Richmond's Nascar Hall of Fame Bid

[eandslee]

I'll take anything that gives us a boost at the moment!

Way to pick out even the most minute thing that gives Richmond a "positive mark" in our catagory, Coupe! That's what I like to hear!

[wrldcoupe4]

yea it was worst as in deterioration and potholes etc.... can't have all these new NASCAR visitors knocking their front ends out of line on bad roads now!

[eandslee]

yea it was worst as in deterioration and potholes etc.... can't have all these new NASCAR visitors knocking their front ends out of line on  bad roads now!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh yeah, heaven forbid they screw up their cars getting to the HOF to look at...well, cars and stuff about cars! At least in Richmond we guarantee pothole-free roads...not to mention, the roads are less congested! Go Richmond and get that HOF!!!

[burt]

Excuse me? I haven't driven on Richmond streets since last Christmas, but I have to say, they were in deplorable condition. Maybe they've improved.

[urbanfan]

Excuse me?  I haven't driven on Richmond streets since last Christmas, but I have to say, they were in deplorable condition.  Maybe they've improved.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know. I've been in richmond lately quite alot and the roads seamed to be in alot better condition than down here in hampton roads. Every day I find a new pot hole down here. And there are some on the highway that can pretty much take out your front end, that is if they don't swallow you whole first. Richmond roads are in much better condition, locally anyways.

[wrldcoupe4]

Some of the roads downtown could use a resurfacing, but the interstates arent too bad, nor are many of the suburban thoroughfares.

[burt]

From other reads on Urbanplanet, most competitor cities and much of the press don't hold out much hope for Richmond. We get dismissed as insignificant.

We may just surprise those big boys.

[burt]

Coupe, I hope you will post today's story in RTD, and especially, the analysis of each contending city re: HOF.

[wrldcoupe4]

3 big articles today in the times-dispatch about the HOF....

here are some excerpts:

"Promotional efforts in overdrive for NASCAR Hall

BY NATE RYAN

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

May 29, 2005

Superstar drivers and suave politicians have been trotted out for photo opportunities and publicity stunts. Victory lanes have been seized to tout grandiose plans of $100 million blueprints. Billboards with catchy slogans ("Racing was built here. Racing belongs here" in Charlotte) have sprung up along busy highways.

As the race to submit bids for NASCAR's Hall of Fame nears the finish line, the public posturing and fanfare is nearing a fever pitch in the five cities clamoring to claim the shrine even though the campaigning has been deemed unnecessary by NASCAR and will have no bearing on the decision.......

But as far as rumors and speculations on inside tracks and front-runners, that's ridiculous because we haven't even looked at the first proposal yet.".......

........The selection process will begin Tuesday after the bids from Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Daytona Beach, Fla.; Kansas City, Kan.; and Richmond arrive at NASCAR's licensing offices in Charlotte.

By next week, dozens of copies of each proposal will be circulated among NASCAR senior management in every department of the sanctioning body, from brand and consumer marketing to public relations to finance to competition on the racetrack.

A NASCAR delegation of about a dozen will visit each proposed site this summer before entering heavy deliberations and cutting down the list of candidates.

The final call will be made by NASCAR's board of directors. The five-member panel consists of Chairman Brian France, Vice Chairman Bill France, Vice Chairman Jim France, President Mike Helton and Lesa France Kennedy.....

.......After the decision is made, negotiations will begin with the winning bidders on an agreement. It's expected the hall would be finished by 2008......

....NASCAR has been vague about the criteria for winning. In January, Brian France said he wanted the site "to be close to everybody. We don't want to be too hard to get to -- something in the central part of the country . . . could be ideal." Richmond representatives believe the choice will be made based on two factors: convenience and the ability to reach new fans.

But Dyer said NASCAR isn't assigning priority to any aspects of the proposals....

article

[wrldcoupe4]

another article...some excerpts:

"Henrico's bid for NASCAR Hall

BY MEREDITH BONNY

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

May 29, 2005

Fred Agostino must be dreaming of checkered flags by now.

That is, if he is sleeping at all.

Henrico County's economic frontman has two days left. Two days for him and other backers from Virginians Racing for the Hall of Fame to polish off a $103 million bid to build a NASCAR shrine in Henrico.

The proposed 129,000square-foot building (including 68,000 square feet of exhibits) would be located on about 20 acres somewhere in Henrico. And it would require a large taxpayer investment.

But supporters say that if NASCAR picks the Richmond area, the project could bring big-time bucks, more sports recognition and increased tourism to the state....

.....Metro Richmond -- a place where plenty of residents proudly slap drivers' numbers on the backs of their cars and place racing flags in the front yard -- is in tight competition with Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Daytona Beach, Fla.; and Kansas City, Kan., for the Hall of Fame.

On Tuesday, the clock starts ticking. That is when all contending localities must submit their bids to NASCAR, which reportedly may announce the winning city at its Dec. 2 awards banquet in New York. The Virginians group is expected to hold a news conference Tuesday morning to unveil more details of its bid.

Already the idea is generating plenty of local support.

Over the past four weeks, more than 15,000 people have signed petitions in Fas Mart stores, mailed a postcard to the Virginians Racing for the Hall of Fame headquarters or registered their name on the group's Web site, officials with the organization said.

For Henrico, the stakes are high.

"There are few projects that come along that can be defined as an 'it' project," said County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett. "Infineon was an 'it' project. Short Pump Town Center was an 'it' project. This has the potential to be an 'it' project in the sports arena. It would have a tremendous effect on Henrico County and the state of Virginia."....

.....He said the group is hoping for a 50/50 mix of public and private funding to support the $103 million project but said that could change. Part of those public dollars would come from the state, officials said.

"We are including a letter in our report from senators saying they support the [Hall of Fame] idea," Agostino said.

It's unclear at this time how much taxpayers would be expected to kick in, Agostino said.

Representatives will soon be looking for national sponsors willing to invest in the project in exchange for having a section within the Hall of Fame named after their corporation. Supporters compared the idea to sponsoring race cars.

So far, the nonprofit Virginians Racing for the Hall of Fame has spent more than $100,000 received from private investors and local and state funds.

The group hired architectural firms with experience working on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History to design its proposal.....

.....According to Keith Green, spokesman for Richmond International Raceway, the Richmond area receives an estimated $200 million a year from its three weekend racing events.....

......Since unveiling its proposal, the Hall of Fame group has narrowed its proposed sites to two locations. One is inside the Richmond Raceway Complex; the other is a site that officials would describe only as "virgin territory" with access to an interstate.

Both locations would allow the county to attract a specialty hotel, restaurant and specialized retail shops, Agostino said.

But it will be up to NASCAR to choose among the two options, said Joshua N. Lief, executive director and general counsel for the group.....

......"We will have a state-of-the-art monument to NASCAR," he said. "We will present NASCAR with what we believe is the ideal location based upon our easy access to fans and the largest population within 300 miles."

But he's not willing to say much more than that.

Some have been critical of the group's tight-lipped strategy, referring to Richmond as a long shot.

But those within the group disagree.

"The notion is that we are an underdog," said Green, the RIR spokesman. "I'm not sure where that perception started or why it started. But it is nothing but speculation."

"NASCAR has not received one proposal yet," he added. "Some cities have been more aggressive in their public approach. But that does not mean their plan will be the best."

whole article

[wrldcoupe4]

And finally, a breakdown of the competing bid cities from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and probably the most informative and non-biased I have seen:

THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME CONTENDERS

Richmond Times-Dispatch

May 29, 2005

THE FIVE: Contenders

ATLANTA

Projected cost: $92 million

Metro population: 4.1 million

Population within 300 miles: 31.8 million

Size/location: 100,000-square-foot facility in downtown Atlanta, near Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola

Financing: Split three ways among corporate backers, state and local funding and loans

Projected annual attendance: 1 million

Star-power support: Former champion Bill Elliott, a 13-time most popular driver in Cup history, is lobbying NASCAR executives on behalf of his native state.

On the ballot because:

The "Capital of the South" is a popular tourist destination that has played host to major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the Olympics and also has a full roster of professional teams. Area is home to several heavyweight NASCAR sponsors (Coke, Home Depot, UPS, SunTrust) that are actively involved in supporting and funding the project. City was first to contact NASCAR two years ago about doing a museum.

Possible drawbacks:

Atlanta Motor Speedway has struggled to fill its 125,000 seats for its two annual Cup races.

The city's maze of highways is infamous for nightmarish congestion.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Projected cost: $137 million (includes $37.5 million designated for adding ballroom to convention center)

Metro population: 1.5 million

Population within 300 miles: 32.9 million

Size/location: 100,000-square-foot facility on a 5-acre site in downtown Charlotte adjacent to the convention center

Financing: Much of the money would be raised through a hotel-tax increase; private companies and the state also would contribute.

Projected annual attendance: 400,000

Star-power support: Rick Hendrick, an auto-dealership magnate whose Cup teams have won five championships and 134 races, has fronted a public-relations blitz that ranks tops among bidders.

On the ballot because:

Area is the home base for about 100 Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series teams that already attract fans in droves. It's also the headquarters for NASCAR licensing and research and development. State is rich in racing heritage, producing legendary drivers such as Junior Johnson, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Ned Jarrett. City played host to first Cup-level race in 1949.

Possible drawbacks:

Local track Lowe's Motor Speedway is owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc., a rival of International Speedway Corp. that is controlled by the France family of NASCAR. SMI Chairman O. Bruton Smith has warred with NASCAR and the Frances, four of whom will make final decision on the site.

If purpose of the hall is to attract new fans, NASCAR might shy away from placing it in stock-car bastion.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.

Projected cost: $107 million

Metro population: 493,175

Population within 300 miles: 20 million

Size/location: 80,000-square-foot facility, likely on the grounds of Daytona International Speedway

Financing: Entirely through the private sector and loans; owned by a community nonprofit organization

Projected annual attendance: 400,000

On the ballot because:

Birthplace of NASCAR, which was formed in 1948 after a meeting at the Streamline Hotel

Home of NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. headquarters

Plays host to Daytona 500, the crown jewel of the Nextel Cup Series schedule

Possible drawbacks:

State already pulled plug on $30 million funding proposal.

Likely location is already home to Daytona USA, a popular interactive attraction.

It's the smallest metropolitan location among bidders and farthest south.

KANSAS CITY, KAN.

Projected cost: $100 million

Metro population: 1.7 million

Population within 300 miles: 17.8 million

Size/location: 100,000-square-foot facility at Village West, a booming $1 billion retail development of warehouse stores, hotels and restaurants just east of Kansas Speedway

Financing: Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has signed law to issue bonds for hall; other private funding available. Bid committee is touting "no taxpayer burden"

Projected annual attendance: 750,000

On the ballot because:

Area's "Heartland of America" location makes it the most centralized of the bidders and the closest to the West Coast, where NASCAR is making a push for more fans by adding races and building Seattle track.

State and local officials developed strong ties with NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. in building Kansas Speedway.

Kansas City is headquarters of Sprint, which is merging with NASCAR title sponsor Nextel.

Fans have flocked to the track since its 2001 opening, selling out every Cup race while increasing capacity by 10,000 to 81,687.

Possible drawbacks:

Lack of NASCAR history is glaring, and area hasn't produced any star drivers.

Midwest plays host to only two Cup races -- Kansas City and Joliet, Ill.

Surroundings are most sparsely populated of bidders.

RICHMOND

Projected cost: $103 million

Metro population: 996,512

Population within 300 miles: 55.9 million

Size/location: 100,000-square-foot facility, likely at Richmond International Raceway or within a few miles of the track

Financing: Expected to be 50/50 blend of public and private sources

Projected annual attendance: 700,000

Star-power support: Cup drivers and Emporia natives Hermie and Elliott Sadler have been recruited as spokesmen.

On the ballot because:

More than half the U.S. population lies within 500 miles of Richmond; accessibility is provided by proximity to several highways.

Location is nearest among bidders to New York, a highly coveted market where a NASCAR track is on the drawing board.

RIR has been playing host to Cup races since 1953, and Virginia has produced scads of stock-car stars (the Sadlers, Jeff and Ward Burton, Ray Hendrick, Ricky Rudd, Sonny Hutchins, Eddie Crouse, Tommy Ellis, Lennie Pond) from a bevy of short tracks.

Possible drawbacks:

Fighting perception of being an underdog in battle with several bigger and wealthier cities.

Only city among the five finalists that wasn't announced by NASCAR at the outset in January, raising questions about why it wasn't in initial race.

* -- Metro population numbers based on 2000 census

a couple things were excluded from the article like the websites of the various proposals...

article

[eastsider]

Thought you guys might like to see this. It is from Saturdays Charlotte Observer article Glimpse of Daytona, Atlanta bids.

Daytona Beach, Fla., is the first city competing for the NASCAR Hall of Fame to release partial drawings of its plans. An artist's rendering shows what's being called the "Bill France Atrium of Racing," complete with giant video screens and cars on display. Other cities are keeping their sketches under wraps.

Meanwhile, our counterparts at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution managed to tease out some details of their city's so-far-very-secret bid. Atlanta's shrine would cost about $92 million, raised mostly from corporate sponsors, with as much as $30 million in public money. Boosters have picked out a downtown site owned by hometown mogul Ted Turner, across from the Olympic Park fountains.

This is the rendering from Daytona's bid, it was scanned in so its not the highest quality. Looking forward to seeing all the bids in a few days.

[burt]

Thank you, Eastsider, wherever you are! That's a rather colorful submission from Daytona. Looking forward to seeing the others. Keep us posted.

[burt]

Hope everyone visited SkyscraperCity and voted for Richmond to win the HOF.

[eastsider]

Came across this online

From here

I must say, from this rendering, I'm having trouble figureing out the scale of this project and seeing how it all fits together. Is that the race track in the foreground? I guess the stands & restaurants and shops/museum will overlook the track? Maybe one of you guys can explain this better or have found more renderings.

Do they have renderings from all the bids at skyscrapercity or is it just a poll?

[Neo]

I'm still trying to figure out what that is Richmond has drawn up.

[burt]

Came across this online

From here

I must say, from this rendering, I'm having trouble figureing out the scale of this project and seeing how it all fits together. Is that the race track in the foreground? I guess the stands & restaurants and shops/museum will overlook the track? Maybe one of you guys can explain this better or have found more renderings.

Do they have renderings from all the bids at skyscrapercity or is it just a poll?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Damned if I can figure out that rendering!

[eastsider]

I guess I'll post these over here to. This is from Charlotte's bid, the images are from www.charlotte.com.

[burt]

I think whoever put up that confusing rendering did Richmond no favors.

[eastsider]

Yeah, I must say it is a disappointment. I was really expecting to see more today. I just read an article somewhere (already forgot where) that that was the only rendering released by the Richmond team, Daytona only realeased that one interior rendering and that Atlanta and Kansas City weren't going to make any public.

I'm sure that they turned in some better images than that though.

[vdogg]

I think whoever put up that confusing rendering did Richmond no favors.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There have got to be more renderings out there than that. What were they thinking?

[vdogg]

I'm sure that they turned in some better images than that though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, i didn't think about that. It is possible that that was the only "publicly" released rendering. If i were them though i would follow up with some more detailed renderings and fast!

[eastsider]

This is from an Atlanta Journal Constitution article discussing other cities bids. This is from the article itself.

Richmond's hall of fame, set in a complex of shops, restaurants and a hotel, would mimic a track. "It captures the spirit of NASCAR better than going to downtown Atlanta," said Josh Lief, head of Richmond's bid team.

And this is from the caption under the rendering of Richmonds bid.

Richmond's proposed shrine to NASCAR's heritage, designed like a racetrack, would feature a stage and a reflecting pool.

A few more details but I'm still having trouble seeing the complete picture. Sounds like they might build it around a faux track? How large is the site where they are planning to build this?

Full article here

[wrldcoupe4]

either site option would give around 20 acres I think...I'll double check though.

[wrldcoupe4]

"The hall of fame will offer high-tech displays and 68,000 square feet of exhibit space in a complex totaling at least 129,000 square feet on about 20 acres of land." from a link earlier in this thread.