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NASCAR Hall of Fame


cityboi

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OMG! That is awesome news. I'm hunching at the moment that Atlanta is the front runner, especially now that they have whale sharks living downtown (I think I might actually plan a trip down there to see that!), and millions of people visit.

I was worried for a while, though, that all those people were right in saying KC had some secret deal to get it.

I think Atlanta, Daytona, and Charlotte were the natural front runners, though, so at least they are making a rational choice.

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I very suprised that KC didn't make the cut. This is what a KC news channel reported:

Mahoney reported that Kansas City was considered to have one of the top bids for several months, but sources said Charlotte and Atlanta told NASCAR they were raising their bids by adding more private money.

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/5869827/detail.html

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It is where the Frances live. Even if they aren't planning to pick them, they want it to seem close, I'm sure.

Even if Charlotte is spending a lot more, it still might be considered more valuable for Nascar to choose Atlanta if they really will get more than 2.5 times the visitors.

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Florida recently passed the bill that will allow for the specialty license plates to fund the HoF. Maybe they don't have a true picture yet of just how much that will add to their bid.

Also, the ~$30 million that Charlotte is ahead of Atlanta is just the price tag of the project, not any extra corporate sponsorship deals. Plus most of that money is just the cost of the Convention Center Ballroom.

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Just my 2 cents....

I think is down to Charlotte and Daytona. Atlanta's probably raising the ante and leveraging their new museum district with the new Aquarium (right now, I think they are trying to bite off more than they can chew....need to work on traffic). Charlotte's probably responding with a list of goodies. Daytona just has to be Daytona.

That being said, most hall of fames are not designed to be centrally located or money magnets (....of course we are talking about the France family). They are built to honor the heritage and history of the subject matter. True history of stock car racing is in North Wilkesboro, NC (western NC) and the founding of the NASCAR organization in Daytona.

I mean, why not put the basketball HOF in Boston versus Springfield or Football Hall of Fame in Metro Ohio instead of Canton.

I think it will thrive in either city thats left, but the France's are probably getting an earful from loyal NASCAR folk and as long as the numbers are decent for Daytona or Charotte......either should pull it off.

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Not to sound negative....but I'm very glad to hear that Kansas City & Richmond are officially off the ballot. It never made sense to me WHY the two cities were even being considered. Of course, I do have a hometown bias for Charlotte....I feel that this would be another opportunity to strengthen our CBD. Building the HOF in Atlanta or Daytona would pretty much be a slap in the face to the City of Charlotte. Atlanta doesn't really need another tourist attraction on this scale - especially since opening the Georgia Aquarium (which is very nice) & already having a wealth of projects in that particular area near downtown. The HOF in Atlanta would just make the city look as though its taking on more than it can handle.

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Just my 2 cents....

I think is down to Charlotte and Daytona. Atlanta's probably raising the ante and leveraging their new museum district with the new Aquarium (right now, I think they are trying to bite off more than they can chew....need to work on traffic). Charlotte's probably responding with a list of goodies. Daytona just has to be Daytona.

That being said, most hall of fames are not designed to be centrally located or money magnets (....of course we are talking about the France family). They are built to honor the heritage and history of the subject matter. True history of stock car racing is in North Wilkesboro, NC (western NC) and the founding of the NASCAR organization in Daytona.

I mean, why not put the basketball HOF in Boston versus Springfield or Football Hall of Fame in Metro Ohio instead of Canton.

I think it will thrive in either city thats left, but the France's are probably getting an earful from loyal NASCAR folk and as long as the numbers are decent for Daytona or Charotte......either should pull it off.

Yeah, I'm sure NASCAR is worried about traffic in Atlanta, lol. I've lived in Atlanta for 2 years now and I can tell you in town traffic is nothing - outside the Perimeter is the problem. The HOF would be built downtown in an area where I travel daily with no problems whatsoever.

A true destination center is being built downtown with the nation's largest aquarium, the constructiing World of Coke museum, and the High Museum of Art. "Destination centers" are a huge draw for other attractions...just look at what Disney World did for the outskirts of Orlando. Now I'm not saying downtown Atlanta will turn into Orlando, nor do I want it to - but explaining what happens when destination centers are created.

The HOF would be a very successful addition to this destination center. I'm sure Charlotte would like to overlook the projected attendence figures differences, but 2.5 times is nothing to sniff at. Atlanta has 2.5 times Charlotte's population, has 10 times as many convention attendees, has a destination center being built downtown, is home to the world's busiest airport and is home to more NASCAR corporate sponsors than any other city. To put it out of the running based on "traffic problems" and meaningless "biting off more than it can chew" arguments makes no business sense whatsoever. And, based on the elimination of Richmond and Kansas City, it is a clear indication that the Frances are making a business and historical basis decision.

Besides, most of the other museums for sports were created in a different era. NASCAR is a money machine and owned by a private family. Why would they want to do anyone the favor of granting them the HOF when it wasn't in their best financial interest. There is enough money and historical relationship in the sport for Atlanta to pull this through.

If you are going just on attendence figures (and $$$) alone it would be Atlanta (by a wide margin), Daytona, then Charlotte. If I were a betting man, I'd say Charlotte would be the odd man out.

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I don't know if any of you caught it on the new tonight but in an interview with Humpy Wheeler about whether or not we are going to get the Nascar Hall of Fame he said that we'll get it. Obviously he had no inside info, but he sounded confident. Keep your fingers crossed.

Yes, Kansas City was so confident (and so ticked) too when it got the cut. Confidence doesn't count for anything. Watch the cash register - please. It is between Atlanta and Daytona...wait and see.

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