NASCAR's Big Apple Plans

Sports Business News ^ | 23 September 2002 | Beth Kassab

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International Speedway Corp.'s plans for a new racetrack in view of New York City's skyline were made public Thursday, along with five competing bids to develop a coveted piece of property in New Jersey's Meadowlands Sports Complex. That and this report from The Orlando Sentinel's Beth Kassab

For ISC, the proposal represents a high-stakes bid by the Daytona Beach company to build a track in the nation's No. 1 media market and to further expand NASCAR's appeal outside its birthplace in the South.

But it may be the toughest fight yet for the France family, which controls both ISC and NASCAR, the nation's best-known racing league.

The family faces a hostile political climate, anti-NASCAR sentiment and competing bids by powerful developers -- some with strong local ties -- whose plans range from a minor-league baseball stadium to shopping malls and hotels to a rival speedway.

The proposals, submitted to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority this week and revealed Thursday, all seek to develop a 104-acre tract that is the current site of the Continental Airlines Arena, home to basketball's New Jersey Nets and hockey's New Jersey Devils. Those teams are looking to build a new arena in Newark, though that deal has not been finalized.

NASCAR has spent years trying to discard its image as a sport for fans who favor chewing tobacco and Confederate flags. It has gained geographic and fan diversity by moving Winston Cup races to tracks near Los Angeles and Kansas City. It also has a presence in the Northeast, with races in New Hampshire, upstate New York and Pennsylvania.

International Speedway Corp., which owns or operates 12 major tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, has been studying the idea of a track at the Meadowlands since January 2000. Since then, famed New York real-estate mogul Donald Trump has been entertained at NASCAR races by France family patriarch Bill France Jr. Trump was hired by ISC to serve as a consultant on the project.

"NASCAR has said it wants to bring the sport to major markets, and we feel that New York is the major market," ISC spokesman David Talley said.

But the sport's reception in New Jersey has been chilly.

Leonard Kaiser, a member of the committee that will select finalists from the six bids, said NASCAR is a "misunderstood sport" in northern New Jersey and New York City. He called the racing league's attempts to integrate itself into the New York culture a "PR nightmare."

"Somebody mentions NASCAR and everybody starts to snicker," said Kaiser, who is mayor of North Arlington, a town southwest of the Meadowlands. "When people see it on television, you know with the Winnebagos and folks hanging out outside and the barbecue and the like, that would give the impression that it wasn't a shirt-and-tie affair.

"Maybe at the end of the day, it would still not be a good fit, or people may still reject the idea, but it deserves consideration."

While some question racing's place in New York culture, the most common criticisms are noise and traffic congestion in an already densely populated area.

The Democratic Party in Bergen County, home to the Meadowlands, ran television ads during the 2001 election that had stock cars and an earsplitting engine roar. The ads called NASCAR's idea for a track "a Bergen County nightmare."

The ad accused Republicans of backing the idea despite noise and traffic.

Talley said those are issues ISC plans to address. He noted it took the company four years to develop a new track in Kansas City, Kan.

"We're still a long way away from those issues that you're talking about," Talley said.

Locals acknowledge that 80,000 screaming football fans at Giants Stadium also cause noise and congestion but say an ISC speedway would only make the problems worse. That and this report from The Orlando Sentinel's Beth Kassab

The new track would likely draw enormous crowds onlyone or two weekends out of the year when it holds a major event such as a Winston Cup race.

Plans for a new ISC track at the Meadowlands depend on the Nets and Devils moving to a proposed new arena in Newark, which would clear the way for tearing down Continental Airlines Arena.

The company's plans might also depend on getting additional investors for the $1.5 billion project, including financial help from local or state governments.

While ISC hasn't made its demands for this project clear, it has received large government subsidies in places such as Kansas City, where the company received $150 million in cash, tax breaks and bonds to build a $224 million track complex.

George Zoffinger, president and chief executive officer of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, said the issue of government subsidies has not been addressed yet, though he added, "We're going to try to do it without state money."

Some area lawmakers, however, say they oppose spending state money to fund a NASCAR-related project.

"Residents here are not enthralled with the idea of a racetrack," said New Jersey state Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg.

ISC's proposal, the most costly of the six bids, would be called Sports City America and would include a three-quarter-mile speedway with 80,000 seats, a hotel, a convention center and an entertainment, retail and office complex with a sports theme. That and this report from The Orlando Sentinel's Beth Kassab

[dwilli]

I an not the biggest of NASCAR fans but I did watch part of the race yesterday. I saw a jam-packed venue (140,000 fans?)
in Dover, Del. That's a lot closer to NYC than Alabama.

[o_zarkman44]

Why is NASCAR associated with a redneck image? Maybe because it was born in the South? Maybe because NASCAR is supported by the NRA and sports organizations?Maybe because tradition and family values are very much a part of auto racing?

NASCAR racing, as is all auto racing, is truely a part of American Culture. Perhaps New Yorkers are afraid to have their assimilation to everything NOT American exposed?

Auto racing is the #1 spectator sport in America, when on a weekly basis, attendance at the local weekly short tracks are taken into consideration.

Perhaps NASCAR on a large scale will not fit into New York/New Jersey. Because the muggers might fear a race fan will be carrying heat and not be such easy pickings as the rest of tourists who visit. Maybe organized crime won't be able to get a piece of the action? Maybe the routine traffic jams have desensitized the population to the values of automotive performance and auto ownership?

But if NASCAR is successful in building a venue in New York/New Jersey the race should be called "The Yellow Cab/English Only 300".

[xp38]

A three quarter mile track is definitely on the short side. I am surprised at least a 2 mile or larger superspeedway isn't being considered. Short tracks have their charm but I would have thought for a New York area venue they would have gone big.

[toddst]

I am surprised at least a 2 mile or larger superspeedway isn't being considered. Short tracks have their charm but I would have thought for a New York area venue they would have gone big.

I agree with you from a personal preference standpoint. However, I suspect track size is dictated by the site dimensions. Perhaps a short track is all that will fit.