It's Time To Lobby To Re-build Our Tracks

[CILTRAK]

I just came across this article in the Quincy paper where an area ATV park got a seven figure state grant and was one of several to get state assistance:. http://www.whig.com/story/27132053/pike-county-off-road-park-gets-166-million-state-grant

Good for them.

As we look around at our race track venues that are slowly crumbling and a sport that has many issues facing it, it would be nice for the racing world to earn some respect for our contributions to tourism and the economy in general. How much diesel gets sold on a weekend for people to go racing? How much gas gets burned for fans to travel to races? How much sales tax gets paid by the local steak n shake that has huge lines after a race? How many trailer plates get sold for race trailers? How many people are employed in businesses related to the racing industry? How much sales tax are we paying on those Hoosier tires? The list goes on...

I might be a little low, but there are roughly 20-25 tracks in Illinois that put on fan-based racing events every week. A million dollars a year divided between those 25 tracks would go a long way toward facility improvements and making our sport more appealing and healthy.

Long term it's tough to justify major investments in infrastructure at race tracks and I applaud people like Kevin and Tammy and Ray and Kenny who have made those investments. But at the end of the day, your race track is worth what it is based on the economics far more than the facilities. It's tough to ever get that money back out of a place - thus we patch things up, slap some paint on and try to make it another year. I don't want to stick government money in my pocket, but I wouldn't mind putting their money toward a new roof, or urinals, or paint, or safety improvements.

$50,000 to a race track could make some major improvements and help preserve these facilities long into the future - no matter who is running them at a given time. I'm not a fan of government handouts and waste, but the horse racing industry is getting them, the hunting/fishing industry is getting them, the stick and ball stadiums are getting them, the arts/entertainment industry is getting them.... how do we get our racing industry in line?

My State Representative lives across the street. I might give him something to laugh about tomorrow - because that's the reaction I think this would get from most politicians.

 

[t.nie]

The folks in government don't allocate money based on what the activity puts back into the local economy or community, but by how many people might be influenced to vote in their favor if they are known for being involved with it.

Last time I looked, stick and ball sports were hugely popular, so politicians naturally want to be viewed favorably by the fans of those sports, particularly the big monied sponsors and benefactors of those sports who make large campaign contributions, so of course spending our tax dollars to support those sports "makes good sense" to elected politicians.

On the other hand, the local dirt track is noisy, dirty, and doesn't make it on TV and many voters in the community either don't care at all about it or if they have an opinion, would like to see it closed down. So the politicians pass on any suggestion that they do something for that part of the community.

I think the improvements need to come in the economy in general first, putting more money back in the average Joe's pocket, then they can spend some of that on entertainment at the local racetrack, and then the tracks can make some improvements when the cash flow allows.

I think you are right that going straight to government for assistance is probably going to get you laughed out of town. And I would also venture to say the ATV grant is a land reclamation project, and it wasn't to promote ATV racing and recreation, but to promote reclaiming previously unusable land and turning it into something the community, or some part of it, can use and enjoy.

We have ATV parks here in Southern IL that have sprouted up on that basis. If you can find some land that is eligible for reclamation, and you are willing to run a racetrack as a non-profit club, you might get a grant to build it.