http://www.spokesmanreview.com/break...y.asp?ID=14456

According to this article, the Spokane County comissioners voted to place a bid on the track, with the idea of operating it as a county facility. However, they reserve the right to decide not to bid if they think someone else who will operate it as a track is going to bid instead. That confuses me, but whatever.

 

I think it means that the County is in favor of keeping it a race track, but would rather that someone else forked over the money, and took the economic risk. Kind of a chicken-shit approach, but what else is new about politics in these parts?

 

I love the line from the dissenting comissioner, who said that sometimes when you are too close to things that seem visionary, it means that you are having visions.

It is a risk. Portland and Laguna Seca show that a track can be a profit center for a public park system, but you have to admit that it will take a big inverstment to turn SRP into Laguna Seca.

 

Yup. I've never seen Laguna Seca; David and I may take a road trip next winter and play down there for a few days.

PIR is a wonderful facility, and Portland does a nice job of maintaining it, apparently at least breaking even. But it's always on the endangered species list anyway.

I would love it if someone would save SRP, and make it a facility on par with PIR. Right now, the only racing there is in the summer, and I'll be damned if I'm going to race in Spokane in the summer. But April and September would be fine.

 

It makes a profit. But the neighbors complain about it due to noise concerns.

I have no sympathy for people who move in next to a racetrack because the housing is cheap, and then complain that the racetrack is too loud. Whiners.

 

"But Commissioner Bonnie Mager, who voted against bidding on the land, said the county is putting too much taxpayer money at risk when there are many other important projects that need funding."

Yes, like giving anyone who had to move out of their appartments due to the new light rail up to $21k!!! Now THAT'S tax money well spent! I've seen the checks that were issued. Seriously depressing. I had to verify one of the checks for work and this person was sent two checks: $7k towards a new place and $21k once the person moved out.

 

Spokane County bought the track.

http://www.khq.com/global/story.asp?s=8146179