ISC Looking At Denver

kat2220

kat2220

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ISC looks to Denver for new track

After losing out on a proposal for a track in Washington State International Speedway Corporation, the parent company of NASCAR, is looking towards Denver Colorado.

While no deal has officially been brought forward, ISC is looking at 1,300 acres of land near Denver International Airport in Commerce City for a possible racetrack.

But like has happened to ISC with its proposals for tracks in Washington and New York, the Denver plan is already meeting some resistance as some residents in the neighborhood close to the site have already voiced concerns about the noise and traffic a NASCAR track would bring.

The proposal although not yet official seemed to impact the recent elections for the mayor and city council.

Resident Jason McEldowney told a local TV station that it was difficult to communicate with council candidates who had been advised not to speak about the issue to maintain fair and impartial decision making in the future.

"We feel it's been impacting candidates to come out one way or another and for voters to know who to choose," McEldowney said.

The newly elected mayor of Commerce City, Paul Natale, said that the citizens face a choice.

"Are we going to be the industrial city that we were in the 1950's," he said. "Or, are we going to be somewhere you can raise your kids?"
 
NASCAR dealt big blow in efforts for Denver track
NASCAR has decided the outcome of an election. And things didn't turn out exactly as they hoped.

Of course the sanctioning body wasn't directly or indirectly involved with the actual city council election in Commerce City Colorado near Denver, but after Rocky Mountain Speedway Corporation, a subsidiary of International Speedway Corporation the parent company of NASCAR floated the idea earlier this year of a NASCAR track in Commerce City near the Denver airport, residents unhappy with the idea went to work. Late Tuesday night their efforts paid off with the election of Paul Natale as the city's new mayor and Tony Johnson and Jim Benson to City Council.

The residents had formed the Commerce City Citizens and Business Alliance to work to defeat the project after the proposal was announced in February.

"We made NASCAR an issue in the election, and our candidates won," said Jason McEldowney, spokesman for the Commerce City Citizens and Business Alliance. "This was a victory for Commerce City and our way of life in Commerce City, which does not include the tax increases that would subsidize a race track built by the International Speedway Corporation, nor the environmental or transportation impacts associated with it."

Proponents argued that the track could bring $150 million for the local economy based on similar racetracks built in other cities in years past.

But Commerce City residents say the track will be built only a few miles from major housing developments and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, the largest bald eagle refuge in the nation.

Noise and pollution are the two major concerns.

"We suggest to (International Speedway Corporation) that they not waste their money in Commerce City and drop their pursuit of the proposed location now," said McEldowney, who noted that Kitsap County in Washington State recently encouraged its County Commission to oppose a similar track after NASCAR executives spent $6 million fighting for it.

"This was a clear message to NASCAR and to all of our elected officials," added McEldowney. "The voters said, `No,' to (International Speedway Corporation) and NASCAR racing our community."

"They can declare all the victory they want," Denver lawyer Steve Farber, who represents ISC, said. He noted that the majority of council had voted against asking voters whether to allow the city to entertain the track proposal.

All I can say is "Are they freakin stupid or what?"

From NASCAR Momma
 
WOW another place don't want them? Guess they might ought to think about the Rock and some of the southern places they are trying to leave. LOL
 
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