Lt. Gov (Dem) SUPPORTS Nascar Track in Kistap/Mason County

[progressivebydesign]

http://www.komotv.com/news/local/5518061.html

Makes me completely ill to see people support this track on some of the most BEAUTIFUL and PRISTINE land left in this area. Nascar fans want a track in Washington? Fab.. I have no issue with that, WTF don't they put it 1) NEAR THE FUCKING I-5! 2) NOT where they have to clear cut and pollute a beautiful treed, quiet area. 3) A place where people DON'T have to drive OFF the 5, on the 16, over the bridge, and through a famously bottlnecked area of Gorst. It SHOULD go somewhere below Olympia, toward Centralia/Chehalis OR up near Marysville/Everett, where there are thousands and thousands of acres of FLAT, UNTREED, ACCESSIBLE, land.

If you're not familiar with the area they want to shove this track (FOR 83K fans per race), it's near the little quiet town of Belfair, near two or three State parks, and completely inaccessible.

The assholes from the Florida developer CLAIM that most of the Nascar fans will RIDE BUSES to the venue. BULLSHIT. These are NASCAR fans (i.e. CAR fans), they are NOT going to ride a bus from Marysville to the track. They are going to drive. That's what they like.. driving and tailgating. I've read horror stories from DUers from other states who have lived where they built these tracks. It pollutes, it's noisy, and it DOES not provide any REAL jobs beyond construction(which you can guarantee the Florida corporation will IMPORT cheap labor for the work), and then.. TEMPORARY employment at minimum wage for concession stands?

Wonder how much money the Florida developers are DONATING to the suddenly-supportive official's campaign funds? This is the worst area for the track.. the absolute worst. If you've ever driven off the 5, over the Narrows Bridge and around that curve thru Gorst/Bremerton, you'll know what a fucking joke this is.

[eridani]

1. What really fries me--

--is that they are asking for state subsidies, while building another track somewhere else without subsidies.

[regnaD kciN]

2. A vote for Centralia...

It SHOULD go somewhere below Olympia, toward Centralia/Chehalis

Judging by the "Uncle Sam billboard" in Centralia, the average NASCAR fan would probably feel quite comfortable there. :puke:

[progressivebydesign]

4. That's kinda what I was thinking! n/t

[flamingyouth]

3. This is such a horrible idea

It pisses me off that they want state subsidies for this crap while our roads are falling apart all around us.

[pscot]

5. According to the link

Norm Dicks and Adam Smith both support the plan. If you live in their disticts you should let them hear from you.

[MikeNearMcChord]

6. Just imagine if the Sonics leave because the legislature

won't fund a new Seattle arena(I am against funding sports teams) and they do this. Sorry the people of Washington should vote for welfare for millionaires. Hell build the track in Yakima or Spokane. But no welfare for Southern Millionaires.

[eridani]

7. Something to tell your representatives, fast--

This is completely insane! Do you realize that the same company that is demanding public funding for a Kitsap track is building a racetrack in New York with ENTIRELY PRIVATE funding? If private funding is good enough for New York, I say it's good enough for Washington state.

http://www.naparstek.com/2005/05/on-right-track.php

You'd think that it wouldn't be all that difficult for the city to work out similarly innovative transportation management plans for the stadium and arena projects, seeing as how the MTA owns the land at both sites and would be the beneficiary of any program that compels fans to take a train rather than drive. But this kind of creative planning has been nonexistent. Amazingly, the raceway builders appear to be the only developer in the city really thinking about ways to reduce automobile traffic and increase the use of mass transit.

ISC is also showing far more sensitivity to its local environment and future neighbors than the Jets and Nets. They have committed to preserving and enhancing the 250 acres of fragile wetlands on their property. During most of the year, a large portion of the site will be given to the community for use as sports fields, and nonprofit organizations can host charity events at the track for free. Printupp also says that ISC is open to figuring out a way to allow its ferry docks to be used year-round for daily commuter service.

But the biggest contrast of all is in the financing of the projects. Whereas the Jets and Nets are asking for hundreds of millions of dollars in public subsidies, the entire $550 to $600 million cost of the speedway is being paid for privately. The racetrack is expected to generate $45 million a year for the city and state, not including all of the additional revenues earned off of money spent on hotels, fried Twinkies and 9/11 memorabilia.