state of the art facility capturing the spirit of the sport, will honor the NASCAR icons and create an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others that have impacted the sport in the past, present and yet to come. “To NASCAR fans everywhere, it is my distinct honor to announce that NASCAR has selected Charlotte, N.C., to be the home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “The winners in this process are the 75 million NASCAR fans nationwide, who will have a Hall of Fame to call their own. The City of Charlotte will welcome fans from around the country and even the world to the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said France.
Charlotte’s proposal best achieves NASCAR’s overriding goal to have one of the premier hall of fames in the world of sports and entertainment. The region’s rich racing history and heritage along with the strength of the city’s overall financial structure for the Hall, represents the best fit for NASCAR, the industry and the fan-base. The Hall is expected to include exhibit space, a Great Hall, a Hall of Honor, interactive entertainment restaurants, retail outlets, and a state-of-the-art media center for the industry. The NASCAR Hall of Fame will be a special place that brings NASCAR’s history to life and preserves that history in the appropriate environments. The new facility will allow longtime fans to have the opportunity to relive NASCAR’s greatest moments and for new fans to learn about them.
“Our goal has been – and continues to be – to create one of the “crown jewels” of Charlotte and the very best Hall of Fame-themed entertainment experience in the world,” said Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. “This Hall of Fame will expand the dynamic and growing sport of NASCAR racing in a dynamic and growing city. It’s a victory not only for the entire region, but for NASCAR fans across the country and internationally. We look forward to welcoming all fans for a unique and entertaining experience.”
Mayor McCrory credits the regional effort and broad-based support from the business community, elected officials, the hospitality and tourism industry and NASCAR fans who supported this effort. Mayor McCrory specifically cited the strong leadership from his fellow “Crew Chiefs,” including Cathy Bessant of Bank of America; Luther Cochrane of BEK Building Group, as well as John Tate of Wachovia and Tim Newman of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
The Hall of Fame, which will be located in Charlotte’s Center City will be developed, designed, and operated by the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. The total cost of the Hall of Fame is estimated at $107.5 million. This will primarily be funded by a new two percent hotel/motel tax and contributions from the State of North Carolina and the private sector. The Hall of Fame, which will be open no later than spring of 2010, has been designed and concept by world renowned architecture firm, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. The firm has designed iconic buildings in cities worldwide, including the Javits Convention Center in New York City, the expanded Louvre in Paris, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
Charlotte is the hub of the NASCAR industry. Currently 82% of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup teams, 72 percent of NASCAR Busch Series teams and 55 percent of NASCAR Craftsman Truck teams are based in the Charlotte region. The industry’s current annual statewide economic impact is estimated to be $5 billion.(NASCAR PR)(3-6-2006)
- NASCAR HOF in Charlotte...NC Gov. to atttend? Monday at 4pm/et: New details emerged Friday about next week's expected announcement that Charlotte has landed NASCAR's Hall of Fame. An official announcement has been tentatively scheduled for 4:00pm/et [Speed Channel Live] Monday at the Charlotte Convention Center, a NASCAR source said. Luminaries such as Gov. Mike Easley, Mayor Pat McCrory, NASCAR Chairman Brian France and Hendrick Motorsports Owner Rick Hendrick are expected to attend, said the source, who asked not to be identified because of the confidentially of the bid process. The Speed Channel is tentatively scheduled to broadcast the event live [4:00pm/et], the source said.(Charlotte Observer). Speed Channel will carry the announcement live at 4:00pm/et [and supposedly have taped coverage shown later] and XM Satellite NASCAR Radio will carry the announcement live.
AND Being told the contruction of the building won't begin until sometime in 2007.(3-4/6-2006)
- NASCAR Downplays HOF Report UPDATE Charlotte wins? announce Monday?....on Speed: NASCAR is downplaying a report in the Charlotte Observer that quotes sources as saying Charlotte has emerged as the clear leader in a three-city battle for the sport's hall of fame. NASCAR chairman and chief executive officer Brian France said before Sunday's race at California Speedway that Atlanta remained very much in the running for the hall, and NASCAR public relations spokesman Kerry Tharp said after Sunday's race that a decision on the hall had not been reached. "We are still in the decision-making process, and we're still collecting information from all the cities," Tharp said. "We still anticipate making an announcement in March." The Observer said a high-ranking NASCAR official and two Nextel Cup team owners, all speaking on the condition of anonymity, said NASCAR officials have indicated to them that Charlotte's selection is nearly certain. Charlotte, Atlanta and Daytona Beach, Fla., are the three finalists for the hall.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
AND NASCAR officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Sunday night that Charlotte has emerged as the clear leading candidate to be the permanent home to NASCAR’s $100 million Hall of Fame. The NASCAR officials said, however, that the sanctioning body is still negotiating with Daytona Beach, Fla., and Atlanta, the two other finalists in the running for the facility.
“It’s fair to say that Charlotte is the clear front-runner now and that our discussions with the city have intensified,” said a senior NASCAR official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “We are still having discussions with the other two cities, though.” No date for the announcement of a winner has been set yet, sources said, though it is expected in the next several weeks.(Speed Channel)(2-27-2006)
UPDATE: NASCAR will announce the selection of Charlotte for its Hall of Fame at a press conference Monday, sources tell The Charlotte Observer.(SceneDaily.com)(3-1-2006)
UPDATE 2 - Atlanta Trying...: [GA] State lawmakers trying to drive millions of new public dollars into Atlanta's NASCAR hall of fame bid have hit an unexpected speed bump. In an attempt to snatch the attraction from rival Charlotte, legislators hurried this week to hike the public portion of Atlanta's bid from nearly $32 million to about $80 million. That, with corporate support and bank loans, would push the total offer for the racing shrine from $92 million to more than $140 million. NASCAR plans to announce its choice on Monday in Charlotte, according to reports. Georgia lawmakers came up with two new ideas to try to lure the hall to Atlanta: One would steer $20 million from state sales taxes to the project. The other would divert about $22 million in surplus money from Atlanta's rental car tax to the project. But the latter notion hit an obstacle: Atlanta officials have already committed the money to help the city's homeless.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
UPDATE 3: NASCAR will host a press conference Monday at 4:00pm/et at the Charlotte Convention Center to announce that Charlotte will be the home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, multiple sources confirmed to SPEEDTV.com today. SPEED will break into its regular programming to cover the Hall of Fame announcement, whenever it takes place.(Speed Channel)(3-2-2006)
- Atlanta HOF bid looking for $$: Georgia lawmakers are trying to win NASCAR's hall of fame for downtown Atlanta with millions of new dollars from Dale Earnhardt license plates and airport rental cars. Leaders in Georgia's House will soon introduce legislation to shift additional money to the hall of fame project from Georgia's new NASCAR license plate and Atlanta's 10-year-old rental car tax. This would be on top of the $32 million in public incentives already on the table. The added money will help the local bid team seal a deal with NASCAR in a hall of fame race that could be Atlanta's to lose, said state Rep. Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta), the No. 2 man in the House who's become the attraction's point man under the Gold Dome.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-16-2006)
- NASCAR HOF announcement 30-60 days: NASCAR president Mike Helton said Thursday the announcement of the site for NASCAR's Hall of Fame would be made within 30 to 60 days. France said the decision would be made by NASCAR's board of directors, including chairman Brian France, vice chairman Bill France Jr., executive vice president Jim France, vice president Lesa France Kennedy and Helton. Finalist cities for the hall are Daytona Beach, Atlanta and Charlotte.(Flordia Today)(2-10-2006)
- Aquarium may help Atlanta's chance of NASCAR HOF UPDATE: The Georgia Aquarium, with its overwhelming early foot traffic, is Atlanta's best case for luring the highly coveted racing shrine to Centennial Olympic Park, NASCAR's chief executive, Brian France, said Wednesday. But it's not all good news. France, the last word on the hall of fame decision, gave rival Charlotte two critical advantages in the hall of fame race: Lots of guaranteed money and superstar drivers and racing teams in its back yard. France walked through Atlanta's fish tank for the first time Wednesday after speaking at a business conference in Buckhead. Bernie Marcus, the aquarium benefactor and Home Depot co-founder, joined local business leaders to give him a private tour. North Carolina's legislature has already approved a hotel/motel tax and a $20 million land gift that will guarantee funding for nearly all of Charlotte's $137.5 million hall of fame. Georgia is only now putting together $32.4 million in public money for the hall, which organizers expect will cost about $92 million. Corporate support and bank loans will cover the balance, a fact that seemed to give France pause. "I think they'll get there," France said of Atlanta's financial effort. But, he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Charlotte's money is all wrapped up. What's more, France likes the fact that Charlotte is home base for nearly every driver and racing team in the sport.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-9-2006)
UPDATE: Georgia lawmakers and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin are trying to show NASCAR more money. State and city officials moved Thursday to put more dollars behind Atlanta?s bid for a NASCAR hall of fame, including another $10 million in special tax breaks from the city of Atlanta, according to state Rep. Mark Burkhalter. Officials were reacting to comments made by Brian France, the racing?s chief executive, who suggested Wednesday that the money behind rival Charlotte?s bid was more secure — though Atlanta may have an advantage with the foot traffic generated by the Georgia Aquarium.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-10-2006)
- NASCAR HOF, three cities left: NASCAR announced Thursday that three cities – Atlanta, Charlotte and Daytona Beach – are still under consideration for serving as the host site for the sport’s first-ever officially-sanctioned Hall of Fame. Kansas City and Richmond were the two other cities that had submitted proposals to NASCAR and been involved in the process since the early part of 2005. “NASCAR is extremely appreciative of the time, effort and commitment put forth by the cities of Kansas City and Richmond,” said Mark Dyer, NASCAR vice president for licensing. “Both of their proposals were outstanding and the passion and enthusiasm the people involved showed for the NASCAR Hall of Fame has made a lasting impression on all of us. We’d like to thank Gov. Sebelius of Kansas and Gov. Warner of Virginia, along with all of the other people who put so much work into this project. Both of these cities are extremely important to our sport and should be congratulated for their efforts. As we move forward in this process, we believe it is necessary to focus our attention on the three cities of Atlanta, Charlotte and Daytona Beach. Based upon the proposals that we have reviewed internally for the past several months, we believe these three cities provide us with the best opportunity to build and develop a world-class NASCAR Hall of Fame for our millions of loyal fans.” NASCAR hopes to make a final decision on its Hall of Fame site sometime within the first quarter of 2006.(NASCAR), so much for the breaking news that Kansas was getting it....see next post.(1-5-2006)
- Kansas to get the NASCAR Hall of Fame? UPDATE 2: 610 Sports racing show Inside Motorsports in Kansas City Saturday, December 3rd at 12:30pm/cst was the first nationally to break the story that Kansas City, Kansas would reportedly get the NASCAR hall of fame. Co-Hosts Mark Merrell and Ryck Sanders stated that a source had reportedly told them of a meeting in New York this week between NASCAR officials, International Speedway, and Speedway Motorsports Incorporated. Reportedly in that meeting, Brian France, relenting to pressure from SMI president Bruton Smith, reportedly told Smith that NASCAR would award the NASCAR Hall of Fame to Atlanta (an SMI owned track), but that the track would have to give up a race date, and that that race date (Nextel Cup) would go to Kansas Speedway (an ISC owned track) (creating two NEXTEL Cup races at Kansas). Smith at first reportedly agreed to the deal, but days latter reportedly re-approached NASCAR with the idea to take a NEXTEL CUP race date from the Texas Motor Speedway, and move it to Atlanta, leaving Texas Motorspeedway with one date, and Atlanta with the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and two NEXTEL Cup race dates, and Kansas Speedway with two NEXTEL Cup race dates. NASCAR officials, reportedly tired from Smith, pulled the deal, and reportedly will award Kansas Speedway with the NASCAR hall of fame, all according to an unnamed source. The story was related to race fans live on Inside Motorsports, a weekly comprehensive racing show hosted by Mark Merrell and Ryck Sanders Saturday, December 3rd at 12:30pm central. A subsequent story was posted on their web site, insidemotorsportskc.com [don't see it there], and also presented on KCPT, TV-19, a PBS station in Kansas City during a pledge break by Merrell while co-hosting show featuring the 25th anniversary of Motorweek latter that same day. The show aired live in Kansas City at 2:30pm/cst. The story is unconfirmed by NASCAR and ISC officials as of today's date. They also report that the Sprint Nextel Challenge date would go to Kansas Speedway now as well as the NASCAR Hall of Fame, as the Sprint Nextel All Star Challenge Hall of Fame race (previously the Nextel All Star Challenge at Lowes Motor Speedway) with induction ceremonies, etc as a May date.(Mark Merrell/Inside Motorsports/The Race Report/610 Sports KCSP)
UPDATE: haven't heard from Kansas Speedway but have heard Kansas Speedway says the story is untrue, and are very upset. They (Kansas Speedway) hope this doesn't hurt their chances of getting the HOF.(12-5-2005)
UPDATE 2: and a David Poole article refutes most of the above story: Smith says no such meeting happened. "I hope people who know both Brian and I know that we wouldn't talk about junk like that," Smith said Monday. "That's just idiotic reporting. Maybe they won the award for the week where facts do not interfere with a story." But just to make sure, calls were placed Monday to the principal figures involved in the Hall of Fame process. One NASCAR official called the story "nonsense." Another said it "has no validity." See the ull article/report at: Yep, they sure 'broke' that NASCAR Hall story.(12-6-2005)
- FL License Tag Hall of Fame News: Florida lawmakers are moving forward with a plan aimed at creating a NASCAR license tag to help pay for a stock-car hall of fame in Daytona Beach. Rep. Pat Patterson, R-DeLand, and Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, filed bills Thursday to create the tag and will seek to take up the issue during a special legislative session next week. Supporters hope to use money from sales of the tag -- estimated at as much as $1.5 million a year -- to help finance the hall of fame and bolster Daytona Beach's effort to outbid four other cities for the tourism draw. Daytona Beach also proposed the sale of NASCAR license tags during this year's regular legislative session, but the proposal died after it became tangled in a broader dispute about whether the state should subsidize stadium projects for the Florida Marlins and Orlando Magic.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(12-4-2005)
- Daytona Gets More Time: An unexpected move by NASCAR has given Daytona Beach more time to line up public money to attract the coveted stock-car-racing hall of fame. NASCAR executives announced during the weekend that they would hold off on selecting a site for the hall until early next year. That gives lawmakers time to revive a plan during a special session next month to sell a NASCAR-themed license plate and use the proceeds to help finance Daytona's bid for the attraction. Daytona -- which is competing with Charlotte, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Kansas City, Kan.; and Atlanta for the hall of fame -- has proposed spending at least $70 million to overhaul Daytona USA and merge it with a new museum.(Orlando Sentinel)(11-16-2005)
- All Five Cities still in the race for the HOF: NASCAR Chairman Brian France scuttled rumors yesterday that the Hall of Fame search had entered a cutdown period and said a decision probably won't be made this year. France said negotiations to choose a winning city probably would begin "after the holidays," ruling out the possibility the selection would be announced during the season-ending awards ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria on Dec. 2.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(11-12-2005)
- Daytona Hall and License Plates: Two of Florida's most-powerful lawmakers support creating a NASCAR license tag during a special legislative session in December, potentially boosting Daytona Beach's bid for a stock-car hall of fame. House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, and House Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, back a plan to sell specialty tags to help finance the hall of fame. Daytona Beach is trying to outbid four other cities for the project, which economic-development officials say would be a boon to tourism. But it remained unclear whether Senate leaders also would back the idea. Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said he will consider adding the issue to the special session, but said hall-of-fame supporters should have met legally mandated criteria to get the tag approved. Those criteria include paying a $60,000 fee and doing a survey to ensure enough motorists would buy the tag. Volusia County lawmakers tried to create the license tag during this spring's regular session, but it died along with other proposals to help finance sports facilities. The idea resurfaced, however, as it became apparent that lawmakers would hold a special session.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(11-9-2005)
- Ruling says Atlanta NASCAR HOF bid can't be secret: A Fulton County [GA] Superior Court judge has ruled that Atlanta's bids for the NASCAR hall of fame and 2009 Super Bowl must be open to the public. Judge Michael Johnson's ruling was a setback for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and Central Atlanta Progress. The two leading Atlanta business groups argued in court that they are private organizations, and that releasing the bids would hamper the metro area's ability to win big-ticket spectacles like Super Bowls and Final Fours — prizes that mean millions to the local economy. At an all-day hearing Thursday, court testimony revealed that Fulton County and Georgia's Department of Economic Development, among other public bodies, helped pay to compile the NASCAR hall of fame bid. The bid cost $500,000 to prepare, with $300,000 coming from public sources, the business groups' witnesses testified. A witness also described meetings where NASCAR bid documents were handed out and then confiscated to keep the information out of public hands. Monday's decision was the latest round in a months-long dispute between The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the business groups over the Super Bowl and NASCAR hall of fame bids. Atlanta lost its bid for the 2009 Super Bowl, but the city is still competing with four other communities — Richmond, Charlotte, Kansas City, Kan., and Daytona Beach, Fla. — for NASCAR's hall of fame. NASCAR officials are expected to pick a hall of fame site by the end of the year.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(11-8-2005)
- Daytona HOF Bid tied in with License Plates: With motorists sporting dozens of different license tags, Florida lawmakers last year passed a law aimed at making it harder to get new tags approved. But now, that move to clamp down on the proliferation of license plates could turn into a roadblock for supporters of bringing a NASCAR hall of fame to Daytona Beach. Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, will meet next week with Daytona Beach area officials about the possibility of creating a NASCAR license tag to help finance the hall of fame -- an idea that supporters would like to see considered during a possible special session this fall. But Lee wants hall of fame supporters to go through the legally required process for getting a tag approved. That process, which includes doing a scientific survey to gauge demand from motorists, could cause a fatal delay in approving the tag. Kathy Mears, a Lee spokeswoman, said Tuesday that Lee is willing to listen to the NASCAR proposal but that he intends "to uphold the current law as it pertains to license plates." She said Lee is "not interested in short-cutting those requirements."(Daytona Beach News Journal)(10-12-2005)
- NASCAR Hall of Fame bid headlines Chamber Day at Kansas: Kansas Speedway and members from the Kansas City Area Development Council will discuss the NASCAR Hall of Fame bid proposal during Chamber Day festivities at Kansas Speedway
on Friday. Chamber Day on Friday is a unique networking opportunity during O'Reilly Auto Parts Qualifying Day at Kansas Speedway, and promises to be one of the biggest mixers for business professionals in the city. Nearly 1,000 of the metro's brightest professional men and women from most of the area chambers of commerce are expected to attend this year's Chamber Day. Guests include Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, KCADC President and CEO Bob Marcusse and representatives from the THINK KC team that submitted a bid earlier this year to attract the NASCAR Hall of Fame to Kansas City, Kan.(PR)(10-6-2005)
THE VISIT's AUGUST 2005
- NASCAR Hall of Fame update: In August 2005, NASCAR visited the five Hall of Fame sites. Each site, Atlanta, Charlotte, Daytona, Kansas and Richmond got one day to show their proposals and local support.
DAYTONA: August 9th:
Daytona presented their non-profit proposal with 200 people showing up in support. Some points:
Cost: $105 million; Size: 80,000-square-feet; Construction Jobs: 532; Permanent Jobs: 37; Projected Annual Visitors: 400,000; Local Spending: $50 million annually; would be built next to and in conjunction with Daytona USA. Construction would be financed with the sale of bonds issued by a nonprofit corporation formed to operate the hall of fame. The bonds would be repaid from admission prices, sales and corporate sponsors.
Some articles about the Daytona visit:
- Daytona Beach News Journal:
Daytona shows hand on hall plans - The city envisions an Oscar-style ceremony at NASCAR hall of fame by Etan Horowitz
Daytona Beach News Journal:
Behind every empire is a mastermind by Godwin Kelly;
Speedway official: Daytona USA only place for hall by John Bozzo
Daytona Beach News Journal:
Residents, officials make pitch for hall of fame by John Bonzo;
Fame-ous Daytona? Officials believe they've set the bar for Hall cities by Ken Willis;
Special NASCAR Hall of Fame Section
Orlando Sentinel::
Daytona shows its NASCAR hand - The city unveils a bid to lure hall of fame by Etan Horowitz
ATLANTA: August 16th:
Daytona presented their proposal with Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin leading a NASCAR cheer for a sweltering rally of more than 100 people at Centennial Olympic Park. Shortly before the rally, state Sen. Vincent Fort, former City Councilman Derrick Boazman and about 15 others gathered near the park to protest spending public money on the NASCAR shrine. Some points:
Atlanta's main selling point? "Sustainability," A.J. Robinson, head of Central Atlanta Progress, said. NASCAR wants the hall of fame to be open "for eons, for 50 years," he said. "We wanted to make the impression that it will thrive here and success will never be a question mark." Honorary Chair is Bill Elliott, NASCAR Champion, didn't see any mention of him at the rally or presentation.
Atlanta's NASCAR Hall of Fame would be located in the Atlanta Downtown Entertainment District. The facility would face Centennial Olympic Park
Cost: $92 million; Size: ?square-feet; Projected Annual Visitors: 1,000,000. Jobs: 1,200.
Some articles about the Atlanta visit:
LAWSUIT: Attorney General Thurbert Baker sued two of metro Atlanta's leading business organizations Thursday over their refusal to publicly disclose bids for the 2009 Super Bowl and NASCAR hall of fame. Baker filed a lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court asking a judge to order the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and Central Atlanta Progress to release both bids to public scrutiny under the state Open Records Act. See full story at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.(8-19-2005)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Atlanta puts on its show - Corporate, political elite lead the effort by Walter Woods, Robin Roger;
Speak up or step down: Perdue, Franklin should demand that group pushing NASCAR bid comply with state's Open Records Act
Charlotte Business Journal:
Atlanta unveils NASCAR Hall of Fame design
CHARLOTTE: August 17th
Charlotte presented their proposal with Nextel Cup team principals Rick Hendrick, Robert Yates, Ray Evernham and J.D. Gibbs in attendance. So were drivers Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, Scott Riggs and crew chief Chad Knaus.
Cost: $137.5 million built mostly with public money, would sit across Brevard Street from the Charlotte Convention Center.
Size: 130,000 square-feet
Some articles about the Charlotte visit:
Charlotte Observer:
Hall about business, not bids by David Poole;
NASCAR sees `compelling case' and
Test drive: NASCAR hits Charlotte today by Stan Choe and Richard Rubin;
Bet on NASCAR's hall going to KC by David Poole
ThatsRacin.com: NASCAR Hall of Fame section
KANSAS: August 18th:
On Thursday, the amalgamation of politicians, businesspeople and community groups that formed to pitch Kansas City met with a delegation of NASCAR officials and made their spiel. In Kansas, success would start with location, its backers say. The NASCAR delegation was also impressed with the site: a bluff overlooking the intersection of two interstate highways that is in the Village West commercial district that has sprouted up around the speedway.
Cost: $100 million; Size: 100,000 square-feet
Some articles about the Kansas City visit:
Kansas City Business Journal:
KC relies on cash, not flash by Mark Kind
Kansas City Star:
KC hopes to get checkered flag and
No frills for a thrill - KC to play it straight in bid for NASCAR hall of fame by Jim Pedley
Daytona Beach News Journal:
Kansas City? Surely they must be joking by Ken Hornack
Philadelphia Daily News:
KC dark horse for NASCAR Hall of Fame? by Bill Fleishman
RICHMOND: August 23rd:
During NASCAR's site visit, Warner said Virginia's contribution to the proposed $103 million shrine likely would include cash and tax-increment financing, which involves using additional tax revenue generated by a new development to pay off its debt. But he declined to specify an amount before the project reaches the negotiation stage. Richmond's primary site is a 250-acre tract on the southeastern corner of the northern junction of Interstates 95 and 295 in Henrico County.
Cost: $103 million; Size: 129,000square-feet; annual economic impact of $188 million.
Richmond Times Dispatch:
Warner, fans drive bid for NASCAR Hall of Fame by Nate Ryan;
Public kept in dark on financing details of NASCAR Hall bid by John Markon
- Daytona HOF bid reveals more: The Green Flag Committee has unveiled the second feature of its proposal for the NASCAR Hall of Fame -- the Tower of Champions Theater. "It is a high-tech and robotic 'Interactive Amphitheater' with the flexibility of presenting any number of highly entertaining NASCAR-themed productions," David Exline, the committee's creative director, said in a prepared statement. The staging facility will have a towering glass structure of two "magazine stacks" that house an ever-changing selection of vehicles from NASCAR races. The towering cars would be lit from inside and situated near the attraction's main entrance. The attraction is designed to allow frequent vehicle exchanges throughout the operating year. An automated conveyance system pulls each car from storage to a stage within the tower. Every movement is automated and can be seen from inside and outside the hall. The committee, the group working to get the Hall of Fame for Daytona Beach, previously revealed its Heritage Walk Gallery, an interactive center with a media montage presentation about NASCAR. The committee, which is competing against groups in Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Kansas City, Kan., and Richmond, Va., will formally present its bid for the hall to NASCAR officials on Aug. 9. There will be a public rally at 9:30 a.m. that day in front of DAYTONA USA.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(7-27-2005)
- NASCAR Sets Hall of Fame Site Visit Schedule: NASCAR will begin the next phase of the process for selecting the location for its Hall of Fame when it makes visits to the five prospective cities next month that are vying to serve as the home for the sport’s newest facility.
On May 31, NASCAR received proposals to construct the Hall of Fame from Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Daytona Beach, Fla., Kansas City, Kan. and Richmond, Va.. Since that time, NASCAR has been reviewing and evaluating each city’s proposal. The schedule for site visits has been established and will be as follows: August 9 – Daytona Beach; August 16 – Atlanta; August 17 – Charlotte; August 18 – Kansas City; August 23 – Richmond. At each visit, members of NASCAR will meet with local organizing officials, tour the prospective site location and engage in detailed discussions regarding each proposal. The visit will conclude with a mid-afternoon press availability.
“There has been a tremendous amount of excitement and enthusiasm generated with the Hall of Fame project and NASCAR is looking forward to visiting each site,” said Mark Dyer, NASCAR’s vice president of licensing. “We have been impressed by the caliber of proposals we have received and are appreciative of all of the effort and commitment that each city has invested. As this process continues, we’re even more conscious of the fact that the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be a world-class facility that will service our loyal fans for many, many years to come.”(NASCAR PR)(7-14-2005)
- NASCAR HOF Bid are IN - 5 cities going for it: Proposals to fund and construct a new NASCAR Hall of Fame were received Tuesday by NASCAR from five cities - Atlanta, Ga., Charlotte, N.C., Daytona Beach, Fla., Kansas City, Kans., and Richmond, Va. Over the next 60 days, these proposals will be reviewed by NASCAR, with site visits scheduled for later this summer. NASCAR says it would like to have a final decision by the end of the year on where to build the sport's first official Hall of Fame.
"NASCAR is honored to receive proposals from these five cities that all play an important role in hosting NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events each year," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR Vice President of Licensing. "These five cities are all winners and are to be congratulated for their diligence and dedication to the Hall of Fame project. We now will get to work and study each of these proposals carefully and completely. Later this summer, we will schedule site visits to each of the five cities. We are excited about the prospect of partnering with one of these cities to produce a world-class facility that will enshrine the legends of NASCAR and give our millions of loyal fans a touchstone of the sport they love."\
NASCAR has enlisted the services of OnSport as a consultant during the evaluation process. OnSport previously worked on the development of the Basketball Hall of Fame and the World Golf Hall of Fame projects. NASCAR announced last January its plan to develop a new Hall of Fame. Request for proposals were then sent to groups in Atlanta, Birmingham/Talladega, Ala., Charlotte. Daytona Beach, Kansas City, Richmond, and the state of Michigan. Since that time, Birmingham/Talladega and the state of Michigan opted not to participate in the proposal process.(NASCAR PR)(6-1-2005)
- N.C. Senate OK's higher hotel tax for NASCAR HOF: The state Senate gave its final approval today to a temporary 2% increase in the Charlotte hotel room tax to help fund construction of a proposed NASCAR hall of fame. The bill would give Charlotte the authority to raise the local occupancy tax from six percent to eight percent. The revenues would help finance the museum and a new ballroom for the Charlotte convention center, next to the proposed site.(NBC 6/WCNC)(5-24-2005)
- Daytona NASCAR HOF bid gets some $$: Supporters of the NASCAR hall of fame got a $20,000 shot in the arm Monday from the Volusia Council of Governments. The council, made up of elected officials from across the county, gave nearly unanimous approval to help The Chamber, Daytona Beach/Halifax Area and other supporters win the hall of fame over contenders in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; and Richmond, Va. Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk issued the only dissenting vote, saying he didn't want the group to set a precedent of giving money for countywide fund-raisers. Chamber President George Mirabal told VCOG members the money would help pay for consultants and other costs, such as the formal proposal package that has been estimated to cost $250,000. The facility is expected to cost between $70 million to $100 million. Leaders are looking for private backing, but won't get a planned $30 million from the state. Lawmakers recently turned that proposal down, even though it included a plan to pay the money back with revenue from a state NASCAR license plate for cars.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(5-24-2005)
- NASCAR HOF news: The buzz in the Nextel Cup garage says the search for a NASCAR Hall of Fame has boiled down to two scenarios. The first would have the hall located in Kansas City, where Lesa France Kennedy spearheaded construction of Kansas Speedway. Kennedy is president of International Speedway Corp., which is majority owned by her father, Bill France, Jr., and other family members, including her brother, NASCAR Chairman Brian France. Kennedy is seen as her brother’s ultimate successor at NASCAR at some as-yet-undefined point in the future.
The other scenario is that the battle will be between Atlanta, which first approached NASCAR about housing the hall last year, and Charlotte, whose metro area is home to most of the NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series teams. Atlanta has a deep war chest with corporate support from Home Depot, Coca-Cola and UPS, among others, while Charlotte has strong grass-roots community support and is launching a massive marketing push. The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce has launched a website, www.belongshere.com , which prominently features the NASCAR bar logo, one of the most closely guarded trademarks in sports merchandising. NASCAR officials said although the Charlotte Chamber was not given formal permission to use the NASCAR logo and is not paying a licensing fee to display it, NASCAR has no objections to its use on the website or other hall of fame promotional material.(Speed Channel)(5-22-2005)
- State comes thru for money for NASCAR HOF in Charlotte: State financing for Charlotte's NASCAR Hall of Fame bid cleared its first turn Wednesday, but tourism groups say they're prepared to put up a major roadblock if the city doesn't change the way it would handle the money. The N.C. Senate Finance Committee unanimously backed a funding bill that goes to the full Senate today. It would allow Charlotte to increase its tax on hotel rooms from 6 percent to 8 percent to help pay for the hall. That would give the city the highest room tax in the state. Charlotte is working to get a $137.5 million financing plan into NASCAR's hands by a May 31 deadline, and state backing is a key component. Charlotte is competing with four other cities for the hall, including Atlanta and Kansas City. The Florida Legislature's refusal this month to commit $30 million to Daytona Beach hurt that city's bid in many observers' eyes.(Charlotte Observer)(5-20-2005)
- Richmond's NASCAR HOF plans: In a news conference at Richmond International Raceway before last night's Nextel Cup Series race, the proposed hall was revealed as a 129,000 square-foot building (including 68,000 square feet of exhibits) on about a 20-acre tract of land. Architectural firms with experience on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Baseball Hall of Fame and Smithsonian Museum of Natural History are designing the blueprint. An economic analysis predicted the hall would be attended by 700,000 visitors in the first year. The study said competing cities Kansas City, Kan., Daytona Beach, Fla., Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta would draw hundreds of thousands fewer fans annually. An economic impact study projected a $6 million growth in tax revenue -- $4.7 million to the state and $1.3 million to Henrico County. The details need to be finalized by the May 31 deadline for submitting bids to NASCAR. NASCAR reportedly will announce the winning city at its Dec.2 awards banquet in New York.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(5-15-2005)
- Michigan Drops off of NASCAR HOL Bidding: Michigan officials say they won't submit a pitch for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, narrowing the field to Daytona Beach and four competitors. The Michigan Economic Development Corp. was spearheading the effort to put the hall of fame in the Detroit area, but its vice president, Michael Shore, said Wednesday it has decided not to submit a proposal. "We really aren't pursuing it," he said. "The governor gave us the green light to explore it. But when we reviewed the financial commitment it would take to make one of these really work -- and given the state's economic situation -- we were talking a lot of money and a long-term commitment." Michigan's move leaves five cities in the race: Daytona Beach; Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; and Richmond, Va. Talladega, Ala. pulled out of the competition in March.(Daytona Beach News Journal/AP)(5-12-2005)
- Bill Elliott to take lead for NASCAR HOF Atlanta bid: #91-Bill Elliott will be the lead salesman for Atlanta's bid to be NASCAR's Cooperstown. Elliott will use his strong ties to corporate sponsors and NASCAR executives to help Atlanta win stock car racing's hall of fame. Elliott will officially be the honorary chairman of the city's NASCAR bid. Scott Wilfong, president of SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, and Mark Lazarus, president of Turner Entertainment group, are also leading the effort, among other city and state officials.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(5-7-2005)
- Daytona NASCAR HOF bid almost dead? Miami's bid for a $60 million state subsidy to help build a new baseball stadium for the Florida Marlins is dead, Senate President Tom Lee said Thursday. Lee also said "it's not looking good" for other sports subsidies, including $30 million for a NASCAR hall of fame in Daytona Beach and facilities for the Orlando Magic and spring training facilities. The fate of the NASCAR subsidy likely will be decided today, the last day of the legislative session. Lee didn't anticipate even bringing the bill up for debate on Friday, the final day of the session. George Mirabal, president of The Chamber, Daytona Beach/Halifax Area, said the setback to the NASCAR hall proposal was a disappointment but by no means did it signal the end of the project.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(5-6-2005)
UPDATE - not good: In a tumultuous end to the legislative session, Florida lawmakers passed a $63 billion budget Friday and approved overhauling the state's Medicaid system -- but refused to spend $30 million to help Daytona Beach attract a NASCAR hall of fame. The Senate never took up a bill that would have provided subsidies to Daytona Beach to try to outbid other areas of the country for the NASCAR hall of fame. Daytona Beach lobbyist Sam Bell said the issue was dead. A bill outlining a NASCAR hall of fame subsidy -- which House members passed last month, lumping the hall of fame with other proposals to subsidize stadium projects for the Florida Marlins and Orlando Magic -- never came up in the Senate. Bell said that, coupled with a lack of time to push through the proposal, played a key part in lawmakers scuttling the NASCAR subsidy. "It was just a salad of things that was not palatable," Bell said.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(5-7-2005)
- NASCAR HOF News, Daytona and Charlotte:
CHARLOTTE: The Charlotte City Council endorsed a hotel tax hike and the use of city-owned land for a NASCAR Hall of Fame on Monday. The unanimous vote marked the latest step in the city's fast-moving bid for the tourism prize. "After this vote we're at Turn 1," said Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican. "We've still got a ways to go." The tax hike, which requires approval from the state legislature, would increase the rate from 6 percent to 8 percent. That is expected to yield $65 million of the $137.5 million construction cost, and the plan already has the crucial backing of the local hotel industry. Council members took turns praising the idea and the opportunity that the hall of fame could bring. In Raleigh on Monday, organizers of Charlotte's bid detailed their request for state money beyond the hotel tax hike. The state would contribute $10 million in cash over the next two years, plus $10 million over the next 20 years from extra tax money generated by tourists. Private companies would pay $15 million and commit as much as $5 million toward cost overruns.(Charlotte Observer)
DAYTONA For weeks, Daytona Beach's bid to attract a NASCAR hall of fame ran into a one-man legislative roadblock. But when the Florida House met Tuesday, Daytona Beach found a way to maneuver around the roadblock and move forward with its proposal to get a $30 million state subsidy for the hall of fame. With House Finance and Taxation Chairman Fred Brummer, R-Apopka, refusing to take up the NASCAR project in his committee, lawmakers used a procedural move to sidestep him and add the proposal to another bill. That bill -- which also includes a tax break related to the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach -- could pass the House as soon as today and head to the Senate. Rep. Pat Patterson, a DeLand Republican who is sponsoring the NASCAR project, said lawmakers need to approve the proposal or risk losing the hall of fame to other areas that are trying to land it. Daytona Beach is seeking the $30 million over 25 years to help pay for building the hall of fame. It proposes creating a NASCAR-themed license tag and using sale proceeds to pay back the $30 million. Daytona Beach's proposal, however, has become tangled in a broader debate about whether Florida should spend tax dollars to help build sports facilities. The projects have moved slowly through Senate committees and stalled in the House Finance and Taxation Committee because of Brummer's opposition.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(4-27-2005)
- Hotel Tax to help foot NASCAR HOF in Charlotte: Higher taxes on Charlotte hotel rooms would pay to build a NASCAR Hall of Fame, organizers announced Monday. The potential tax increase, from 6% to 8% countywide [Mecklenburg], has the crucial backing of leaders in the hotel-motel industry. It must be approved by the state legislature. The new tax would pay for $63.5 million of the estimated $137.5 million cost of putting the NASCAR Hall of Fame uptown, as well as building a new convention center ballroom. About $35 million would come from a combination of state funding and private contributions. The remaining $37.5 million would come from the existing convention center expansion budget, funded by the existing tax on restaurant meals. Monday's announcement marks the latest step in the city's fast-moving drive to land what organizers call a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just last week, they announced the preferred site -- just east of the convention center -- and hired the well-known architectural firm headed by I.M. Pei. To meet NASCAR's May 31 deadline for proposals, Charlotte must keep moving quickly. Next Monday, the City Council will consider designating the city-owned site. Charlotte's bid would compete with bids from Atlanta, Daytona Beach, Fla., Kansas City, Kan., Richmond, Va., and the state of Michigan. Organizers expect NASCAR to pick a site by the end of 2005. But the NASCAR project would not be the only use of the higher hotel-motel tax. The proposal calls for half the increase to occur regardless of whether Charlotte gets the hall of fame. The money would be used by the city or the visitors' authority to lure conventions and sporting events, such as basketball tournaments. The city and county often use property tax money to pay for those items now.(Charlotte Observer)(4-20-2005)
- NASCAR HOF would make money in Daytona: A proposed NASCAR hall of fame would be a money-maker in Daytona Beach, drawing more than 400,000 people a year -- but it would need state dollars and Speedway land to be feasible, according to an economic study. Local officials who commissioned the study hailed it as proof the project could thrive in Daytona Beach, which is competing with five other areas to be home to the hall of fame. Daytona Beach officials propose building an 80,000-square-foot facility that would cost $70 million., The overall cost of the project, with interest, would be $86 million. The study anticipates paying a $1 a year to lease a site for the building on Daytona International Speedway property.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(4-20-2005)
- NASCAR HOF tops Charlotte's 'must-have' list: The proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame has zoomed to the top of Charlotte's must-have list, racing past the long-simmering push for new museums and theaters. Led by a self-described "checkered flag team" of elected officials and private-sector power brokers, the NASCAR building has attracted a near-unanimous consensus, big-name architects and, most important, urgency. "It has huge momentum, compared with anything else," said Charlotte City Council member John Tabor, a Republican. The arts package, he said, was already in limbo anyway. With public budgets tight again, and thus limited money available for uptown tourist attractions, where does that leave the arts projects? Will this be a tortoise-hare matchup where everyone reaches the finish line eventually? Or will the arts projects eat NASCAR's dust? The next few months should be telling, as the city, county and state governments set their budgets and priorities for 2005-06. In the race for public and private cash, the hall of fame took the lead this spring, thanks to a May 31 deadline imposed by NASCAR. Charlotte and five other regions are competing for the tourist magnet, which could cost more than $100 million. Earlier this week, organizers announced they had selected a preferred city-owned site near the Charlotte Convention Center and hired the architectural firm founded by I.M. Pei, which designed the pyramid at the Louvre in Paris and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. NASCAR also has several other advantages. Organizers estimate that the hall of fame would draw 400,000 visitors per year. At this point, neither arts leaders nor hall of fame organizers have proposed a complete financing plan, making it difficult to know whether they will compete directly against each other for public money. That overlap could be limited, though, because the NASCAR project may draw corporate support from outside the Charlotte region, from national companies that sponsor the sport. Construction executive Luther Cochrane has his hands in both projects. He chaired last summer's arts task force, and he's now one of the "crew chiefs" of the NASCAR project.(Charlotte Observer)(4-15-2005)
- VA Governor backs HOF: During the second annual Motorsports Day at the Capitol, Gov. Mark Warner enthusiastically pledged his support for Henrico County's bid on a NASCAR Hall of Fame that reportedly could cost at least $60 million and attract hundreds of thousands of annual visitors. "You can't underestimate what it would mean to bring it here," Warner said, standing before a white Ford donated by team owner Junie Donlavey and stamped with a "Virginians Racing for the Hall of Fame" logo. "It'd probably be as big an economic stimulus to the region as anything we're looking at." Richmond is competing against Atlanta; Charlotte; Kansas City, Kan., Daytona Beach; and the state of Michigan for NASCAR's first officially sanctioned museum.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(4-7-2005)
- Daytona HOF Bid Clears 1st step: Daytona Beach's bid to attract a NASCAR hall of fame got its first legislative victory Tuesday -- but the hard part is still coming. The House Tourism Committee approved a plan that would commit $30 million over 25 years to the city's effort to lure the hall of fame to a site near Daytona International Speedway. The vote came after weeks of lobbying and tinkering by local officials as they tried to ease concerns about using tax dollars to pay for the project. But the plan still faces major obstacles, including uncertainty about whether House and Senate leaders will go along with funneling tens of millions of dollars to the hall of fame and other sports-related projects. Also, three other House committees are slated to vote on the plan during the coming weeks -- including the House Finance and Taxation committee, which is expected to closely scrutinize the project.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(3-30-2005)
- Council approves NASCAR incentives: In an effort to keep NASCAR's all-star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Charlotte [NC] City Council voted Monday night to set aside thousands of incentive dollars. NASCAR is considering moving the big race, which contributes more than $94 million a year to the regional economy. So last week, the president of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority asked the City Council to approve more than $62,000 in incentives. The state has already put up $250,000 in incentives.(News Carolina 14)(3-29-2005)
- Alabama Drops Out of HOF race: An Alabama group has dropped its campaign to be the home of a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame, reducing Charlotte's competition for the project to five rival bidders. On Wednesday, The Associated Press reported that Neal Wade, director of the Alabama Development Office, called a halt to the campaign to put the hall of fame between Birmingham and Talladega. Bids are due May 31 for the facility, which will likely cost $75 million to $100 million. At the same time, plans for a bid by Daytona, Fla., are also shifting. Early talks centered on the state providing as much as $75 million in funding. Now, according to reports in The Orlando Sentinel, Daytona museum backers are aiming for $30 million to be raised by selling NASCAR license plates. Beyond Charlotte and Daytona, the bidders are Atlanta; Kansas City, Mo.; Richmond, Va.; and the state of Michigan.(Charlotte Business Journal/Daily Home)(3-24-2005)
- Daytona's HOF Bid May be in Trouble: Political trouble has the city's drive to bring the NASCAR hall of fame to Daytona Beach sputtering like a car with engine trouble. City Manager Jim Chisholm told city commissioners in an e-mail Thursday he would suspend the city's campaign. And though he later backed off making that announcement, the city's caution flags have state lawmakers rethinking their commitment to the project. The trouble started Wednesday when commissioners voted 6-1 to support building the hall of fame but wouldn't discuss putting up $20,000 to help pay an estimated $200,000 cost to develop a proposal. Local lawmakers were seeking $75 million in state funding to build the hall of fame. They fear Wednesday's commission action will make it even harder to sell the project to the Legislature.
With the Florida Marlins and Orlando Magic also looking for help with stadium projects, some lawmakers, including Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, have said they are reluctant to spend tax dollars on sports projects. To make the NASCAR project more palatable, King, Patterson and Daytona Beach lobbyist Sam Bell said Thursday they have revamped -- and scaled back -- their proposal for state funding. Initially, Daytona officials requested that the state commit $75 million over 25 years to help pay for building the hall of fame. Money would come from state sales taxes generated by the hall of fame. A revamped proposal seeks $30 million over 25 years. Also, it calls for creating a NASCAR-themed license tag, with proceeds from the sale of the tag going to the state to pay back the $30 million. Bell, a former Volusia County lawmaker, said the hall of fame initially was expected to cost about $75 million, but that estimate has been reduced to about $60 million. He said the state money would make up half of that amount, with the rest coming from sources such as sponsorships and land donations by the city and county. NASCAR set a May 31 deadline for proposals from areas including Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Kansas City, Kan., Richmond, Va., Talladega, Ala., and the state of Michigan.(in part from the Daytona Beach News Journal)(3-19-2005)
- Charlotte try HOF gets a leader - Hendrick: Regional political and business leaders vowed Tuesday to produce a successful bid for a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame, unveiling a powerful lineup of motorsports industry executives backing the campaign, including veteran team owner Rick Hendrick. NASCAR racing "was born here, it was built here and it belongs here," Hendrick said at a press conference held at the team race shop. "We're going to win this race." Hendrick will spearhead a group of local and regional leaders working on the project. Charlotte is competing with six other cities and regions for the hall of fame. The competitors are Atlanta; Kansas City, Mo.; Richmond, Va.; Talladega/Birmingham, Ala.; Daytona, Fla.; and an undisclosed location in Michigan. Joining Hendrick as honorary grand marshals are Gov. Mike Easley, U.S. Sens. Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole, N.C. House Speaker Jim Black, N.C. Senate President Pro-Tem Marc Basnight, Congressman Mel Watt and NASCAR team owner {#40, #41, #42] Felix Sabates. Others involved include Mayor Pat McCrory, Bank of America Corp. executive Cathy Bessant and Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority board Chairman Luther Cochrane. Bids are due May 31, with a decision expected by year end. NASCAR has intentionally left request for proposals vague, encouraging each community to be creative with its hall of fame ideas. The sanctioning body is not expected to pay for land and construction costs or ongoing operations costs. McCrory declined comment Tuesday on potential public funding sources. He said a range of scenarios are under consideration, though sources close to the talks anticipate a significant public funding component. General Assembly members have expressed support, though the state faces a $1.3 billion budget deficit this year. Similarly, local government funds could be hard to find. A $147 million cultural arts request from city and county government has been met with extensive questions and concerns, and both local governments also face tough budget decisions this year. Organizers decline comment on potential sites and other details. They anticipate releasing those plans later this spring.(Charlotte Business Journal)(3-16-2005)
- VA Group Meets about HOF: Virginians Racing for the Hall of Fame, the nonprofit group formed to help Henrico County's Economic Development Authority in its bid for a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame, held a public relations subcommittee meeting Wednesday at RIR that drew local leaders in tourism, business and marketing. An international consulting firm with hall of fame experience and two renowned construction firms specializing in museum design have been commissioned to help with the project. Richmond is competing against several cities for the hall. The NASCAR deadline for bids is May 31.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(3-11-2005)
- Charlotte HOF team to be named: The community and business leaders who will head Charlotte's efforts to land NASCAR's planned hall of fame and museum are expected to be named next week, the Charlotte Business Journal reports. In a story on its Web site, the Business Journal also reports that NASCAR has told the seven bidders that it will soon outline additional aspects of its expectations for the project. Others bidding for the hall of fame and museum are Atlanta; Kansas City, Mo.; Richmond, Va.;
Talladega/Birmingham, Ala.; Daytona Beach, Fla.; and unnamed sites in Michigan.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(3-10-2005)
- Racing Greats Lobby NC for Hall of Fame: Racing greats Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson, and Benny Parsons lobbied the Legislature to lend support for a resolution to honor the memory of NASCAR aces and promote a racing museum in the state. Lawmakers in both chambers unanimously approved the resolution as part of their effort to protect a $1.5 billion racing industry that employs about 10,000 people in North Carolina. As the sport increases in popularity, so does the competition from other states to lure it away. But lawmakers and others say North Carolina is the best place for a museum. Stock car racing started here and a few hundred race teams -- NASCAR and otherwise -- are located around Charlotte. Putting a museum in the Charlotte area makes sense for tourists who also could also visit their favorite race teams, Parsons said. "You can see all the past and in 15 minutes see the future," Parsons said between legislative sessions. The children of Wendell Scott, who in 1963 became the first black NASCAR driver to win a race, also attended. Scott died of cancer in 1990. Sen. Charles Dannelly noted the importance of diversity in the sport. Scott, who raced from 1949-1973, made his name when "the ruler of the South was the KKK," he said. Gov. Mike Easley announced a 19-member North Carolina Motorsports Advisory Council designed to recommend methods to improve and expand the racing industry in the state. Members include racing great and car owner Richard Petty, Hendrick Motorsports chairman Rick Hendrick and Chad Knaus, Jimmy Johnson's crew chief. The council's first meeting will be later this year.(ESPN.com/AP)(3-2-2005)
- VA Legislature Supports Hall of Fame efforts:. A House resolution filed by Delegate Sam Nixon, R-Chesterfield, asks NASCAR to locate the NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum in Virginia. The resolution was requested by Virginians Racing for The Hall of Fame, a consortium of public and private-sector organizations who have joined forces to bring the H.O.F. to Virginia. The groups notes that 50% of the United States population lives within 500 miles of Richmond, VA - the desired site for the facility. Virginia's racing facilities include NASCAR's two oldest tracks: Richmond International Raceway and Martinsville Speedway and host four NASCAR Nextel Cup races per year, the most of any state in the nation. Virginia also hosts NASCAR sanctioned races at Langley Speedway, Lonesome Pine Raceway, Motor Mile Speedway, Old Dominion Speedway, and South Boston Speedway.(HR 51 page at state.va.us)(2-25-2005)
- Possible spots for NASCAR HOF in Atlanta: A lot owned by Ted Turner, the Philips Arena Jumbotron parking deck and Underground Atlanta are among the possible pit stops for what could be NASCAR's Cooperstown in Atlanta. Executives from some of Atlanta's corporate engines — Coke, Home Depot, BellSouth and UPS — are among local organizers negotiating with a handful of city deed holders about where to park a NASCAR hall of fame and museum. NASCAR last month asked for proposals from Atlanta, Daytona Beach, Fla., Charlotte and Kansas City to develop a national attraction celebrating stock car racing. Richmond and the state of Michigan also put themselves in the running. Bids are due May 31. NASCAR wants to pick a winning bidder in December, with an opening of the hall of fame by 2007 or 2008. All of the bid committee's possible locations, except Underground, curve around Centennial Olympic Park like a victory lap. Among the sites being considered are two parking decks across Centennial Olympic Park Drive from Phillips Arena (one featuring the arena's giant electronic display), Turner's Luckie Street corner next to the Tabernacle, a lot behind the Children's Museum of Atlanta and a site across Marietta Street from the Georgia Aquarium. One site not being considered is the surplus land Coca-Cola has next to its new World of Coca-Cola museum, Robinson said. The company has said it is not pursuing uses for that site.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-23-2005)
- Daytona HOF may face some hurdles: Seeking $75 million from the state to try to attract a NASCAR hall of fame, Daytona Beach could become tangled in a political battle over whether Florida should subsidize professional sports franchises. Supporters of the hall of fame, the Florida Marlins baseball team and the Orlando Magic basketball team are asking state lawmakers this spring to commit more than $200 million over the next three decades to help build or renovate sports facilities. That is causing some lawmakers, including Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, to question whether the state should continue using tax dollars to subsidize projects for sports franchises that are typically worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Much of the controversy has centered on a proposal to commit $60 million to a stadium for the Marlins in Miami. But Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, said he fears the NASCAR hall of fame could get lumped together with the Marlins and Magic in a broader debate about using tax dollars for professional sports. King and other hall-of-fame backers say state subsidies are crucial to Daytona's effort to outbid six other cities for the project. But Sen. Mike Bennett, a Bradenton Republican who is an outspoken critic of giving sports subsidies, dismissed threats that the hall of fame or professional teams could go elsewhere if they don't receive state money. Daytona Beach is lobbying to receive $3 million a year for 25 years to help finance construction of the hall of fame. The proposal, which is similar to an incentives package that brought a golf hall of fame to St. Johns County in the 1990s, calls for the state to provide the money if the stock-car attraction can show it would generate at least $3 million annually in sales taxes.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-17-2005)
- Up to 7 Locations going for the NASCAR Hall of Fame: NASCAR announced the final list of locations in the running to host the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Groups in Atlanta, Birmingham/Talladega, Charlotte/Concord, Daytona Beach, Kansas City, Richmond and the State of Michigan have received requests from NASCAR for proposals and have agreed to submit bids for this new project. The city selected will partner with NASCAR to build a state-of-the-art facility aimed at displaying – and preserving – the sport’s rich history and tradition. “NASCAR’s overriding goal is to have a world class Hall of Fame,” said NASCAR Chairman/CEO Brian France. “We want it to be a special place that brings NASCAR’s history to life. Our hope is for longtime fans to have the opportunity to relive NASCAR’s greatest moments and for new fans to learn about them.” There are a number of independent racing “halls” in existence in the United States, but none are officially affiliated with NASCAR. In support of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, it is likely that an annual induction ceremony would take place in conjunction with an existing NASCAR-sanctioned race weekend. This would attract a significant number of visitors to the site and provide a major economic lift for the Hall of Fame and surrounding areas. The enshrinement ceremony and other ancillary events would also make for compelling television content on a national basis. “NASCAR wants a Hall of Fame that will remain fresh and will entice visitors to return time and time again,” said NASCAR VP of Licensing and Consumer Products Mark Dyer. The NASCAR RFP (Request for Proposal) sent to the seven groups bidding is intentionally vague. There are no specific requirements for size, shape or cost. It is NASCAR’s hope that each community will view this as an opportunity to be creative in design, development and timing. The deadline to submit proposals is May 31. “NASCAR seeks a strong partner that shares our vision and belief that the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be a great success for their community and all our fans,” Dyer said. “This is critical to the project and will be something we’ll look at when the proposals are submitted.” NASCAR will begin the process of review once the proposals are received. At that time a schedule will be announced for site visits and presentations by each city.(NASCAR PR)(2-15-2005)
- Kansas meets with NASCAR about HOF: An influential contingent from Kansas headed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius made a quick pit stop here Monday looking to take the lead in the race to land NASCAR's proposed Hall of Fame. The group that met with NASCAR executives for more than an hour included Sebelius; Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Carol Marinovich; and Bob Marcusse, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Developmental Council. Daytona Beach, Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., and Richmond, Va., are the other cities competing for what proponents argue will be a tourism magnet, given the growing popularity of the sport nationwide. Sebelius said Kansas would offer NASCAR a centralized geographical base, "a lot more robust than the Southeast," as racing looks to branch out to all parts of the country. NASCAR's proposal for a hall, made public last month, stipulated it wanted suitors to foot the bill, which is expected to be tens of millions of dollars. NASCAR officials invited four cities to make proposals, with Richmond later joining the race. Daytona Beach is lobbying the Florida Legislature to kick in as much as $75 million so the Hall of Fame can be built here, where NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. are headquartered.
Daytona Beach is lobbying the Florida Legislature to kick in as much as $75 million so the Hall of Fame can be built here, where NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. are headquartered. Meanwhile, Daytona Beach city and business leaders have settled on a slogan to rally around that capitalizes on the area's racing roots. It reads: "NASCAR's Past. NASCAR's Future. All roads lead to Daytona." Daytona Beach also plans to hire John Sabour, executive director of the Central Florida Sports Commission, to develop its hall of fame proposal for NASCAR. The sports commission -- a nonprofit, private organization established to attract international, national and regional events and sports-related business activities -- worked with Daytona Beach to land the Florida Tennis Center. The Chamber of Commerce has formed a committee to help Sabour in various tasks, including fund raising. Capitalizing on the city's home court advantage, Daytona Beach officials are planning a rally today at 6:00pm/et at Daytona USA, looking to build local support for bringing the NASCAR hall of fame to Daytona Beach.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-15-2005)
- Richmond goes for Hall of Fame: The Richmond area has entered the race to become the site of a NASCAR Hall of Fame that could generate an unprecedented amount of fan foot traffic for an athletic shrine. Joining Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Daytona Beach, Fla.; and Kansas City, Kan., in the bidding, the Henrico County Economic Development Authority is spearheading a proposal to be submitted by May 31. The organization will have support from the state, the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Merchants Association of Greater Richmond, Greater Richmond Partnership and Richmond International Raceway, which will hold a news conference this afternoon to discuss the project. NASCAR, which announced intentions last month to start its first sanctioned Hall of Fame, could choose a location by the end of the year. RIR President Doug Fritz has offered his track as a location for the Hall. Fritz said the Richmond area would qualify as a prime contender because of its location -- within 500 miles of 50 percent of the U.S. population -- and stock-car history. RIR has been playing host to NASCAR's premier circuit at the Fairgrounds since 1953, making it the second-oldest stop on the Nextel Cup Series.(Richmond Times-Dispatch and a story at the Daily Press)(2-2-2005)
- Humpy: Hall of fame belongs here: NASCAR has asked four cities to submit their proposals for a hall of fame. Charlotte is an early favorite to land the facility, but it has competition in Atlanta; Daytona Beach, Fla.; and Kansas City, Mo. “Atlanta’s going to be the formidable competition, but this is where it started,” said Humpy Wheeler, the president of Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord. “This is where the peach basket was put up in 1949, right out on Little Rock Road near the airport.” The proposals are due in May, and NASCAR is expected to make a decision by the end of the year. Humpy Wheeler, the president of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, wants to see the NASCAR hall of fame in Charlotte. “NASCAR was born here, it was built here, and its hall of fame belongs here,” said Mike Crum, the chief operating officer of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. “However, we’re not taking anything for granted. We’re willing to put together what will be a very competitive proposal to bring the facility to our city.” An organizing committee, led by Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, will draft the proposal. Wheeler thinks the building belongs in the Center City. “Outside of Joe Gibbs, we really don’t have another race shop in Charlotte, I don’t think,” he said Tuesday. “And (the fans) are not getting downtown except for when we have Speed Street. So there needs to be something to pull them in.” NASCAR’s headquarters is located in Daytona Beach, so many think it has a strong chance of landing the facility, too. Kansas City is considered a long shot, though.(News 14 Carolina)(1-26-2005)
- Charlotte Interested in a NASCAR Museum UPDATE: Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory's arts task force is nearing the finish line, and he's waving the checkered flag -- literally -- as he calls for adding a NASCAR museum to the list of possible new projects. In early 2005, when the Charlotte City Council starts talking about public money for new museums and theaters, it should discuss the NASCAR idea, too, McCrory said. Since late summer, NASCAR reportedly has been shopping the proposal around to several cities, including Atlanta and Daytona Beach, Fla. McCrory said an uptown NASCAR museum could be the hub of what he's been calling NASCAR Valley, racing's version of the California wine country. "You come to Charlotte, spend a couple days, go to the NASCAR museum and other cultural facilities and from there, go visit the incredible racing team exhibits throughout the museum," McCrory said. NASCAR will tell cities more about the project in early 2005, said Tim Newman, president of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. That includes details about its size, cost and location. "Whatever process they design, we'll make it a highest priority to respond and make the case for why Charlotte ought to be the home of an officially sanctioned NASCAR hall of fame," Newman said. NASCAR officials could not be reached for comment.(ThatsRacin)(12-29-2004)
UPDATE: NASCAR wants to build a hall of fame in one of four cities, and Charlotte leaders want to land it to cement the city's claim as the center of the stock-car racing world. Charlotte, Atlanta, Kansas City and Daytona Beach, Fla. will get letters from NASCAR this week asking them to pursue the chance to host it, NASCAR vice president of licensing Mark Dyer said. They will have five months to respond. NASCAR, the private corporation that owns and operates the most popular U.S. auto-racing league, could select a site by the end of the year. "We want to feel good about it 10 years from now, rather than just have a big flashy opening and make headlines for a short time," said Dyer, who is based in NASCAR's Charlotte office. NASCAR's proposal will not include requirements about size and funding sources, Dyer said. But NASCAR wants something as large and as attractive as the baseball, basketball and football halls of fame, all in smaller Northern cities. The motor sports sanctioning body will probably want the cities or local groups to build and operate the facility, Dyer said. Auto racing already has several halls of fame adjacent to NASCAR tracks, including one in Talladega, Ala., and another in Darlington, S.C. The North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame in Mooresville, about 20 miles north of Charlotte, draws 250,000 visitors per year. Many race teams have their headquarters near Charlotte, and their shops attract thousands of visitors. One racing team, Hendrick Motorsports, has 150,000 visitors a year Since last spring, arts leaders have been lobbying the city for at least $88 million worth of downtown cultural projects, including a new art museum. Later this month, a mayoral task force on cultural facilities is scheduled to suggest revenue sources, including a higher rental car tax, a targeted uptown property tax hike and a parking surcharge.(Wilmington Star-News/AP)(1-5-2005)
