Kitsap County Hits Turn One Speed Bump
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire has warmed to the idea of a $500 million plan for a new Seattle SuperSonics arena in Renton, but said NASCAR’s proposal for a racetrack in Kitsap County appears dead.
On Monday, Gregoire suggested moving the NASCAR project to Lewis County near Interstate 5, about 90 minutes south of Seattle. Organizers rejected her comments about Kitsap County being a dead option, but didn’t dismiss the idea of shifting to donated land in Lewis County.
Gregoire said she met with key leaders from the Kitsap Peninsula on Friday and concluded, “They don’t object to NASCAR, they don’t want it in its location in Kitsap County.”
She said she personally pitched Lewis County to ISC, but was told it doesn’t meet the organization’s criteria. Operators of a just-closed coal mine have offered to donate land, and the county would welcome the project with open arms, the governor said.
“So at this point in time, I don’t see the political support to make NASCAR happen at the location that is currently proposed in Kitsap County,” she said.
Grant Lynch, ISC vice president, said his company will continue pursuing legislation, which does not specify Kitsap County. The only site under consideration is Kitsap, he said. Asked about free land in Lewis, he said “That would be very advantageous,” and noted that the legislation would allow that site if Kitsap eventually falls through.
UPDATE: OLYMPIA, Wash - 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.
NASCAR, NEXTEL Cup, Sports, ISC, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle
You know I have a comment for this.
Gregoire better “un” warm to the arena deal. The public up there has, and the beneficiaries of their “can’t pull my head out of my ass” mentality are anxiously waiting to buy season tickets. Myself included, again. It won’t be CP3, Byron, Desmond, and the rest of the lot we’ve accepted like family, but that’s Shinn’s decision. One that seems like business suicide, I might add.
Oh, racing, that’s right.
Sounds like a debacle to rival the N.Y.F.U.™ to me.
I find it fascinating Gregoire i9s getting her panties wet over a sports arena that will cost the taxpayers $300 million and is taking the side of the Kitsap county “anti’s” and NIMBY’s on a project that will cost the public about $160 million.
And that cost will be paid by those that use the speedway via race related taxes.
Me smells a rat and she is paying the rats back.
**Note the newwww addy…
OK…here is my honest true trying to not be a psycho opinion.
Kitsap Co. would be a horrible place for a track regardless of who pays for what.
Madame Christine is right ~ Lewis County would be much better…or The Tri-Cities area even better. Lewis Co is beautiful, their voters would jump on it and that would be that. The Tri Cities area iseven temped, voters, again would vote hell yeah! and it’s even closer to me.
The Boise thing? um…I beleive there were some “issues” of larceny or misuse of public funds with the VP who was also a Sec for Owyhee Co.
Actually Marc, the “old” owners wanted a $300M arena, the new proposal is like $560M, give or take.
And likely to be shot down. Although it still looks like it’s going to be a “no basketball” 2007/2008 here. 2008/2009 is looking promising though.