Feb 13, 2007 8:11 pm US/Mountain
NASCAR-Style Racing Could Be Coming To Colorado
by Terry Jessup
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) ―
The International Speedway Corporation is considering bringing NASCAR-style racing to Colorado.
The Denver metro area already has eight major sports teams; what is missing is a major NASCAR racetrack. Promoters say the area is a logical place to build one. They also claim NASCAR is second in spectator appeal, right behind Broncos football.
The ISC already operates 13 racetracks across the country, including Daytona International Speedway and Talledega Superspeedway. One of their operations is located 15 miles from downtown Kansas City.
"When we developed the Kansas City facility, in the initial year of operation, there was more than $150 million in economic impact that was brought to that area," said Kathryn Milthorpe of ISC.
ISC figures it would cost $350 to $400 million to build a 75,000 capacity track in the Denver area. They need 1,300 acres and they want major public funding in a public-private partnership.
"Right now there are no proposals on the table, no proposals have been made by International Speedway Corporation and no proposals have been given to the International Speedway Corporation," said Wesley Harris of ISC.
In late 2005, the company bought and then closed the Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo., partly to clear competition out of the area.
ISC says their research shows 60 percent of racing fans come from outside the host city and typically spend up to a week on their trips. If they get a track built, they envision at least two race weekends a year.
"If people want a comparable, the best comparable is like having the Democratic National Convention, twice a year, forever," said Tom Clark of Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. "That's a pretty good economic impact."
In Kansas City, where they built their oval in 1999, the total project cost was about $240 million. ISC's cost was about $90 million.
ISC says it is also looking at possible new sites in Seattle and the New York city area. Wherever they build, it would not likely be until at least the year 2011.
Locations
- The International Speedway Corporation is looking at two sites in Adams County. One site is in Aurora off Interstate 70, near the Watkins exit, directly south of the Front Range Airport. The other site is in Commerce City between the 88th Avenue overpass and 96th Avenue exit on E-470.
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