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City in race for NASCAR museum

Charlotte, Atlanta, Daytona Beach are reportedly possible sites

RICHARD RUBIN

Staff Writer

Charlotte may be in the running for a NASCAR hall of fame and museum.

Tim Newman, president of Charlotte Center City Partners, told the Observer Thursday that he has talked to NASCAR officials about the museum this year.

"We have had communication with NASCAR about Charlotte's interest in a hall of fame project," he said. "And when NASCAR determines the timetable and process that it wants to go through, we will certainly make that a high priority."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Thursday that NASCAR officials are pitching the idea to Atlanta, Charlotte and Daytona Beach, Fla.

A NASCAR spokesman told the Journal-Constitution that it was too early to speculate about what might happen. NASCAR officials could not be reached late Thursday because Hurricane Frances was bearing down on their Florida headquarters.

Newman echoed the spokesman's cautious statement.

"I would characterize Atlanta's characterization of their deal as very premature," he said.

Local officials have spent the last few years courting NASCAR, not necessarily for a museum but in repeated bids to keep the circuit's annual all-star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord. So far, those efforts have worked.

Assistant City Manager Ron Kimble said the city has not received an official request from NASCAR. But he said city staffers and City Council members have been kicking around the museum idea on and off for several years.

"We still think it's a good idea," Kimble said. "How you do it becomes the issue. But we all believe that the motorsports industry is a great industry to wrap our arms around. And sometime in the future that's going to be something we're working on."

Such projects often involve requests for public money. The city and county are already struggling to handle requests for public money from developers, the Charlotte Knights and the Arts & Science Council.

The most obvious source of city money to help a NASCAR museum -- the tax on hotel rooms -- is being consumed by the new arena for the foreseeable future.

The Journal-Constitution article suggested that Atlanta officials approached NASCAR, and that NASCAR then decided to open up bidding to other cities.

The museum described sounds more like a traditional sports hall of fame, not the automotive museum that Lowe's Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith has discussed.

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I think Charlotte and Daytona Beach have the most realistic chance of the 3 cities.

Because of the big Daytona 500 race in Daytona Beach which is like the race that every NASCAR fan has to go to, that could give Daytona and edge. Not to mention Florida gets more tourists. But at the same time, The roots of NASCAR are found in North Carolina. Its hard to say

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This belongs in Charlotte, but if it ends up being built elsewhere (specifically in Atlanta) then local leaders have nobody to blame but themselves for being less aggressive with the idea. Like the article says...

The Journal-Constitution article suggested that Atlanta officials approached NASCAR, and that NASCAR then decided to open up bidding to other cities.

Charlotte should've been the city proposing this idea to NASCAR, a long time ago.

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Of the possible cities I would ither say Charlotte or Daytona.

Charlotte b/c its the heart of Nascar country, or Daytona b/c of the Nascar history/ heratige of the 500 is so well known.

But I think if the developers are going for a dividend angle I would go with Charlotte.

Atlanta is a good location too, but it already has a ton of crap going on there (CNN, Coca-Cola, etc.). I don't think it would recieve as much attention there, as it would in Charlotte or Daytona.

Just my opinion.

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  • 6 months later...

It'll be interesting to see what we propose......I think one thing that will go overlooked is other possible locations outside of Uptown. There is 9 acres for sale adjacent to the LRT station at Tyvola for less than $2M......there are several hotels in that area, and it would be on the LRT for those who wished to go Uptown.

We are building a $400M LRT and it needs to take riders places they might want to go to be successful. Just my opinion, but items like this and the ballpark and other proposals seem more fitting for places where the land is cheap, the patrons aren't neccessarily interested in a highly urban environment.

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I think that the hall of fame should be built next to the third ward park. Crowds could gather there for the induction ceremonies much like they do in front of the nfl hall of fame. They could also have special events in the park during race weeks. Plus, it would be very close to the future transit station. It could help draw a hotel to the area and maybe some restaurants & retail to keep up with the foot traffic. Just an idea.

Seriously I think nascar would be foolish to put it anywhere other than Charlotte.

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I completely agree altrvr. I seriously think this Nascar Hall of Fame should be placed next to a light rail line uptown. It would be foolish not. Or atleast in very close proximity. We are spending all this money to bring people downtown, so bring them to places where they want to go. This hall of fame should be uptown and not in a suburb, or anywhere else. I'm sure all of the other city bids are putting theres in their downtown. Plus this would be a great economic boost to downtown.

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I think the best location would be uptown. When you start to have the museums, arena, children's library, theatres and something like the Nascar Hall of Fame in one, walkable location, a critical mass would be reached that would push that area into a heavily congested pedistrian district.

I think the Levine land is perfect for this proposal, close to the arena, within walking distance of the existing and proposed museums, next to the arena and the proposed Epicentre and right off the light rail line.

What's not to like?

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I would be very surprised if the city proposed to put this project anywhere else other than uptown. I'm sorry but if it goes into suburbia then there just wont be the traffic it would get if it were in uptown. Plus, imagine getting a national tv station and other things all within one large amazing setting. IF and when we get this project... it will be amazing.

I hope we win... its going to be hard to be daytona and I am sure atlanta is nipping at our heals to get this project aswell.

This project would be such a great addition to our urban center! I hope we get it... it would mean alot with all the history in the region

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The only reason it would go to Daytona over us would be because of its famous race and the beach nearby. CLT will beat out the other contenders, and NASCAR would honestly make me sick if it chose a site other than Charlotte, because, we are NASCAR Valley, even if we aren't a valley, but still, well, you guys know what I mean. :P lol

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First of all everyone should remember that NASCAR is headquartered in Daytona Beach and that is because "officially" NASCAR was "born" in Daytona Beach. The people making the decision live in Daytona Beach and own the racetrack in Daytona Beach. They don't live in Charlotte nor do they own the race track in Charlotte which means that any additional money generated by the hall of fame as far as race ticket sales etc. will not financially benefit them at all if the HOF is in Charlotte however it would if it were located in Daytona. Although NASCAR is huge in Charlotte the actual decision makers aren't really connected at all to the NASCAR market in this city and its always more profitable for these people if things happen in a city where they control a larger share of the NASCAR market and the profits. That's the story I've gotten.

Speed Channel which is in Charlotte is looking for a new base of operations as well right now. It would be great to see The Speed Channel get in on a new NASCAR HOF in uptown and do broadcast from an open studio where you could see them filming while walking by the building.

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^ Daytona races already sell out so placing the hof in another market in would have no effect on races at their track. By placing it in Charlotte, they could capitalize on the thousands of tourist who already come to the region to visit all the race team shops. A location in dt could be the center of activity with daily tours to all the shops. I think the hof would be more of a year round draw in Charlotte because of the year round activity, where as other markets would see most of their activity just around their race weeks.

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Or....they could just put a racetrack in downtown! just think....pro football, pro basketball and pro racing all within the loop. ok i'm just joking, but i really hope charlotte gets this. It'd be a great addition to downtown and there'd be lots of development around wherever they decided to place it

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This was just posted on the Charlotte Business Journal's website.....it appears that Rick Hendrick will be leading the effort to get the museum for Charlotte along with Felix Sabates. I would say that having two influential team owers would help Charlotte tremendously.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte...tml?jst=b_ln_hl

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