Calgary - help save race city - sign the petition

[unclebilly]

http://www.petitiononline.com/racecity/petition.html

[rpollock]

Track junkies unite! Get your name on this petition!

[andrew15]

Was just going to post that link and saw it already here - good job Scott!
Rick - I still haven't heard about that hood - I'd say it's safe to say it's gone

AM

[andrew15]

Wait a sec - Rick do you have 2 cars now?!

[rpollock]

Originally Posted by andrew15

Wait a sec - Rick do you have 2 cars now?!

Just the '86. Guess I should clarify my sig...

A suitable hood has been found!

[rvanderpyl]

Done. In some ways this could be a positive if a new site can be found. The current track is not a great design, and it's run off areas leave a lot to be desired (swamps, rocks ditches ) A fresh start could make for a much better track, and maybe a decent pit area.

[stealthn]

So I don't get this, is it a petition to move Race City, or keep it? I'm not sure why we need a petition for a private facility?

Clue me in...

By the way, when I win the lotto, I'm buying it and totally re-vamping it.

[rpollock]

Bob, Race City is closing at the end of 2009. It is a private facility on City land. The petition is to show support for a track and encourage the City to make another location available.

[andrew15]

In a nutshell: 2010 = no more Race City

In a slightly larger nutshell, the land is leased from the city of Calgary and the city is not going to renew the lease when it expires in 2009 - Something about needing the land for runoff for the nearby land fill.

AM

[rpollock]

Bob, Race City is closing at the end of 2009. It is a private facility on City land. The petition is to show support for a track and encourage the City to make another location available.

[stealthn]

Thanks guys, someone should rally the guys that made the millions over the last couple of years and went out and bought exotics, to pool their money are create a real race facilities for activities all year round.

I pick an exact duplicate of Miller Motorsports Park

http://www.millermotorsportspark.com/mmpschools/images/map07.jpg

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Thanks guys, someone should rally the guys that made the millions over the last couple of years and went out and bought exotics, to pool their money are create a real race facilities for activities all year round.

I pick an exact duplicate of Miller Motorsports Park

http://www.millermotorsportspark.com/mmpschools/images/map07.jpg

I have heard talk of folks doing just that. I've also heard talk of a motorsports theme housing community.

I am tempted to spearhead something like this but am sceptical if the return is there. It is going to cost $2.24M for the land (you'd want a whole section at $3500/acre for farm), say $1M fr the track, and $100000 for buildings etc. The cheapest you could do this is ~$3.5M and you'd need to see 10% ROI or you might as well buy WalMart stock with your money. Would a track net in $350,000 / year? That's $3500 / day in clear profit assuming 100 days that it would be usable and we havne't even discussed insurance or maintenance costs yet. If this thing is going to be run as a business, many of the current users would not be able to afford it.

If you can get the land for free (like from the city), this changes the equation. Now you only need to have clear returns of $150000 per year or $1500 per day which is likely doable.

The motorsport housing development is a neat idea but I'm not sure how keen any of the MDs around Calgary would be on something like this. I'm also not sure how many guys wives would want to live there.

What could work is a motorsport resort out of town - kinda like Glennifer Lake where it is more of a weekend retreat. You buy an RV lot (which subsadizes the commmunity) for say $20,000 and there are 175 lots - this would cover costs. The track is then rented out as necessary to cover the R&M costs but is mainly available to club members.

I dunno - there is no easy solution.

[Oracle]

Uncle,
great insight on what's involved, I just wish something happens.
I heard there were plans to build something in a dome, that way it's open all year.

[unclebilly]

EDIT - it should be more like $2000 - $2500 / acre depending on how far it is from calgary. If it is as close as race city currently is, the cost would be ~$3500 / acre. The further away from town it is, the less likely it is to work tho. This has to be balanced by the people who have acreages / live in the burbs that wouldn't want this in their back yard. The current location is excellent for this very reason - right in the middle of industrial / garbage dump / agricultural.

How far would you be willing to drive for a track event after work? Would Cayley or Alderside be too far?

[rpollock]

Scott. PM me and I can give you a pretty good idea what it throws off. It is actually booked every day from May 1 until Sept 30, that is about 150 days.

[stealthn]

Dude, you're being too short sited;

Think Ice Racing, Snow mobile racing, off-road racing, wintersports park, etc. The only way to be financially sound is to have an all year round facility.

Concerts, maybe a water park, camping and RV sounds good. It must be a place for the whole family as well as a racing facility. I would also get together with the dealers and get them to have track/DE days for new drivers.
Just a few ideas...com'on lotto

[CanuckRS]

A track around Calgary has become alot more feasible these days...As Rick said, Racecity is booked solid with schools and tracksdays; you would be surprised at the take-in, I know I was when I found out..

If I were to build a facility, I think I would want to own the land to avoid just what happened to Racecity; the lessee choosing not to renew the lease for whatever reason...
A few years ago I was privy to a group of guys who were looking to build a private facility but at the time is was not econmically feasible; maybe they will dust off those plans and revisit the idea if they haven't already...

[rpollock]

The dealers actually do book a bunch of days. BMW has about 10 days booked, Ariel Atom has 2 weeks I think? I agree with Bob, one of the keys will be to make use of it in winter. I am thinking Police, RCMP winter driving schools, ice driving schools, snow mobile racing. Set aside an area for dirt bikes, quads etx.

The real surprise has been the growth in road course use and the demise of the drag strip and oval use. You could get away with a lot smaller facility if you didn't build a drag strip or oval. The road course is carrying the whole facility these days. Certainly the numbers look dramatically better than even 5 years ago.

[unclebilly]

So would a 1/4 section do (1/2 mile x 1/2 mile)?

How far would YOU be willing to drive for a lapping session? There is a dirt track at Alderside, property down there is reletively inexpensive compared to other land around here and the track precedent has been set down there.

[rpollock]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

So would a 1/4 section do (1/2 mile x 1/2 mile)?

How far would YOU be willing to drive for a lapping session? There is a dirt track at Alderside, property down there is reletively inexpensive compared to other land around here and the track precedent has been set down there.

Most people will actually drive quite a ways. Alderside would be in the range.

1/4 section will be tight, given you need parking, paddock and run off areas etc. For comparison I think Race City is 1/2 section. Granted the very long front straight would not be required if you don't need a dragstrip.