Looks like Nashville Fairgrounds is finally dead

MRM

MRM

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After years of trying to kill off the speedway at the Nashville Fairgrounds, looks like city leaders have finally done it. Nashville has been awarded a MLS franchise. In the proposal, a new soccer stadium is to be built on the Fairgrounds site. I would assume the speedway and the fairgrounds as a whole will be turned into the stadium and stadium parking.
 
I don't see why they can't do a Bowman Gray Stadium kind of deal. Keep the race track, but have the soccer field in the in field and schedule the racing and soccer matches around each other so they don't conflict.
 
SpeedPagan said:
I don't see why they can't do a Bowman Gray Stadium kind of deal. Keep the race track, but have the soccer field in the in field and schedule the racing and soccer matches around each other so they don't conflict.
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Probably because they don't want to solve any problems, they want the racing gone. They did that in Tulsa, got rid of a track that had been at the fairgrounds for years and had a good following to put in a quarter horse track that is deserted except for six weeks out of the year. They got rid of the amusement park a few years later that had been there longer than the track. roller coaster was too noisy they said.
 
Exactly. Nashville has been trying to get rid of that track for years.
 
SpeedPagan said:
I don't see why they can't do a Bowman Gray Stadium kind of deal. Keep the race track, but have the soccer field in the in field and schedule the racing and soccer matches around each other so they don't conflict.
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What helps the Bowman-Gray deal is that there is also a local college (WSSU) right there that needed a football field. Recently the City turned over ownership (and responsibility) for the stadium to WSSU so the City wouldn't have to budget for it. (People were worried that WSSU would then cancel the racing, but so far everything keeps going the way it has been.)
 
It's amazing how cities want to do away with things like racetracks and amusement parks, more often than not to replace them with golf courses or housing developments. Or in this case, a soccer stadium.
 
This is sad, a legendary short track on the ropes. However I thought Bristol was taking over the track, you would think they'd have some sway to protect the facility.
 
Snappy D said:
This is sad, a legendary short track on the ropes. However I thought Bristol was taking over the track, you would think they'd have some sway to protect the facility.
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The lease was awarded to Tony and Claire Formosa, family that's been running it.

And I'm always hesitant to think SMI will be a savior. That company is a large part of why Rockingham and North Wilkesboro are growing weeds.
 
MRM said:
Looks like I was wrong about the new MLS stadium causing the racetrack to go away. Looks like it's there to stay, for a while any way. The story I linked to earlier didn't have the information about the speedway as the one below (need to scroll down about 2/3 of the page).

https://www.tennessean.com/story/ne...-look-stadium-proposed-fairgrounds/564469001/
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If I'm not mistaken, I believe the Fair board finally awarded Tony the 5 year lease he had been wanting. It had been on a year to year basis.
 
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