- Oregon Track Planned: If NASCAR executives are looking for a track in the Pacific Northwest for expansion of their Nextel Cup series, Bill Gardner might be the man to talk to. Gardner, the "Gard" in DiGard, the historic NASCAR teams from the 1970s and early 1980s that carried Darrell Waltrip for a while, is working on what is proposed as a $100 million speedway to be called Pacific Northwest Motorsports Park near Portland, Ore. The track, apparently to be similar in style to Virginia International Raceway would include a six-mile road course in several configurations. It is to be completed by the fall of 2008.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-30-2007)
- Boardman[OR] soon to break ground on facility: It's been years in the planning, but ground will finally be broken for the speedway in Boardman [Oregon]. The tentative date for the ground-breaking ceremony is set for Oct. 18, but that could change, said Billie Jean Morris, director of marketing for Pacific Northwest Motorsports Park. The groundbreaking comes after many months of work across the state to see the park come to fruition. Earlier this summer, Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed Senate Bill 665 into law which allowed the first changes in the land use laws of Oregon since they were enacted in the 1970s, eliminating yet another barrier to the development of the 4,000-plus acre raceway destination resort. Phase I of the development will start with the construction of Pacific Northwest Motorsports Park (PNMP), the first luxury motorsports country club in the Pacific Northwest. A semi–private motorsports country club, PNMP plans to offer such things as private garage/suite lots. The garage/suites will house the club members' cars and motorcycles and provide private areas where they can entertain their guests and friends. Phase II plans include the construction of a 145,000-square-foot members' club house complex consisting of the Members Club, a semi-private clubhouse with dining room, bar, lounge and locker areas; a members only viewing deck; health club; outdoor swimming pool; golf putting green and tennis courts. Plans also include a site for the Pacific Northwest Motorsports Park Museum, which will house an exclusive collection of unique sports cars, racing cars and motorcycles and racing-industry memorabilia, which will be open to the public for an admission fee. All of that is in addition to the six-mile road course, a quarter-mile drag strip, a one-mile kart track, two small oval tracks, various racing schools and a high banked oval that will could potentially host NASCAR racing" said Gardner.(Hermiston Herald)(9-12-2007)
- ISC Abandons Plan for Kitsap Racetrack: International Speedway Corp. has given up the fight to build a NASCAR track in Kitsap County [Washington]. ISC officials said they became aware of proposed modifications to their bill in the Legislature that would render it unacceptable. "We're not going to discuss the specific changes that were proposed to us that made us come to this decision," said Lenny Santiago, spokesman for ISC. "As a public company, we need to be accountable to our shareholders." Grant Lynch, president of Great Western Sports, a subsidiary of ISC, said the company had already made a number of concessions to the legislation, but various people were proposing several additional modifications before moving the bill forward. "These additional changes to the legislation were unacceptable and would have had a significant negative impact on our financial model for the speedway development," Lynch said in a prepared statement. "Therefore we have decided to no longer pursue the speedway development at the current location."
ISC, based in Daytona, Fla., had proposed a complex funding mechanism to build the 83,000-seat speedway. ISC would provide at least $180 million toward the $368 million track. A public speedway authority would issue about $164 million in bonds, which would be repaid using sales tax revenues expected to be generated by out-of-state fans coming to the track. Santiago would not rule out a future effort in Washington state, but the company is giving up the current location. "We still think the Northwest and Washington is a great opportunity," he said. "It is a huge economic benefit generator for the state, which has a significant fan base. In the interim, our focus will be to regroup internally and decide what the best course of action is."(Kitsap Sun)(4-3-2007)
- NASCAR Washignton track supporters call for public vote: The NASCAR racetrack folks are making another run for it at the state legislature, but this time they left their big-name car drivers home. Opponents of the proposal to build a NASCAR track near Bremerton thought the idea had gone into the shop for good. But it turns out it was just a pit stop. Now, NASCAR is back on track with a big list of local supporters and a call for a public vote. The reason is that Sen. Margarita Prentice has agreed to suspend the cutoff rules and give the proposal (SB 6040) a hearing. Track developers say it will cost $368 million to build the track near Bremerton or wherever turns out best. They're asking for legislative authority to raise half of that in state sales taxes from folks who go to the races. "What we hope today is to put some more things on the table that will give the local constituent group more comfort over the fact they control their own destiny on this project," said Grant Lynch of International Speedway Corp. The biggest change is this will be put to a public vote in the area where the track would be built. It's hard to gauge how the senators are going to proceed on this, but at least the track folks got their hearing. They are still in the race with many laps still to go in the four weeks left in legislative session.(komotv.com)(3-27-2007)
- NASCAR Bill Slated for Airing in [Washington] Senate: A bill that would authorize funding for a NASCAR speedway will go up for a public hearing Monday before the state Senate Ways and Means Committee. It remains unclear whether International Speedway Corp., which wants to build the track, will propose additional changes to Senate Bill 6040 or whether legislators will offer new amendments, officials said. In any case, the bill appears to be struggling to survive. The legislation provides for the creation of a public speedway authority and a sales tax mechanism for paying off $164 million in public bonds to build a new racetrack. ISC would pay at least $180 million for the project. Company officials contend that the state’s share would be funded through new sales tax revenues generated by out-of-state visitors to the track. As passed by the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Economic Development, the bill requires a vote of residents living in the area served by the public speedway authority. That was a provision requested by ISC. An amendment to the bill not requested by the company would require the public speedway authority to pay leasehold taxes to local taxing districts. The amount would equal property taxes that would have been paid if the facility were privately owned. Matthew Rearden, associate general council for ISC, said some changes might be proposed by ISC, but he was not sure what they might be. Such a proposal could come as an amendment from one or more legislators or simply be an announcement from company officials, he added.(Kitsap Sun)(3-23-2007)
- Sonics, NASCAR bills miss deadline, survive: Measures to build a new arena for the Seattle Sonics and a NASCAR race track in the state didn't make it past a legislative deadline, but supporters said the projects are very much alive. Monday was the deadline for House and Senate budget committees to report out bills that have fiscal impact, but nothing with a price tag is ever really dead while the Legislature is in town. The race track proposal, put forward by Florida-based International Speedway Corp., calls for taxpayers to pay for about half of a $368 million track. The company wants to put the track in Kitsap County, but the bill isn't site-specific. The House Finance Committee chairman, Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, said lawmakers had presumed the sports facilities would be considered after the committee deadline. Members need more time to "pencil out" the details of the proposals, he said.(Seattle Times/AP)(3-6-2007)
- Motorsports Soapbox:
Washington Politcos Trot Out Tired Stereotypes by Dave Moody.(3-3-2007)
- Seattle Times:
NASCAR deserves checkered flag [why NASCAR should come to Washington] by Ralph Morton.(3-3-2007)
- myfoxwghp.com:
NASCAR Class Warfare by Dan Springer of the AP [along with a video](3-2-2007)
- Spectator Eau Claire:
NASCAR takeover coming, like it or not by Nick Halter.(3-1-2007)
- Associated Press:
Petty, Waltrip Sets Sights on Washington by Jennifer Byrd.(2-23-2007)
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
NASCAR Track: Crash and burn.(2-23-2007)
- Seattle Times:
Racetrack debate goes round and round at Capitol by Ralph Thomas;
NASCAR fails in the fine print.(2-23-2007)
- Washington Stats Treasurer rips Sonics, NASCAR plans: State Treasurer Mike Murphy is blasting proposals to build a new Sonics arena in Renton and a NASCAR speedway near Bremerton, calling the plans bad deals for taxpayers. Murphy says state lawmakers need only look at the financial bottom line from Qwest Field to see how the state's last "public-private partnership" with a professional sports team turned out. The state will pay about $600 million over 25 years to pay off $300 million it borrowed to build the stadium, Murphy said. The debt is being repaid with a mix of King County taxes and state lottery money approved by a public vote in 1997 — sources that brought in more than $16 million last year. "We might as well dispense with calling these things public-private partnerships, because they really aren't," Murphy told the House Finance Committee on Tuesday. In an interview Wednesday, Murphy was even more blunt in describing the proposed NASCAR and Sonics plans: "The private side gets rich. The public side gets screwed."
Sonics and NASCAR supporters say such criticisms focus narrowly on items such as rent payments and ignore other, more indirect benefits, such as increased tax collections, tourism and jobs created by the new venues. Murphy's position puts him at odds with Gov. Christine Gregoire and Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who have touted the Sonics and NASCAR proposals as potential economic boons.(more at Seattle Times)(2-22-2007)
- Petty, Biffle, DW head to Washington to meet with lawmakers: NASCAR is planning to bring in the big guns in support of a $368 million racetrack proposal that has, so far, left many lawmakers unimpressed. Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Greg Biffle -- a Vancouver, Wash., native -- will attend a function in Olympia on Wednesday and meet with lawmakers Thursday morning, said International Speedway Corp. Vice President Grant Lynch. "We think we'll get a good turnout at the shindig we're throwing," Lynch said.
The drivers will have a private dinner with lawmakers in Olympia Wednesday night and will meet with lawmakers Thursday morning at the Capitol before flying to California for the Auto Club 500 this weekend, said ISC spokesman Lenny Santiago. "All's fair. If they want to bring in superstars good for them," said Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton and the Senate budget chairwoman. Prentice said that she'd be meeting with the drivers' this week, and that she's open to what they have to say, but that her biggest issue was the suggested location of Kitsap County. Prentice agreed with Gov. Chris Gregoire's suggestion that the project be moved to Lewis County near Interstate 5, about 90 minutes south of Seattle. Lynch said he was thinking about looking at land in Lewis County that TransAlta Corp. has said it would be willing to donate for a NASCAR bid. The county lost about 600 jobs last year after TransAlta shut down a coal mine in Centralia.(AP)(2-21-2007)
- 79% Say No to Public Financing for NASCAR Track in WA: Nearly eight out of 10 Washington voters are turning their thumbs down to spending public money on a NASCAR-ready racetrack — and that’s more than are opposed to taxpayer financing for other kinds of sports facilities. The Elway Poll, published Friday by independent pollster Stuart Elway, was taken among 405 registered voters statewide between Feb. 8 and 12, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5%. It showed that public financing for a speedway such as the one proposed for South Kitsap was opposed by 79% and favored by 16%. Lawmakers are considering plans for partial public financing for sports venues for NASCAR, The Seattle SuperSonics, minor league baseball teams, and a rodeo and equestrian center. Asked a general question about whether pro sports owners should pay for their own facilities without taxpayer subsidies, 71% agreed, while 23% called subsidies a good public investment. About 77% opposed use of public dollars for major sports facilities like the Sonics’ Renton proposal, and 18% were in favor.(AP/Kitsap Sun)(2-20-2007)
- ISC puts up more $$ for Washignton track: International Speedway Corp. has put another $14 million on the table to sweeten its bid to build a $368 million racetrack near Seattle. ISC officials announced Tuesday a bill to finance the 80,000-seat racetrack was filed this week in the Washington Legislature with support from Lt. Gov. Brad Owen and 20 legislators. The latest cost estimate for the facility is $23 million more than ISC's earlier price tag of $345 million, issued in 2005. In the new plan, ISC commits $180 million of its own money for the project, up from an earlier offer of $166 million. The rest of the money would come from bonds issued by a new agency, the Public Speedway Authority, which the Legislature would have to approve. About $164 million in bonds would be paid off over 25 years by sales taxes earmarked for the track. Another $24-million bond issue would be paid by a special-purpose tax on the track. The track, scheduled to be ready by 2011, essentially will pay for itself, said Grant Lynch, president of Great Western Sports, an ISC subsidiary in charge of the project. Washington is the latest focal point of ISC's expansion effort after the owner of Daytona International Speedway scrapped plans last fall for a $700 million track in Staten Island, N.Y. ISC officials say they are continuing to study other places in the New York area for a track. Preliminary plans call for the track, halfway between Seattle and Tacoma, to host three races a year, including one Nextel Cup race.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-9-2007)
- ISC pledges 2 major races for Washington track: International Speedway Corp. has pledged to guarantee two major race weekends and not to build a track within 500 miles of its Washington track if the state legislature passes its financial proposal. Those were two of the details announced Tuesday as the proposed financial package was submitted to the Washington House of Representatives despite not having the support from the area where ISC currently wants to build the track. ISC will fund $180 million of the $368 million project, with $164 million being paid by bonds supported by sales tax revenue generated by out-of-state race fans and $24 million from an admissions tax. The legislation is not site specific, but ISC currently is looking in Kitsap County, about 20 miles south of Seattle. The plan is to build a 1.2-mile, 80,000-seat race track with a possible opening in 2011. The facility would also include a road course. ISC expects to have to move one of its Cup weekends from its other tracks to the Pacific Northwest, and Lynch said he hopes all three NASCAR national series will make an appearance at the track once it is built.(SceneDaily.com)
AND A bill to create a public speedway authority has the backing of 14 Democrats and six Republicans in the Washington House of Representatives, according to information on the Web site of State. Rep. Geoff Simpson, D-Covington. Simpson announced on Jan. 19 that he would be the prime sponsor to create a Public Speedway Authority, paving the way for International Speedway Corp. of Daytona Beach, Fla. to build a track for NASCAR races and other events in Washington. The company has its sights set on a 950-acre property along Highway 3 near Bremerton National Airport, but the legislation would allow the track to built in a number of locations west of the Cascades. The legislation calling for the creation of a speedway authority is expected to have a Senate counterpart in a few days, according to a statement issued by Great Western Sports, an ISC subsidiary.(Kitsap Sun)(2-7-2007)
- Washington Racetrack finds backer in Olympia: Despite near-unanimous opposition from local legislators, a Florida-based racetrack developer is continuing its latest push for a state-subsidized NASCAR track in Kitsap County. It appears the International Speedway Corp. (ISC) is close to clearing a big hurdle. After the group last year failed to find a lawmaker willing to sponsor its proposal, Rep. Geoff Simpson, D-Covington, said Thursday he probably will introduce a bill next week. Meanwhile, the racetrack promoters are finding support in some surprising places. Rep. Hans Dunshee, typically an outspoken opponent of taxpayer-funded sports stadiums, said he thinks the project "pencils out" for the state. "I think they've got a reasonable financing package," said Dunshee, D-Snohomish. "The numbers say that it would be profitable for the state." The company wants to build a $345 million track to hold two or three races per year. The state would pay nearly half the cost through increased sales-tax collections that the 83,500-seat track is projected to generate. ISC would pay most of the rest, with the balance coming from an admissions tax on race tickets. Dunshee said he considered sponsoring the bill but decided that was too big of a commitment. "I've just got too much to do," said Dunshee, who recently took over as vice chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Dunshee also took a lot of heat from legislators who represent the Kitsap Peninsula, nearly all of whom oppose the racetrack proposal. Rep. Sherry Appleton said she was offended that fellow Democrats were pushing the bill and that she and a half-dozen other local lawmakers oppose the project primarily for "quality of life" reasons, such as increased congestion on ferries and local highways. She also said she doesn't believe the project makes fiscal sense for the state. ISC Vice President Grant Lynch this week sent a mass e-mail to supporters, urging them to help pressure the Kitsap-area legislators with phone calls and e-mails. Some powerful politicians from the area already are backing the proposal. Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman, another supporter, announced last week the city might annex the proposed racetrack site. ISC has been pushing since 2004 for a racetrack in Washington. After initial plans for a track in Snohomish County fell through, the group set its sights on Kitsap County.(in part from the Seattle Times)(1-22-2007)
- Kitsap WA track proposal faces opposition: State lawmakers for the Kitsap Peninsula, site of a proposed NASCAR track, are lukewarm or opposed to the idea. The Florida-based [ISC] speedway company behind the proposal, meanwhile, promises an improved pitch in the new year. Rep. Bill Eickmeyer, D-Belfair, predicts the track will go nowhere in the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 8. The nine state lawmakers who represent the peninsula, contacted last week, were either opposed to the plan or highly skeptical. The most positive was state Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, described by the Tacoma newspaper as "only a maybe. I think the project has some potential," Kilmer said. "But only if you do it right." The lack of enthusiasm hasn't discouraged International Speedway Corp., the company looking for help building an 83,500-seat racetrack near Bremerton. Company vice president Grant Lynch said he's been working with lobbyists and met with 55 legislators over the summer. "I felt a lot of momentum for our package," Lynch said. He said the company is lining up legislators to sponsor a bill for the track and, while he wasn't ready to release any names, he expects an impressive list of supporters. The company's new proposal to the Legislature should come in the first few weeks of the 105-day session, he said. "It will be very similar to the one we structured last time, maybe a little better for the state. A little better split," Lynch said. The company's last proposal called for taxpayers to pay for half of the $345 million facility. That state share would be paid through bonds. The racetrack group contended the cost of the bonds would be more than covered by the sales taxes paid by out-of-state race fans. No one stepped forward to sponsor a bill in the 2006 session. But the track got a boost in May when two Democratic congressmen from the region, Adam Smith and Norm Dicks, spoke in favor of it. Lynch said he's hoping support from people and businesses will convince Kitsap-area state legislators its a good idea. The racetrack has endorsements from more than 300 businesses in Kitsap and surrounding counties, he said. Kitsap County residents are evenly divided over the track, according to a September poll commissioned by the county. Another survey, conducted the same month for International Speedway Corp. indicated 54% support for the track when Mason and Pierce county residents were considered. Track opponents say their poll showed most voters in the three counties oppose a NASCAR track.(The Olympian)(12-27-2006)
- Washington State Poll Supports Track there: A recent poll by International Speedway Corp. says that 54% of residents in Kitsap, Mason and Pierce counties [Washington State] support the construction of a new NASCAR racetrack. The poll, conducted over a four-day period in the second week of September, surveyed 613 registered voters over the telephone in the three counties and was conducted for the racetrack developer by Evans/McDonough Co. Inc. of Seattle. As it stands, this is ISC's proposal: The Florida company would invest $166 million, or nearly half the cost of a new $345 million track near Bremerton, in Washington's Kitsap County. A Public Speedway Authority would be formed to issue $166 million in bonds. The bonds would be paid for using a portion of sales tax revenue from areas near the track, revenues that would presumably increase from the spending of out-of-state visitors. The remaining $13 million would come from a county tax on tickets. ISC claims the proposal would have no effect on the state's general fund nor require additional taxes. A few other highlights from the ISC poll: 71% of voters were more likely to support the racetrack when told it would serve as a multi-use facility. 68% of voters were more likely to support the track when they were told ISC would pay all maintenance and operational costs. 67% of voters were more likely to support the track when told ISC would cover any construction cost overruns, ongoing operational costs and any required capital improvements.(Yahoo Biz)(11-26-2006)
- Washington Track Update: KITSAP PROGRESS: The Great Western Sports arm of International Speedway Corp. is optimistic about the progress it's made in winning support across Washington in support of a proposed NASCAR-ready speedway in Kitsap County. Great Western president Grant Lynch said his group has gathered 18,000 petitions from residents in favor of the $300 million private/public project. More than 200 businesses have also lent their support. The biggest hurdle seems to be educating the public that GWS plans to raise the public money without any new taxes or a tax increase. The Back the Track organization will have a large display at the Puyallup Fair this weekend, featuring show cars from top NASCAR drivers and prize giveaways of trips to events such as the Daytona 500. People are encouraged to stop by the fair booth to ask questions and enter daily prize drawings.(Seattle Post-Intelligencer)(9-23-2006)
- Washington Track survey even: Forces from both sides of the debate over a proposed speedway in Kitsap County are finding reasons to celebrate a county-commissioned survey that shows residents in Kitsap County are evenly divided about the track.
Early results from Elway Research Inc.’s survey of 600 county residents, released Monday, showed 46% were either strongly in favor or inclined to favor the speedway proposed by ISC, with the same number strongly against or inclined to oppose it. Nine% had no opinion on the subject. Elway reported there was a 4% margin of error in the results, which may have been rounded off. The survey, conducted between Wednesday and Saturday, joins questions asked in April by the county, a poll taken late last month by a group opposing the track, and one by the company that is proposing it, which began Sunday. The surveys are related to Florida-based International Speedway Corp.’s proposal to build a speedway for NASCAR races and other events on 950 acres near Bremerton National Airport and the Mason County line. The $345 million project would be paid for with $166 million from ISC, $166 million from bonds paid out of sales tax revenues and $13 million from admissions taxes. County spokeswoman PJ Ramos said answers to open-ended questions on the Elway survey and an analysis could take a week to 10 days to compile and become public. Tim Thompson, consultant to ISC, said there were reasons for track supporters to be encouraged, even by those numbers. While a significant majority of respondents were negative about the speedway’s funding and the tax implications for residents, support for the speedway was equal to the opposition. Ray McGovern, spokesman for the anti-speedway Coalition for Healthy Economic Choices in Kitsap, or CHECK, saw a different message from the county’s survey and polling its own organization commissioned. The most recent survey was not the first on the issue and won’t be the last. In April, the county surveyed residents on a number of issues and included four NASCAR questions.
ISC began conducting its own survey Sunday. In late August, McGovern’s organization surveyed 500 likely voters in Kitsap, Pierce and Mason counties and found more negative responses about the proposal. CHECK’s research, which was held between Aug. 29 and Aug. 31, showed 37% supported ISC’s proposal and 47% did not at the beginning of the survey. By the time they finished the survey, conducted by Alison Peters Consulting of Woodinville, support dropped to 35% and opposition rose to 59%. The CHECK survey would be posted at the Web site www.check-info.org.(Kitsap Sun)(9-13-2006)
- ISC now targets 2011 for New York, Northwest: International Speedway Corp. Chief Operating Officer John Saunders said Thursday that the earliest a track could open in New York City or Seattle likely will be 2011. Talking with financial analysts to discuss the company's earnings, Saunders said the slow-moving process in trying to get the political backing necessary to earn governmental approvals have delayed the projects. ISC hopes to build a 1.2-mile track southwest of Seattle and a three-quarter-mile track on New York's Staten Island.(SceneDaily.com)(7-8-2006)
- Speedway Included in Seattle Debate: A proposal to build a NASCAR-ready speedway in Kitsap County will be included in a panel discussion Thursday in Seattle that will address spending public money on sports stadiums. Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman, who recently voiced support for the proposed speedway, will be on the panel. So will International Speedway Corp. Vice President Grant Lynch, representing the company that is proposing the speedway. Rosanna Stephens, program associate at CityClub in Seattle, said the conversation is not specific to the speedway proposal or to the Seattle SuperSonics’ request to refurbish KeyArena for the professional basketball team. But those examples provide context to the question "why some communities decide to invest in sport and why others don’t." International Speedway Corp. of Daytona Beach, Fla., wants to build an 83,000-seat stadium near Bremerton National Airport. To pay for the $345 million project, the company would put up $166 million of its own money and collect $13 million on admission taxes on race tickets. The other $166 million would come from bonds issued by a newly formed Public Speedway Authority paid out of sales taxes collected in Kitsap, Pierce and Mason counties.(Kitsap Sun)(6-21-2006)
- Massive Racing Complex Planned in Idaho: Developers are working to turn 2,000 acres of barren Idaho desert land into a massive state-of-the-art racing facility called War Eagle Speedways, capable of accommodating NASCAR and IRL racing. Builders think the complex could rake in at least 100 million dollars yearly for Idaho. Northwest Motorsports plans to build the 200 million dollar complex off Simco Rd. along the border of Ada and Elmore counties. The facility would take several years to build and would feature a 1.25 mile Quad Oval track with seating for 75,000 to 100,000 people. Other track capabilities will include a drag strip with seating for 25,000 to 50,000, a .5 mile asphalt oval with seating for 25,000 to 40,000, a .25 mile dirt oval with seating for 10,000 for 15,000, a Motocross track, Supermoto/Kart Track and BMX Super Track. Northwest Motorsports has not yet secured any type of deal with NASCAR or IRL and has only begun to explore the process of bringing in major cup races but Dugger added bringing the best to Idaho will be the ultimate goal. The company will be testing the waters and talking to local businesses to see how much interest there is in the Valley over the next few months. The company hopes to break ground this fall and plans to file a conditional use permit with Elmore County next week. Dugger said her company’s banking on the idea that Idahoans and folks from all across the Northwest will want to watch races close to home.(Today’s Channel 6) and see the website for the track at wareaglespeedway.com.(6-7-2006)
- Another Northwest track in the mix: As NASCAR track builders launched a new campaign Wednesday to rally support for a $345 million Kitsap County [WA] speedway, another racetrack expansion plan has been simmering that would require no public financing. The owners of Pacific Raceways, a 45-year-old racetrack and drag strip southeast of Kent, are angling to expand their operations and upgrade a 2 1/4-mile racecourse to professional standards. Their plans still have substantial hurdles to cross, such as county approval of a development plan that might need to accommodate some structures on slopes or sensitive areas. But so do efforts by International Speedway Corp., which hopes to persuade an initially skeptical Legislature next year to commit $166 million in future sales tax collections to help build a major motor sports speedway south of Bremerton.(Seattle Post-Intelligencer)(6-2-2006)
- ISC pitches NASCAR track to key Washington lawmakers: Rebuked in search of support during the last legislative session, International Speedway Corp. was given a forum Wednesday to make its pitch to a key economic development committee as it works to revitalize a proposal to build a $345 million NASCAR track in Kitsap County. It seems to have worked. "It was impressive," House Majority Leader Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, said afterward. "It helped me feel a little more favorable for it." International Speedway announced plans last November to build an 83,000-seat race track on 950 acres south of the Bremerton airport with the hope of bringing a Nextel Cup race - the highest level of NASCAR racing - to the Pacific Northwest. Wednesday was the first time ISC officials had the opportunity to present their funding proposal to key lawmakers on the state Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations. During the 2006 legislative session, ISC's proposal was muddled by a separate request from the Seattle SuperSonics for a remodeled arena, and ISC officials suspended their efforts for public financing this year in January. John Saunders, International Speedway executive vice president, said the company would work on the project through the summer with local officials and then make a decision on whether to pursue support in the 2007 legislative session. ISC has said it would cover about half of the project cost, a point it reiterated through numerous speakers on Wednesday, and cover any cost overruns. Under its proposal, the rest of the money would come from state-backed bonds financed by a portion of state sales tax collections and a new levy on racetrack admissions. The track would be publicly owned on land in rural Kitsap County, just across Puget Sound from Seattle and accessible by bridge and ferry - although many question the area's ability to handle race day traffic. A similar plan for a track north of Seattle died when local officials recoiled at the price tag. An International Speedway subsidiary would lease the racetrack, preferably for at least 50 years.(Seattle Post-Intelligencer)(6-1-2006)
- ISC Seeks Zoning Change for Washington Track: The company proposing to build a speedway in South Kitsap is asking county officials to include the racetrack site within the South Kitsap Industrial Area and to rezone the land to allow commercial projects.
But the land-use application submitted by International Speedway Corp. doesn’t mean the company is dead set on building a speedway in Kitsap, no matter what state officials decide on the proposed public-private funding package. "I don’t think it changes the fact that we continue to want to hear positive things from elected officials from the state of Washington about the project," said Grant Lynch, ISC vice president. ISC wants to build a speedway that could host NASCAR races on 976 acres of property in South Kitsap adjacent to the Mason County line. The company’s $345 million financial proposal calls on the state to authorize the issuance of $166 million in bonds, which would be repaid out of sales taxes collected in Kitsap, Mason and Pierce counties. Another $13 million would come from taxes on race tickets. The company would put up $166 million of its own money, as well as cover any cost overruns. Washington Lt. Gov. Brad Owen has scheduled a May 31 meeting with state lawmakers to go over the question.(Kitsap Sun)(5-14-2006)
- Seattle vs. Denver? International Speedway Corp., which owns 11 Nextel Cup tracks, has said it considers the Denver area an important market. So, if ISC continues to encounter problems in its bid to build a NASCAR track in Kitsap County, Wash., across Puget Sound from Seattle, the group might take a closer look at Denver. ISC has scheduled a May 31 meeting with Washington state lawmakers, who aren't eager to pay almost half the cost of a proposed $345 million, 84,000-seat speedway. ISC officials claim the track and the tax revenue it would generate would more than balance what the public invests. Meanwhile, ISC spokesman Stann Tate said things are proceeding as planned on construction of a track in Staten Island, N.Y.(Rocky Mountain News)(4-19-2006)
- Proposed Washington State Track in Jeopardy?: A push by International Speedway Corp. [ISC] to build an 84,000-seat NASCAR speedway in Kitsap County [Washington State] could end next month if state lawmakers don't appear eager to help finance the project, an executive for the company warns. Grant Lynch, a company vice president, told The News Tribune that a critical meeting is scheduled on May 31 with state lawmakers. After that, company officials will reassess the project. "My company wants the speedway in Kitsap County," Lynch said. "My company also understands that with a project of this size, the more time you spend on it, the more money it costs." ISC is asking the state to pay almost half of the cost of the $345 million speedway. The money would be recouped via new sales tax revenue the track is expected to generate. On paper, the speedway is expected to show a profit and put revenue into the state's general fund every year. A consultant last year estimated the project could inject $140 million annually into the state's economy, assuming it hosts two major race weekends and a smaller regional event. Sports-related financing has been hard to come by lately in Washington, where some wary taxpayers still resent deals to build stadiums for the American League Seattle Mariners and National Football League Seattle Seahawks. In 2006, the Washington Legislature rejected a $220 million push by the NBA Seattle Supersonics to expand Key Arena. ISC has gotten interest from other states wanting to open a speedway, Lynch said.
Even though construction of the track requires a state investment of millions of dollars, ISC officials say the track and the tax revenue it generates will more than balance what the public invests. "Our project shows positive to the state's general fund over the life of the bond," Lynch said. The proposed track near the Bremerton airport could open in 2010.(Seattle Post-Intelligencer/AP)(4-14-2006)
- ISC to hold off until 2007 to lobby of Wash. track? UPDATE: While the local business community is gearing up to let legislators know they want a racetrack in South Kitsap, an International Speedway Corp. official said Thursday the company might not heavily lobby the state Legislature for one until 2007. Susan Schandel, ISC's chief financial officer, said in a conference call with investment analysts Thursday that the company's option on the South Kitsap property has "quite a bit of time left on it." She said the company is hopeful of getting approval for its proposed funding package during the upcoming legislative session but acknowledged it might be tough during the short, 60-day session. The speedway's projected opening in 2010 would not be affected if the Legislature waited a year, Schandel said, because ISC would not begin developing the land until 2007. ISC has an option on 950 acres near the borders of Kitsap and Mason counties. The company plans to build an 81,500-seat stadium, plus luxury boxes for spectators, on a 1.2-mile oval and a 2-mile road course. In November the company offered a proposal to spend $166 million of its own money up front for the $345 million speedway. Another $13 million would come from taxes on ticket sales, while the other $166 million would come from sales taxes paid by out-of-state visitors coming to a race. Getting ISC's proposal approved by the Legislature would require a bill and someone to sponsor it. Rich Johnson, marketing consultant for ISC subsidiary Great Western Sports, said that sponsor has not yet been found.(Kitsap Sun)(12-17-2005)
UPDATE: A proposal asking taxpayers to invest $166 million to build a NASCAR speedway in rural Kitsap County has stalled, at least for this legislative session. International Speedway Corp. officials conceded Tuesday that getting legislative approval for the racetrack appears unrealistic this year. Instead, the Florida-based company will pursue its proposal in the 2007 legislative session, said Grant Lynch, vice president of the International Speedway Corp. "The folks in Olympia have reiterated that they're in the middle of a short session with a lot of issues," he said. "We've heard from them. They don't want to consider the bill this session. And we understand that forcing the issue is not in the best long-term interest of our company." So far, the speedway company had been unable to find a sponsor for legislation publicly released Tuesday, which asks the state to split the upfront costs of building a $345 million motor-sports racetrack. The speedway company, which also would contribute $166 million in private funding and cover cost overruns, says the state's initial investment would be more than repaid by new tourism money collected from racing fans. An additional $13 million in construction bonds would be financed with a portion of admission taxes collected by Kitsap County. The proposed legislation would create a public speedway authority, which would use 0.0454 percent of the state sales tax revenue collected in Kitsap, Mason and Pierce counties to pay back construction bonds for 25 years. Some lawmakers believe the company has underestimated the challenges of getting 80,000 fans to a peninsula served by bridges and ferries. Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, a speedway proponent, said the company needs more time to sit down with legislators to explain the proposal. The company estimates the state would collect $43 million more in taxes from racing fans than it would need to pay back bonds.
There has been lingering negativity over taxpayers' investment in Seattle's two stadiums, but that could be softened now that the Seahawks are in the Super Bowl. Rep. Jeff Morris, D-Anacortes, said NASCAR may well be a strong draw for millions of out-of-state dollars, but promoters need to firm up the proposal before the Legislature would back the plan. Trying to grasp the proposals that have come forward so far has been "like trying to capture the essence of a sand dune," he said. A previous deal to put a speedway in Marysville -- in which the International Speedway Corp. offered to chip in just $50 million -- fell apart after cost estimates to develop the site escalated. Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, whose district includes the speedway site, said the company needs to educate a wider cross section of legislators about the idea and work on its public financing proposal. Lynch, the speedway company's officer who plans to spend the next year meeting with decision makers in Olympia, said the company did find people who were interested in the bill and the speedway's economic benefits.(Seattle Post-Intelligencer/AP)(1-25-2006)
- Groups vie for chance to develop speedway in Oregon: After five years of talk but no construction, two development groups now want to build a NASCAR-style speedway near Boardman, OR. Lions Head Development says it has the money to begin construction immediately. But Oregon International Speedway is the developer that recently signed a two-year agreement with the port to build the facility. That puts Boardman months ahead of other potential race track sites in the Northwest [such as Washington] in the permitting process. Efforts began last summer to gain approval and funding for a speedway near Bremerton, Wash., with the support of the International Speedway Corp., the leading promoter of motor sports in the United States. Karen Leetzow, assistant general counsel for NASCAR, confirmed earlier this month that while NASCAR is happy to consider an application for a sanctioned event, "we can do so only once your facility is substantially completed."in part from the (East Oregonian/Sub required)(1-18-2006)
- NYC/Washington track news: International Speedway Corp.'s open-wallet approach to building a NASCAR track on Staten Island isn't sitting too well in the Seattle area, where the developer wants the government to help fund a new track. ISC wants to build an 83,000-seat, $345 million track in Kitsap County, Wash., around 20 miles away from Seattle, and it's asking the state to fund half of that cost with bonds and admission fees. The motorsports giant doesn't think Washington compares with New York, but some Northwest track critics see ISC's plan to foot the entire $500 million-$600 million bill for its proposed Staten Island track and wonder why the developer can't do the same thing in Kitsap. The Seattle Times made a similar argument to Sheldon's in a Dec. 18 editorial urging lawmakers to dump the Kitsap proposal. "ISC has committed to paying all of the $600 million for a new track on Staten Island in New York. With the sport awash in fans, Fortune 500 sponsors and television revenues, backers should find a way to pay for all or most of the track here," the paper wrote.(Staten Island Advance)(12-27-2005)
- ESPN.com RPM:
NASCAR's Pacific Northwest expansion plan faces tough road by the AP.(12-10-2005)
- Washington Taxpayers could cover just over half of track cost: Taxpayers would finance more than half the cost of a new NASCAR racetrack in Western Washington under a financing plan released Wednesday. The track, which would be located in southern Kitsap County near the Bremerton airport, would cost about $345 million. It could hold more than 83,000 people, and would open in 2010.
International Speedway Corp. [ISC] would pay $166 million for the project. The remaining $179 million would come from tax-financed bonds. Grant Lynch, a company vice president, called the proposal "historic." "It's the most balanced public-private partnership proposal for a stadium complex that's ever been proposed to the state," he told The Associated Press. The racetrack plan still must earn the blessing of state legislators, who return to Olympia early next year. Some $166 million in debt would be repaid by diverting a portion of state sales tax collections over 25 years. The remaining $13 million would come from a special admissions tax on the racetrack.
The company would commit to bringing two major racing events to the track annually for 25 years, working to make one of them a NASCAR Nextel Cup race.(ESPN.com/AP)(12-1-2005)
- Private, public split nearly even on NASCAR track in Washington: Private investment would cover about half the cost of a $330 million NASCAR racetrack proposed for Kitsap County {Washongton], a company official lobbying for the stadium said. International Speedway Corp. of Daytona, Fla., is proposing the track, which would seat 81,500. It would be publicly owned and leased to a corporate subsidiary. The company has not made public a detailed proposal for the racetrack south of Bremerton. But the plan would include Speedway Corp. paying for nearby road improvements, said Sue Santa, the company's public and legal affairs director. The racetrack plan has earned criticism from state Treasurer Mike Murphy, who has said promoters are looking for a taxpayer handout. ISC has an option to buy 950 acres for the track in unincorporated Kitsap County, near the Bremerton airport. The first races are projected for 2010.
(Seattle Post-Intelligencer/AP)(11-18-2005)
- ISC Visits Washington, Meets with Fans: The first public function hosted by the Florida-based corporation [ISC] that wants to build a NASCAR speedway in South Kitsap [Washington] turned out to be more of a rallying point for both supporters and opponents than an informative session. More than 400 residents filled the commons Wednesday evening at South Kitsap High School, many decked out in NASCAR paraphernalia. There were few undecided visitors with the strong majority of the crowd supporting International Speedway Corp.'s proposal. Speedway opponents tried to stand out in a sea of stock-car fans. The proposed 80,000-seat speedway — including improved highway access — is projected to cost $250 million. ISC has not said how much it plans to invest in the track but has said it will seek financial aid from the Legislature during the next session. The event featured informational booths that covered several aspects, including the environment, traffic, events and more.
Greg Lynch, a vice president with ISC, flew in from Talladega, Ala., for the event along with a handful of other ISC officials. He acknowledged that the crowd was mostly receptive to the speedway and that most of the crowd had taken sides before they entered the door. "When you see somebody walk up dressed like their favorite driver, you can usually tell how they stand," Lynch said. "But not everybody has made up their mind. One guy walked up and said, 'I'm really into racing, but I'm not sure about this deal yet.' I said, 'That's fine. I understand — that's what we're here for.' " ISC is pulling out all the stops for the Kitsap proposal. Company officials have said that if this deal collapses at the state level, they most likely would abandon their efforts in Washington. They already have lobbyists working in Olympia. Lynch himself has flown to the area nearly 20 times.(Kitsap Sun)(7-28-2005)
- Trouble with Washingtom Proposed Track? International Speedway Corp. wants state money to help build a proposed $250 million racetrack in Kitsap County. State Treasurer Mike Murphy is opposed. "If one were to list the various priorities that the state should be funding, that one would not make the first page for me," Murphy said. "They are wanting a handout," he told the Kitsap Sun newspaper for Sunday editions. "We have more important things to be spending money on. The budgetary drain on the state for that type of facility basically says we won't be doing something else, because there are a limited amount of dollars."
The state had a $1.6 billion budget deficit this year, a shortfall that was covered through about $500 million in new taxes on alcohol, cigarettes and inheritances. The Legislature will likely face another shortfall when it addresses the budget for 2007. Florida-based ISC has hired a veteran team of attorneys and lobbyists to help win over legislators. Among the team are Jay Reich, a bond attorney involved in the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks stadium deals, and Gogerty Stark Marriott, a political strategy firm that helped win support for those projects. "It's important that we have good counsel as we move through the process," said Grant Lynch, ISC vice president. "We are not from here. And we have to understand the community we're operating in." It appears ISC wants the state to issue general obligation bonds that would be paid off by revenues the track is expected to generate statewide. ISC would contribute tens of millions of dollars in private funds. The track would be owned by a local public facilities district, with ISC holding a long-term lease to operate and maintain it. Murphy said ISC track funding would be similar to that arranged for the Seahawks stadium. State taxpayers will pay $608 million over 25 years to repay the principal and interest for the football stadium, while team owner Paul Allen contributed about $160 million, he said. Public financing for an ISC track is also raising concerns among some local lawmakers.(more at ESPN.com/AP)(7-25-2005)
- Race Track Opposers in Washington file suit: Kitsap County [WA] officials' two-year-long pursuit of a NASCAR racetrack in South Kitsap was carried out illegally and should be stopped dead in its tracks, says a lawsuit filed by a local citizen's group that opposes the project. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday by Kitsap Citizens for Responsible Planning, alleges that county officials' "secret dealings" with the International Speedway Corp. since 2003 violate the state Public Disclosure Act. The lawsuit also says that county officials violated state laws by approving zoning for the track near Bremerton National Airport without involving the county Planning Commission or the public. "The public was not given adequate notice nor an opportunity to be heard regarding the county's consideration of a proposal to allow automobile race tracks in the Business Center zone" near Bremerton National Airport, the lawsuit states. International Speedway Corp. announced June 23 that South Kitsap is the preferred site for a one-mile, 80,000-seat NASCAR racetrack in the Pacific Northwest. As envisioned, the track would be built on 950 acres near Lake Flora Road and Highway 3, along the Kitsap-Mason county line. After the ISC announcement, it was disclosed that several county officials signed confidentiality agreements with the Kitsap Regional Economic Development Council over the track. In addition, at least one public document was turned over to KREDC but kept out of the county's files, in apparent violation of the state Public Disclosure Act. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Pierce County Superior Court.(Kitsap Sun and a 2nd column: Lawsuit Challenges County's Actions to Get Racetrack)(7-15-2005)
- Northwest track is a go...in Washington: from a few sources: After further research and preparation, ISC will announce the selection of Kitsap County, Washington, as its preferred site for locating a first class racing facility capable of hosting NASCAR, IRL and other motorsports events. Our vision of an approximately 80,000 seat facility, within 1 hour of Seattle and Tacoma, and convenient to all the great motor sports fans in this region will only be possible with your support.
AND The proposed track would be 7/8 mile to 1.2 miles, surrounded by parking and camping areas on 950 acres near Lake Flora Road and Highway 3, along the Kitsap-Mason county line. Fans coming by car, RVs or bus would walk into a tiered grandstand and look down into the track, inset like a bowl with Mount Rainier in the background. The announcement could mark an end to a nearly two-year Northwest track site search that included the announcement of a preferred spot in Snohomish County last September. That deal fell apart two months later. The track could annually generate $87.3 million to $121.8 million for the region mostly from out-of-state tourists, according to a study commissioned by businesses, including Haselwood Auto Group, and economic development leaders who backed the idea. That could mean $2.2 million to $4 million in state taxes and $3.7 million to $4.5 million in local taxes. The track, which could grow to 90,000 seats, would have around 50 full-time employees. The company must gain acceptance from the Legislature and go through the permitting process in Kitsap County before construction can start in 2007 or 2008. Today's Announcement Puts Openning in 2010.(The Sun with a rendering)(6-23-2005)
UPDATE: International Speedway Corp., thwarted last year in a plan to build a NASCAR racetrack north of Seattle, announced Thursday it has chosen a new site -- west of Seattle across Puget Sound. Officials of the auto racing development and promotion company based in Daytona Beach, Fla., told a news conference they want to build an 80,000-seat track on 950 acres near state Route 3, south of Bremerton National Airport along the Kitsap-Mason county line. Financing plans were not released at a news conference, but Grant Lynch, vice president of ISC and project team leader, estimated $120 million in annual economic impact from the $250 million track and said no new taxes would be required to foot the bill. He said the biggest race at the track would have the economic impact of the Super Bowl. Lynch said the track's sunken bowl configuration would contain some noise and help the project blend into the natural beauty of the area. If the Legislature approves and county permits are issued, construction could begin in 2007 or 2008 on a track of 7/8 of a mile to 1.2 miles, surrounded by parking and camping areas with a tiered grandstand offering views of Mount Rainier in clear weather, the Kitsap Sun reported.
Lynch acknowledged access was an issue. To reach the site, race fans could drive on two-lane highways, take any of four different ferry routes or fly into the airport. Plans to reconfigure the transportation system to accommodate increased traffic could take years to negotiate, said Lloyd Brown, communications manager for the Olympic Region of the state Department of Transportation. Lane capacity on Route 3 is 1,600 cars per lane per hour, Brown said. The state is currently adding lanes to state Route 16, as well as building a second Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The new bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in April 2007, then the old bridge will be retrofitted. Both bridges would not be open at the same time until early 2008. One advantage of the new site, officials said, was that only one landowner is directly involved, compared with 30 at the Marysville location.(ESPN.com/AP)(6-24-2005)
- Northwest Track [Wash.] Plans deals with Traffic plan: With Kitsap County [WA] back in the headlines as a leading contender for a NASCAR track in the Northwest, new documents are shedding light on how the county proposes to accommodate the thousands of racing fans who might flood the region if a track is built there. A 62-page proposal prepared last spring by the Kitsap Regional Economic Development Council, obtained by Puget Sound Business Journal, details various scenarios about how the area could absorb the huge traffic inflows that a NASCAR race would generate. The document, which until now has been kept under wraps, also reveals the extent to which local government officials were actively campaigning for the project a year ago. The NASCAR track site is on a wooded, 2,100-acre tract near Bremerton National Airport, about eight miles southwest of Bremerton. The Kitsap proposal estimates that for a race attended by 90,000 people, the area around the track site could be cleared of fans in approximately three hours.
But that estimate is based on a number of assumptions, including that State Route 16, which connects Kitsap to Interstate 5 via the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, could be expanded from four lanes to six, and that State Route 3 and two country roads leading to the track site could be widened as well. The estimate also assumes NASCAR fans will make "moderate" use of ferries to reach the event. The document notes that there are no major parking facilities in the vicinity of the proposed NASCAR site, but it suggests that fans might park as far away as Safeco Field or Qwest Field in Seattle and take bus shuttles to ferry terminals to reach Kitsap County. To be sure, the Kitsap document was prepared a year ago, not long after Daytona Beach, Fla.-based International Speedway Corp. (ISC) first signaled its interest in building a NASCAR track in the Northwest. Since then, enthusiasm for NASCAR has been tempered by the collapse of a deal to build a track in Marysville. The Marysville project folded in a storm of publicity last year, apparently after the ISC ponied up only a fraction of the estimated $300-million price tag.(Puget Sound Business Journal)(5-23-2005)
- NASCAR heads to the Northwest looking: Grant Lynch, who runs Talladega Speedway and is heading NASCAR's Northwest search for land and political support for a new speedway, is putting a full-court press on in the Seattle-Portland area.
"I've been out there 11 or 12 trips, and we're getting a warm reception from the political side," Lynch said. "The one thing I've learned is the tribes are a big part of their community, and they have a lot of land. We've looked at some tribal lands. But the site we're looking at most right now is not on tribal land. It's a nice site, within 30 miles of Seattle. And we are looking at other sites, too." The timetable? "If everything fell exactly in place, you might get ready for 2009, but 2010 is a more reasonable option," Lynch said.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-2-2005)
- Washington Meeting Planned, location Kitsap County: Western Washington continues to be the top priority for NASCAR to build a new speedway. Meetings in Kitsap County are planned for Thursday. One proposal could locate the new speedway near a wooded area near Bremerton. KING 5 has confirmed that the same people who tried to get the speedway built in Snohomish County are meeting with commissioners individually in Kitsap County. A spokesperson at the International Speedway Corporation (ISC), based in Florida, said it continues to put the Seattle area in the "pole position" as the destination for a new NASCAR speedway. Kitsap County Commissioner Jan Angel is meeting with an ISC representative Thursday. The ISC has confirmed that a Kitsap County site near the Bremerton National Airport remains a top qualifier, falling within the desired range of 30 to 50 miles from Seattle. A site in Snohomish County fell through last year. No offer is on the table yet anywhere, but speedway representatives are committed to moving forward.
The ISC representative told KING 5 it still wants to build its proposed racetrack in Washington under a "public-private" venture, similar to SAFECO and QWEST fields. A representative has been lobbying in Olympia.(KING 5 News)(4-21-2005)
- Washington back in; Oregon out for NW location: Troutdale [OR] once again is out of the running for a NASCAR racetrack. A “frustrated” Terry Smoke said on Friday that a NASCAR representative met with him and fellow Troutdale businessman Neil Handy on Thursday to deliver the news that NASCAR will focus on Washington in its search for a Northwest track location. Grant Lynch, who is president of Talladega Speedway and senior vice-president of Great Northwest Sports, has been scouting sites in the Northwest for months. Previously, NASCAR had settled on a location near Marysville, Wash., but that deal fell apart. Smoke said that Washington is continuing to be more aggressive than Oregon in its pursuit of NASCAR. Lynch told Smoke and Handy that top Oregon officials came forward with “some great ideas and great ways of doing things,” but their overtures were too late. Washington, he said, was offering a better package of incentives. “We could not bend the ear of Salem soon enough,” Smoke said, adding that the state’s leaders needed to be solidly behind the proposal and eager to attract a Nextel Cup-caliber speedway. Without support from Salem, he said, it was difficult to compete with Washington locations. Grant did not reveal the exact location in Washington.(Gresham Outlook)(4-19-2005)
- ISC Still Pursuing Expansion: International Speedway Corp. said today it is continuing to pursue development of tracks in the New York borough of Staten Island and in the Pacaific Northwest. The company said it has begun the permitting process in New York and continues to work on its detailed feasibility study to evaluate project costs and the availability of public incentives. It also said it continues to meet with local resident groups and public officials there. Additionally, ISC said it "continues to evaluate suitable locations for the development of a motorsports facility" in the Pacific Northwest, although it did not identify any potential sites. "Several municipalities, along with state representatives, continue to indicate a high level of interest in the project, and the company remains optimistic of its prospects in this underserved region of the country."(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(4-6-2005)
- Washington State Proposed Track News: The Cowlitz Indian tribe has met with International Speedway Corp. and proposed a plan to build a track for NASCAR races somewhere in the southern part of the state. Tribal spokesman David Barnett has not publicly discussed possible sites, but any spot in south Cowlitz County would be near the tribe's proposed $400 million casino and resort in the La Center area. Barnett said he met Tuesday with Grant Lynch, vice president of International Speedway Corp., which is considering several potential sites in Washington and Oregon. Lynch could not immediately be reached for comment. Barnett plans to discuss the proposal with the tribal council during a retreat Saturday. He said it's not yet clear how the track would be financed. ISC officials say any site chosen needs to be on at least 800 acres to accommodate a track seating 75,000, retail shops and parking. At least 20,000 hotel rooms must be near the track, and the site must be between 30 and 50 miles or Seattle or Portland, Ore., and near major highways. Cowlitz County is in southwest Washington, not far from Portland. Other sites ISC is considering include Scappoose and Troutdale, Ore.(ESPN.com/AP and the Daily News)(3-4-2005)
- NASCAR takes a look at Oregon site: There were new additions to the streetscape in downtown Troutdale [OR} on Monday. Dozens of NASCAR flags were planted in the sidewalks along the Old Columbia River Highway in recognition of a tour of a potential track site at the old Reynolds Aluminum plant nearby. Grant Lynch, senior vice president of Great Northwest Sports, a subsidiary of International Speedway Corp. that has been created to develop a Nextel Cup-caliber speedway in the Northwest, visited the site Monday. Lynch got an aerial view of the Port of Portland-owned parcel via a helicopter ride with Neil Handy and Terry Smoke, Troutdale businessmen and co-chairs of the Cascade Speedway and Sportsplex project. Lynch later participated in a van tour of the site with a group that included representatives of Multnomah County, the cities of Troutdale and Gresham and the Port of Portland. The Port's Carl Warren and Jim Laubenthal offered background on the site's development potential. Lynch said ISC ideally would like to have a north-south orientation for the seven-eighths-mile racetrack. After the tour, the local contingent exchanged questions and answers with Lynch and agreed to meet again and share feedback in the near future. Lynch said he planned to fly back to his home in Alabama on Wednesday and return to the Northwest next week.(The Oregonian)(3-1-2005)
- Oregon Site Under Consideration for NW track: International Speedway Corp. officials once again are focusing on the former Alcoa property as a serious candidate for a NASCAR racetrack. NASCAR representative Grant Lynch, who is president of Talladega Speedway, will tour the proposed Troutdale [OR] location on March 1, NASCAR proponent Terry Smoke said. Members of the Cascade Speedway and Sportsplex Committee carried an ambitious proposal for the NASCAR development — which also would include a soccer stadium, fairgrounds and Sternwheeler dock — to a meeting of East County officials on Thursday evening in Fairview City Hall. Mayors and some council members from the four local cities attended the meeting, along with Multnomah County Chairwoman Diane Linn and county Commissioner Lonnie Roberts. The Alcoa site gained new life after a Marysville, Wash., deal fell through. Smoke believes that Troutdale is the perfect spot for a NASCAR track and said there is no comparison with the other Northwest sites under consideration, including Scappoose, Wash., and Woodburn. In addition to the NASCAR track and the multipurpose soccer facility, proponents of the project would like to see the site used as a docking station for the Sternwheeler, and as a home for the Multnomah County Fair. Smoke said International Speedway Corp. officials are willing to look at the Alcoa site again because of its easy access to the freeway and its proximity to the Troutdale Airport. Smoke said he spoke with an airport official, who believes the facility could handle the additional traffic a NASCAR track would bring. If International Speedway Corp. were to build a NASCAR track in Troutdale, the track would most likely host a truck series, an Indie [um...Indy or IRL] series and two major and two minor races each year.(Gresham Outlook)(2-27-2005)
- Oregon is back in the race for NASCAR track: International Speedway Corp., a Daytona Beach-based company that has built or bought more than a dozen major racetracks across the country and is a sister company to NASCAR, has hired Talladega Superspeedway President Grant Lynch to be the point man for its latest construction project. Lynch is the senior vice president of Great Northwest Sports, an ISC subsidiary specifically created to develop a major speedway that would play host to a Nextel Cup race and other events in Oregon or Washington. "He's very knowledgeable about developing these things," said Lee Combs, ISC's senior vice president for corporate development and Lynch's boss on the initiative. "He'll be moving around up there even more than I will." Lynch has been moving around the region on a regular basis since the New Year. He said he researched and scouted potential track sites in the Northwest for four consecutive weeks between Jan. 10 to Feb. 5, and he plans to return Tuesday [Feb 22].
Oregon's place on Lynch's itinerary is a sign the state remains a contender for the final U.S. project on ISC's construction agenda. But ISC says it wants its interest and enthusiasm to be matched by the places it visits, and although that is happening on a community level in Oregon, it hasn't happened at the state level. ISC's Northwest initiative is a response to NASCAR's 2004 mandate for realignment, a plan to move some Nextel Cup race dates from the series' traditional tracks in the South to emerging or underserved U.S. markets. "If you look at the locations within the continental U.S. where there are Nextel Cup races, (the Northwest is) probably the last location in the country where you could draw an 800-mile radius and not hit a Nextel Cup track," Lynch said of the Northwest. Deal falls through ISC thought it had a location for a Nextel Cup track in the Northwest last fall, when the company announced its intention to develop an 850-acre site between Marysville and Arlington, about 35 miles north of Seattle. In September, officials said they had agreed on a parcel near Interstate 5 for a $250 million-plus project that would meet ISC's timetable of staging a Nextel Cup race in the Northwest by 2009. But by Thanksgiving, Snohomish County and state officials were seeking more than ISC's offer of a $50 million contribution to the project. At the same time, ISC faced the realities of a site that would require $20 million of fill dirt just to become buildable. "That's huge," Lynch said. "You can do it if you have an inexpensive piece of land, but that land cost a lot, and it cost a lot to fix it up." The deal was off. And the Oregon option was back on. After a few days in Washington, Lynch is scheduled to fly to Fontana, Calif., for next Sunday's Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. The next night or following day, he hopes, will include a meeting with Karen Minnis, the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, one of the state's highest-ranking elected officials. And he might just find the perfect spot for what might be ISC's final U.S. frontier.(OregonLive)(2-22-2005)
