NASCAR Foundation HQ Bailing Out of Charlotte & Back to Daytona

Not sure what to make of this transition from Charlotte back to Daytona for the NASCAR Foundation Headquarters. Maybe the new International Motorsports office building in Daytona is nicer than the NASCAR office building in Charlotte?

NASCAR Foundation to move HQ to Daytona
By CLAYTON PARK, Business writer send an email to clayton.park@news-jrnl.com
February 11, 2012 12:55 AM

DAYTONA BEACH -- When Betty Jane France started the NASCAR Foundation in 2006, it made sense for it to be based in Charlotte, N.C., since its chief mission at the time was assisting NASCAR drivers in raising donations for charity.

Over the years, the foundation has grown to support more than 100 nonprofit organizations throughout the country, including several here, such as the Speediatrics children's care unit at Halifax Health Medical Center.

On Friday, the foundation announced it will move its headquarters to Daytona Beach later this year, possibly as soon as August.

Its new offices will be in the eight-story International Motorsports Center, across the street from Daytona International Speedway.

The International Motorsports Center is the headquarters for both the National Association for Stock Car Racing (NASCAR), International Speedway Corp., and Grand-Am, the road racing sanctioning arm of NASCAR.

"This move will enable the NASCAR Foundation to be fully integrated with our corporate headquarters in Daytona Beach," said France in a statement issued Friday.

France's daughter, Lesa France Kennedy, chief executive officer for International Speedway Corp., said, "Today's announcement is exciting news for our community. It brings another nationally known and very well-respected organization to Daytona Beach, and with it comes new jobs."

Kennedy added: "Having the NASCAR Foundation based here, in the same location as its board of directors and key stakeholders, makes a great deal of strategic sense."

Noting that the foundation has raised more than $13 million for charity since its launch six years ago, Betty Jane France said, "In a relatively short period of time, the NASCAR Foundation has built a remarkable legacy of helping communities and children, but we've only just begun. We have a bright future and big plans. This move will help us reach our goals."

Several of the foundation's board members have homes in the Daytona Beach area, including France, Rusty Wallace, a former NASCAR champion, and Mike Helton, NASCAR president. The foundation's move will bring two or three employees here from Charlotte, "as well as three or four open positions that we'll be advertising," said NASCAR spokesman David Higdon.

One of those open positions will be for the foundation's executive director. Sandy Marshall, the current executive director, decided she did not want to relocate but has agreed to stay on the job until her successor is hired, Higdon said.

Joe Sullivan, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties, said of the NASCAR Foundation, "Moving their headquarters here is going to be great for the local charities and causes here because they're so generous."

Sullivan said foundation board member Wallace presented the local Boys & Girls Club chapter with a $25,000 check from the foundation last year.

Ray Salazar, president of United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties, called the foundation's plans to move here "exciting."

"The foundation has a national reach," he said. "It's nice to have that kind of reach in our community."

NASCAR Plaza Office Building, Charlotte - Former Home of the NASCAR Foundation

International Motorsports Center, Daytona - New Home of the NASCAR Foundation

Remember, that Charlotte is going "bananas".

From a recent Denver Post article:

Chiquita has been looking at office space in the NASCAR Plaza, which faced foreclosure proceedings last year. But few involved in the deal have stopped to consider what kind of additional disaster might unfold if a Chiquita executive snidely drops a banana peel on the floor of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, like Chim-Chim in "Speed Racer."

The NASCAR Office Tower, carrying the NASCAR logo, is next to the HOF, NOT owned by NASCAR, but by Trinity Investment partners who bought it from Wells-Fargo bank in foreclosure.

Chiquita is supposed to be leasing approximately 6 floors of the NASCAR Office Tower.

Ironically, Dole has opened a major research campus just down the highway in Kannapolis on the site of the former Cannon Mills, one-time employer of Ralph and Dale Earnhardt.

I can't imagine CMS going very long without a banana sponsor.

One and the same for all practical purposes... 2 buildings comprise the NASCAR Plaza:

1) HOF

2) Office Tower

http://www.nascarplazacharlotte.com/PropertyInformation/AWorldClassOfficeTower.axis

D A N G Mama going on a Banana Binge here

Only the Tower owned by Trinity. City of Charlotte owns Hall of Fame building.

Johnny, Mama is starting to make me hungry!

Well PK, Charlotte had to get some of their money back. I don't believe NASCAR ever owned anything there including, I think, the hall. They are using the NASCAR name. Center City Partners was the entity used to sell the hall and marketing for all of this. Can you imagine a hall of fame not being owned or, at least, regulated by the entity it represents? I truly hope all of this does not hurt the people who deserve to be enshrined there.

no nuts ????

Plenty of nuts here to go around. Yes, we have no bananas today.

The City of Charlotte was responsible for the construction of the building and is the owner of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. However, it is operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.