NASHVILLE FARIGROUNDS SPEEDWAY
THE BEGINNING OF THE END or a NEW BEGINNING
On Tuesday, January 18 at 6:00 PM Central Standard Time the Nashville, TN Metro Council held the future of the Nashville Fairgrounds and the Fairgrounds Speedway in their collective hands. The meeting could have marked the beginning of the end for the 106 year old Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, TN. The Nashville City Council was scheduled to vote on the future of the historic facility. Nashville Mayor, Karl Dean, heads a group that favors demolishing the track immediately, and the fairgrounds completely in about a year to make room for new development. A group of motorsports lovers headed by Sterling Marlin and Darrell Waltrip hoped to sway the Council in another direction. They, along with Mike Curb, Chad Chaffin and his father Neil (both are past Nashville Speedway Champions) and a concerned group of Nashville race fans hoped to present a plan to the council to save the facility. A plan backed by private funding as opposed to the taxpayers of Nashville shelling out millions of dollars to demolish the speedway and the surrounding fairgrounds facility and replace it with a business development and park.
Before I move forward, I want to congratulate Marlin, Waltrip, Mr. Curb, the Chaffins and their group, for stepping up to the plate in the efforts to preserve the Fairgrounds Speedway. High profile and successful racers sometimes forget their roots and I have been quick to critize them at times for failing to support grass roots racing. Glad to see them step up this time.
It appeared the Mayor had the upper hand going into the homestretch with this issue. I watched his interview with Rudy Kalis and having seen that, I didnt see much hope in changing the mind of an individual like Mayor Dean. He seems oblivious to the history of the track as well as the fairgrounds in general.
I am no expert in the political world and the workings of government but having gone through a similar fight at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, NC, I understand fully the way something like this works. The very life of a track (Tri-County) hung in the balance of a handful of vocal citizens bent on closing the track. Thanks to the efforts of a strong owner, Hugh Andrews, and a group of concerned racers and citizens, we fought and won the battle. Compromises were made on both sides and the track continues to operate 18 years later.
I also see another historic race track, Bowman Gray Stadium, in Winston-Salem, NC continue to prosper as the longest continually operated NASCAR sanctioned track in the country. BGS is also owned by the city.
Mayor Dean claims the Fairgrounds Speedway to be two miles away from downtown Nashville. Well, Bowman Gray is only a mile from downtown. I also see similarities in the surrounding neighborhoods. Both are either industrial or low income areas. The city of Winston-Salem has chosen to embrace Bowman Gray Stadium and the revenue it produces. That facility, BGS, also supports some of the same type businesses Mr. Marlin speaks about in the story by Mr. Kalis. BGS provides subsidy to a couple of golf courses as well as the coliseum and convention center. None of which operate in the black. One would think someone of Mayor Karls stature and knowledge of government and business would at least take a look at other areas with similar facilities.
It appears the majority of the council saw some promise in the future of the Fairgrounds and the speedway. Over 2,000 supporters of saving the fairgrounds turned out for the Metro Council meeting. That strength of numbers along with a reasonable plan to overhaul the facility wasnt wasted on the council. The track supporters waited patiently while opposition to the plan was presented by some area residents. When their turn came, they respectfully presented their options to the council. After four hours of debate the council voted 37 to 0 with three members abstaining, to continue operations of the fairgrounds. Language to demolish the speedway has been removed from the amendment.
On a negative note was the fact that the speedway is still under the control of Fair Board that apparently has some strong ties to Mayor Deans office. There is no lease in place for 2011 at this time concerning racing at the historic speedway but that could change and individual events could be considered.
Hopefully Mayor Dean and the Metro Council continue listen to the proposal of Marlin, Waltrip and the Save My Fairgrounds group. Lets hope it becomes a new beginning for the Nashville Fairgrounds and the Fairgrounds Speedway. Thanks in no small part to the Save My Fairgrounds group, It has a chance.
