[LSC9901]

Alabama site picked for $600M Earnhardt project

Earnhardt siblings invest in racetrack and entertainment complex

By Garry Mitchell, The Associated Press
December 16, 2006

A $600 million Dale Earnhardt racetrack and entertainment complex will be built on 2,500 acres in the Prichard-Saraland area just north of Mobile, the track's investors announced Friday after ruling out two sites in south Baldwin County.
It could take about two years to build the four-track motorsports park off Alabama 158, near Interstate 65, with a full season of activity expected in 2010, track spokesman Bill Futterer of Raleigh, N.C., said. The chosen site faces the University of Mobile campus.

A 5,000-space RV park, a theme park and a 7,000-seat arena also are planned, along with hotels, retail, restaurants and music theaters. The site, while near the busy north-south I-65, also would benefit from its proximity to the east-west Interstate 10 on Mobile's southern edge.
Investors in the track include Dale Earnhardt Jr.; his brother, Kerry Earnhardt; and sister Kelley Earnhardt Elledge.
It is the Earnhardt siblings' first professional collaboration. The 20 investor partners are operating as Gulf Coast Entertainment LLC.
The Earnhardts will help design the seven-tenths-mile, lighted oval track in the complex. There also will be a three-eighths-mile dirt track; a 3-mile road course; and a quarter-mile drag strip.
Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine said that while no monetary commitment by the county has been made to the investors, the county will offer infrastructure improvements.

A project of this size would be a windfall for Prichard, which has a population of about 28,000 and is one of Alabama's poorest cities. Prichard Mayor Ron Davis said it's an "exciting day" for Prichard and he pledged to "focus on the partnership" to make the complex a success. Construction on the complex could generate 5,000 jobs.
Baldwin County sites in Loxley and Summerdale were considered. While Summerdale courted the track investors, Loxley was less than enthusiastic about the proposal because residents voiced concerns about racing noise and traffic.
"Most people I talked to were not in favor of it," Loxley Mayor Billy Middleton said.
Summerdale Mayor David Wilson said the cost of the land knocked his city out of the competition. He said property near the toll highway to Alabama beaches was considered.
Wilson said two of the investors already owned some of the Mobile County property needed for the project.
"We were humbled to have been considered," a disappointed Wilson said.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.

[Souporscotty]

Do you suppose they would be guaranteed a Cup event just because of who they are?

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Souporscotty

Do you suppose they would be guaranteed a Cup event just because of who they are?

My guess is that in the immediate future ... NO !! For me the track is to small (7/10's of a mile) and it will be a multi purpose facilty so it looks like they even anticipate that there will be no cup racing there in the near future.

[Souporscotty]

I know 7/10 of a mile is small, but there are smaller tracks with Cup races. And as far as 'multi-use' , Indy comes to mind.

[Quality88]

*Sigh* I feel the possibility of a cup date for Kentucky gettin further away.

[LSC9901]

Not so sure of that. At least I don't the "E" gang getting one right away. Too many owners would cry foul.

[oncea3fan]

I think it's time for nascar to add a short track rather than take another away.

is martainville and dover getting lights, both those races need to go night!

[lilsexy08]

I didn't hear about that new track being built-cool!

[Bob Tanner]

This is the track I mentioned about a month ago. Junior, Kelly and Kerry were all in town pushing it. Here is a little of what's NOT being printed:

There were three sites proposed for the complex, two over on the other side of the bay in Baldwin County (A properous resort and bedroom community east of Mobile) and Prichard (A predominantly black ghetto city just north of Mobile). The Baldwin County sites would have been perfect but because of rising property values and many of Mobile's aristocrisy moving to that area, the sites were stopped immediately. Many of the same people who stopped the sites in Baldwin County also own commerical land in the Prichard area and guess where the tracks going to be built. IF the area doesn't improve (and it hasn't since I've lived here; it's only gone downhill) you'll have a track which will be a combat zone to get to and will possibly be surrounded by pawn shops and check cashing businesses, crack houses and hookers. On the other hand it will lie on the outskirts of Prichard proper and might be able to sidestep the ghetto atmosphere which will be close to it.

Also of note, Mobile has a long history of inability to support and/or keep attactions and busines. They built a beautiful convention center on Mobile Bay back in 1992. A hughe and impressive structure. It attracts no conventions and sets empty for approximately 320 days each year. Mobile tried to get a Six Flags but local politics killed the deal because enough palms didn't get greased.

I guarantee that plans will be drawn up, land and money will change hands and land will be broken but don't hold your breath that this thing will ever be completed. IF it ever is, I also guarantee that no major NASCAR race will be acquired. An ARCA race, probably. Maybe a Hooter Cup race and possibly they'll move the Snowball Derby from Pensacola to Mobile but I don't think Kentucky or any other potential Cup site has to worry about Mobile.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

This is the track I mentioned about a month ago. Junior, Kelly and Kerry were all in town pushing it. Here is a little of what's NOT being printed:

There were three sites proposed for the complex, two over on the other side of the bay in Baldwin County (A properous resort and bedroom community east of Mobile) and Prichard (A predominantly black ghetto city just north of Mobile). The Baldwin County sites would have been perfect but because of rising property values and many of Mobile's aristocrisy moving to that area, the sites were stopped immediately. Many of the same people who stopped the sites in Baldwin County also own commerical land in the Prichard area and guess where the tracks going to be built. IF the area doesn't improve (and it hasn't since I've lived here; it's only gone downhill) you'll have a track which will be a combat zone to get to and will possibly be surrounded by pawn shops and check cashing businesses, crack houses and hookers. On the other hand it will lie on the outskirts of Prichard proper and might be able to sidestep the ghetto atmosphere which will be close to it.

Also of note, Mobile has a long history of inability to support and/or keep attactions and busines. They built a beautiful convention center on Mobile Bay back in 1992. A hughe and impressive structure. It attracts no conventions and sets empty for approximately 320 days each year. Mobile tried to get a Six Flags but local politics killed the deal because enough palms didn't get greased.

I guarantee that plans will be drawn up, land and money will change hands and land will be broken but don't hold your breath that this thing will ever be completed. IF it ever is, I also guarantee that no major NASCAR race will be acquired. An ARCA race, probably. Maybe a Hooter Cup race and possibly they'll move the Snowball Derby from Pensacola to Mobile but I don't think Kentucky or any other potential Cup site has to worry about Mobile.

Ain't that something... Politics and money.... "BLAH"

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Ain't that something... Politics and money.... "BLAH"

In my overly extended lifetime I have lived in some pretty corrupt cities. New York City (Mayor John V. Lindsey), Chicago (Hizhonor, Richard J. Daley Sr.), and San Francisco (Mayor Joseph Alioto). None of those compare with the elitism, arrogance, self-serving and down-right STUPID coruption of southern politics. At least in the above examples, the local populace benefited some from the corruption. Down here the populace is stepped on, stolen from and the profits go, entirely, into the pockets of a relative few.

Three of the last six Alabama Governors have either been indited or have gone down for illegal practices in office. Four of the last five Mobile Mayors have suffered the same fate and the last is on shakey ground.

The ONLY city I know of with more coruption so blatently displayed is New Orleans, which as evidenced by Katrina, has raised political lack of ethics and coruption to an absolute art form. That place makes even Washington D.C. look "normal!?"

[lilsexy08]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

In my overly extended lifetime I have lived in some pretty corrupt cities. New York City (Mayor John V. Lindsey), Chicago (Hizhonor, Richard J. Daley Sr.), and San Francisco (Mayor Joseph Alioto). None of those compare with the elitism, arrogance, self-serving and down-right STUPID coruption of southern politics. At least in the above examples, the local populace benefited some from the corruption. Down here the populace is stepped on, stolen from and the profits go, entirely, into the pockets of a relative few.

Three of the last six Alabama Governors have either been indited or have gone down for illegal practices in office. Four of the last five Mobile Mayors have suffered the same fate and the last is on shakey ground.

The ONLY city I know of with more coruption so blatently displayed is New Orleans, which as evidenced by Katrina, has raised political lack of ethics and coruption to an absolute art form. That place makes even Washington D.C. look "normal!?"

Thanks for the info Bob! I wasn't on here for a month or so because I was so busy at work! LOL!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by lilsexy08

Thanks for the info Bob! I wasn't on here for a month or so because I was so busy at work! LOL!

On the subject of politics (which was brought into this thread when they became involved with The Earnhardt Kid's venture into the world of race track building), I'll leave it completely with a quote by a quote in 1962 by Albert Camus, an European political observer:

"Politics, and the fate of mankind, are shaped by men without ideals, without morals, and without greatness."

Gee. If we substitute "mankind," in the above quote, with "NASCAR?" Hmmm...??? Something to ponder...

[lilsexy08]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

On the subject of politics (which was brought into this thread when they became involved with The Earnhardt Kid's venture into the world of race track building), I'll leave it completely with a quote by a quote in 1962 by Albert Camus, an European political observer:

"Politics, and the fate of mankind, are shaped by men without ideals, without morals, and without greatness."

Gee. If we substitute "mankind," in the above quote, with "NASCAR?" Hmmm...??? Something to ponder...

Some people believe not all that just because their the kids of Earnhardt they get what they want. No true. Dale Jr. has other intersts as well besides driving. Let the Earnhardts build a track-what would that hurt?