Bloomberg speaks in favor of NASCAR
TOM WROBLESKI

Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday spoke favorably of NASCAR
as a potential economic boost for the city and for the first time
expressed concern about what type of business might move
onto its proposed site in Bloomfield if the racetrack is not built
there.

"There are other uses for that land which may create worse traffic
jams than the three weekends a year NASCAR wants to do,"
Bloomberg told reporters yesterday after marching in the Staten
Island St. Patrick's Parade. In some of his most expansive
comments yet on the proposed 80,000-seat track, Bloomberg
called NASCAR "one of the most popular sports in this country."

But the mayor said he has yet to be convinced that the Island's
roads could accommodate the traffic that the racetrack would
generate. "I like the idea that someone is willing to invest in New
York City," Bloomberg said. "I like the idea that people that want
to go see NASCAR will be able to do it here. I don't like the idea
of more traffic."

Bloomberg did not say yesterday whether he supports the project
or not. In the past, Bloomberg has said he is not a personal fan of
NASCAR, and that it is Islanders who should decide if they want
the track built here. He has also said the city would not spend
public money on the track.

Despite Bloomberg's concerns about potential alternate uses for
the site, the Advance last month reported that a city official had
told NASCAR lobbyists that the Bloomfield property would not be
suitable for a warehouse or industrial center, either of which
would generate a large volume of daily truck traffic.

International Speedway Corp., which wants to build the track,
has been slammed recently for its plan to close several highway
on-ramps on race days, and for failing to inform City Council
members and others that a helipad capable of accommodating
dozens of helicopter trips on race days would be built at the
track.

Bloomberg yesterday said the Island's roads can't handle the
vehicle traffic they have now, and that expanding the borough's
road system "is very problematic." However, Bloomberg added,
"More traffic is a problem of success that we have to deal with.
Most places would really love to have this [project]."

Councilman Michael McMahon (D-North Shore), who has been
sharply critical of the track proposal, said Bloomberg "sounds a
little more open to the [NASCAR] idea," but added, "I don't think
the mayor has really sat down and worked through the details of
this proposal." McMahon said, "Knowing the amount of cars, the
problems that we see at this point, I don't know if he'd be willing
to endorse the proposal."

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On Thu, 09 Mar 2006 02:04:22 GMT, Alan Jones <alan (AT) alanjones (DOT) us>
wrote:

I realize that the mayor wants to keep it in the city, but wouldn't it
make sense to put the track somewhat upstate or perhaps Long Island?
New Jersey?

PaulMofAtl wrote:

Upstate or NJ, yes. Long Island, no. There are many people outside of
the city who will not be willing to navigate through the city to attend
a race. I'm at the NY, NJ, PA border and I would not attend a race on
Long Island.

"Vandar" <vandar69 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

Neither upstate not LI are feasible, actually. LI for the reasons you state,
and upstate simply because the only part of "upstate" that is readily
accessible from NYC (the market that is being courted) is the uber-wealthy
Westchester county, home of absurd property values and (perhaps as
importantly) citizens who are unlikely to be willing to have a
sports/entertainment complex of any kind (nevermind NASCAR) in their
vicinity. SI *might* be OK, but my favored spot would be the Meadowlands in
NJ. (I live in NYC). They used to hold a CART race there, BTW.

Mark Stahl wrote:

Meadowlands would work.
As for upstate NY, they could put it in Sullivan County (it's been
discussed by the suits). There is a lot of cheap, empty land up there
and the people know how to deal with large crowds (Bethel). It's only
about an hour from the city, it's within a mile of the highway (and
they're installing roundabouts at the busiest intersections), and the
Metro-North rail ends about 10 miles away from it. I'm sure Greyhound,
Shortline, and local livery services would be more than happy to pick up
the slack. So there is already a mass transportation link.
Plus, it's only about a half hour from me and I know every back road to
get up there.

The only problem with Sullivan County for a NASCAR track is that between
Memorial Day and Labor Day, thousands upon thousands of Hasidics migrate
there from the city. I play golf at the old resorts up there (Concord,
Grossingers, Kutshers, etc) during the summer, and to be perfectly
honest, they aren't very hospitable and can't drive worth a shit.
Traffic is a huge problem up there in the summer. They're trying to
improve it, but it gets bad. Add a NASCAR race or two, and you're
talking one mile travel every 3 hours... unless you know the roads.

"Vandar" <vandar69 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

woodstock was close to 40 ears ago, it was a logistic nightmare . i doubt
they want to do that again. thats why woodstock 2 and 3 were elsewhere.

NYC is not nascar territory. you drive around NYC and you don't see any
nascar bumper stickers. where you do see them all over boston.

nascar sees the population of NYC and they get all pie eyed. new yuck won't
allow the weeklong camping and tailgating which nascar fans have come to
expect. hell they want to build a new stadium for the jets and ban game day
tailgating.
nascar is not really an urban sport.

cal shows that the whole country is not gaga for nascar. they are over
estimating the market and will pay in the long run by losing the fans they
do have in pursuit of the ones they don't

Alan Jones wrote:
[...]

3 weekends?


Katharine

ray o'hara wrote:

It's done every year. Thousands of people go to the original site, it's
just not an official "festival". The official festivals were a joke. The
original site is hippie mecca. They've tried to curb the mass migration
every August, even going so far as imposing heavy fines on the current
landowners for not having permits. Nothing worked. Most of the local
business owners think it's great. They have no problem with the people.
It's the local government that has a problem with it.
And traffic is a nightmare.

Boston's too far away from the market they want to tap.

That's why they should put it upstate. There are a lot of race fans up
here. We have an extensive racing history. Race tracks everywhere.
Coupled with the fans from the city, they'd fill the seats.

I agree that they are expanding too far. It seems as if they draw a
circle around each track and they're trying to cover the entire country
in those circles, like radar.
That said, NY is a very large market that NASCAR doesn't play to.
Watkins Glen, Pocono, and Dover are way too far.

<malonekath (AT) aol (DOT) com> wrote

Busch North date maybe?

malonekath (AT) aol (DOT) com wrote:

Cup, BGN, Trucks, Mods, etc.
NASCAR sponsors a lot of series'.